Happy Birthday!
- Octavia H. 1/3
- Sophia B. 1/7
- Christopher DuB. 1/9
- Grace P. 1/9
- Hope DiV. 1/10
- David T. 1/11
- Bridget S. 1/14
- Jabreel M.A. 1/15
- Alexandria C.K. 1/17
- Noah A. 1/18
- Andrew V. 1/18
- Issa O.P. 1/22
- Joel D. 1/24
- Jacob M. 1/26
- Zachary M. 1/26
- Anna W. 1/31
Dates to Remember
- January 3 – Windsor/Fryeburg Fairs Intent to Participate Forms Due
- January 9 – Teen Leaders Meeting 6PM – Open to all teens (aged 13-18) who would like to be a part of a leadership club focused on expanding leadership skills, planning county wide events, community service and college planning.
- Apply Now for National Trips!
Activity Corner
Winter is officially upon us. During the cold winter months, learning about birds in our community can be a fun activity to do as a 4-H project or with your family. Visit Cornell University’s “All About Birds” where you can learn about bird ID skills, different ways to attract birds to your backyard, and lots more with Birding Basics!
Communications Toolkit: Fun, Skill-Building Activities to Do With Kids
Experts such as parents, teachers, employers and others who work with young people know that communication skills are essential tools for kids’ success. The Communications Toolkit PDF (Michigan 4-H, 1999, 172 pages) is designed for individuals who work with young people aged 12 and up and who want fun, easy and meaningful communication activities to use with clubs, classrooms, camps, after-school programs and other settings where kids come together. In the toolkit you will find background information for group leaders, skill sheets with tips and basic information, group icebreakers, hands-on activities, handouts and other resources that will help kids build on their skills in several key areas.
4-H Club News
Robo Dojo, our Lego Robotics Team, won Rookie of the Year at this year’s FIRST LEGO League (FLL) competition! WOOT WOOT!!
Hello! The 4-H club Equine Etc. would like to share with everyone that we just recently had our annual clover cash auction! Every year we all work hard to earn cash by doing things such as performing some community service, attending 4-H events, and also things to do with school. We hope you all have a Happy New Year!
Androscoggin-Sagadahoc Counties 4-H is looking for folks to serve on the Campership/Scholarship Committee. This group will design the standards & criteria, and application process, for youth to apply. We will meet 1-2 times for 90 minutes. If you are interested please contact Robin Beck or call 207- 320-2325.
4-H State News
Save the Date for 2013 Maine 4-H Days!
Maine 4-H Days will take place July 18-21 at the Windsor Fairgrounds, and the State Dairy Show will be on the 20th & 21st. If you are interested in helping to plan these events, please contact Jessy Brainerd or call 207-581-3877.
Invention Convention
The Invention Convention is a statewide competition promoting important life and work skills for Maine middle school students. Throughout the school year, students work to identify and solve problems by using a four-step, systematic approach to innovation. After competing against their peers at a local level, top students will be invited to attend the state conference where they compete for the top invention awards. The competition is open to any school offering grades 6, 7, and/or 8, as well as children who are homeschooled. More information is available on the Maine Invention Convention’s Web site, or by contacting Angela Marcolini at the University of Maine’s Foster Center for Student Innovation, or by calling 207-581-1454.
4-H Farm-to-Fair Key Volunteers Needed!
Did you get to visit the 4-H Farm-to-Fair interactive exhibit at the 2012 Union Fair? The Knox-Lincoln 4-H Leaders’ Association reports that the response from the public was resoundingly positive! Local families and folks visiting the area from other states (and countries) praised the exhibit for being a fun and informative way to teach kids about how the food they eat, and products they use, are produced.
In order to continue the success of this exhibit at Union Fair, two key volunteer roles will need to be filled as soon as possible. A Volunteer Coordinator is needed to seek out and organize the schedule of volunteers operating the exhibit for the 8 days that the fair is open (August 17-24, 2013). The person, or team of two, needs to commit to being available for all of these days. If there is a team of two, the times can be shared.
We also seek a Farm Store Coordinator, who will coordinate the products that kids will choose from to take home after they have been through the exhibit. This person will be responsible for procuring enough donations of locally-produced items to fill the store shelves every day the exhibit is open. This will be done prior to fair week, so your presence will not be needed during the fair.
If you would like to help or want to learn more, contact Cindy Rogers, UMaine Extension 4-H Program Aide for Knox and Lincoln Counties, or call 207-832-0343. Thank you!
Eastern States Exposition
Calling all 4-H youth, ages 11 and up, along with volunteers who have an interest in showcasing the many interests and talents of Maine 4-H… we want you! Join a group of dedicated participants as we share our love for 4-H with the fair-goers at ‘The Big E’ in West Springfield, MA, during the 3rd weekend in September. It’s an experience you won’t forget.
Maine 4-H participates with displays and demonstrations in the New England Center, which also houses creative arts competitions, and daily stage performances. Working in teams of two at stations called “pods”, youth demonstrate 4-H projects this year will be focused on Robotics and Engineering. Youth also have the opportunity to participate in stage performance. Please call the UMaine Cooperative Extension Office in Oxford, ME, at 207-743-6329 or 800-287-1482 (toll-free in Maine) for specific details and for a team application. Students stay in the dorm, and meals and transportation are provided. Space is limited, and will be filled on a first-come, first served basis. Sign up now!
New Hampshire Dairy Goat Seminar - Transitioning From a Hobby to a Commercial Goat Dairy
This seminar is being held during the NH Farm and Forest Exposition on Saturday, February 9th, 2013 from 10:00 am to 12:30 pm. The schedule for the Dairy Goat Seminar starts with District meeting at 10:00 followed by “Transitioning to a Commercial Goat Dairy” at 10:30.
This event will be held at the Radisson Hotel in Manchester NH. Free for 4-H youth and $5.00 per family. Find a complete brochure on the Farm and Forest Exposition at their Web site.
Apply Now for National Trips
National 4-H Trips are excellent opportunities to meet, and learn with, other 4-H members from across the nation. Participants explore many career options, and learn through educational workshops at Congress or become a part of a team making recommendations to National 4-H Council at Conference.
All Maine 4-H youth, ages 14 to 18, are eligible to apply. Applicants must be current Maine 4-H members both at the time of application and the time of the actual trip. Application packets must be sent to your county office and postmarked by March 15, 2013. More information is available on the Web site, or contact Heidi Thuotte or call 1-800-287-1535 (toll free in Maine).
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of June 29-July 6, 2013. CWF is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 15 to 18. Delegations of 4-H’ers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skill-building workshops. The Maine delegation will stay at the National 4-H Conference Center just outside Washington, DC. Visiting the most popular sites in Washington will be a part of the trip, including spending the 4th of July in our nation’s capitol. There is a mandatory orientation for Maine delegates on April 27th. For more information visit the Web site or contact your county 4-H office for details about how to be a part of this experience.
4-H Regional Public Speaking Tournament – for Hancock, Knox, Lincoln, Somerset, Penobscot, Piscataquis, Waldo and Washington Counties
The 4-H Regional Public Speaking Tournament will be held Saturday, March 23rd at the University of Maine, Orono, in the Bangor Room. 4-H youth ages 9 to 18 who have participated in their county 4-H public speaking tournament are invited to participate. For youth in counties which do not hold public speaking tournaments, arrangements may be made through their county’s Extension office to either participate in a neighboring county’s tournament or present in another format to be eligible.
Registration for the regional tournament must be handled through the youth’s county Extension office. County offices should contact Joyce Fortier, or call 207-667-8212, with registrations no later than March 13, 2013. For more information on 4-H public speaking, including guidelines and judging sheets, contact Lisa Reilich or call 207-598-6621.
Save the Date!
- July 18-21, 2013 – Maine 4-H Days (Date Change)
- July 20 & 21, 2013 – State Dairy Show