Visit the online 4-H Filmmaking Studio! Here you can find learning modules on the basics of creating your own film, telling your story, using your camera, as well as other tips and tricks for filmmaking. Have fun while you learn!
Fun with Science and Math – Locke, Stock, and Arrow 4-H Club
Our January meeting was themed math and science, so we had several different stations set up where the kids learned about electricity, how a storm works, and we also did some word problems. At our last meeting we elected a new secretary, Zach H. Our next meeting will be in February complete with a sledding party!
Equine Etc. went to Coffin Pond! We could not skate or sled but had a great time on a small hike. We had hot cocoa and homemade donuts and lots of great snacks during our meeting. What has your club been up to?
Celebrating 100 Years of 4-H in Maine
A Message from Lisa Phelps, 4-H Program Administrator:
Did you know the first 4-H club in Maine was started in 1913, and it was a Potato Club in Scarborough, Maine? Yes, indeed, it’s true! In 2013, 4-H is celebrating 100 years in Maine. I hope you will join me in celebrating the 100th birthday of 4-H in Maine and look for ways you can celebrate locally and statewide. We have a lot to be proud of about our 4-H program in Maine! Since the beginning, the youth development program of University of Maine Cooperative Extension has emphasized the importance of building the life skills needed to be successful adults. We would not have had the strong program we have had for the past 100 years if it were not for the extremely dedicated volunteers and staff. On behalf of the thousands of youth all of you have impacted over the years, thank you for all you have done.
Please check out our special Celebrating 100 Years Web site. I would also encourage all of you to consider giving financially to the Maine 4-H Foundation as we work to raise $100,000 in 2013 to support the 4-H program. Happy 100 years Maine 4-H, and here’s to many more!
Maine 4-H Foundation Post-Secondary Education Scholarships
Information and applications for Maine 4-H Foundation’s post-secondary education scholarships are now available online. These scholarships are available to all current 4-H youth in Maine, high school seniors or recent graduates, who are pursuing higher education. The deadline for applications to be received at the local county Extension office is March 4, 2013. If you have any questions please contact Dana Rickman or call 207-353-5550.
State 4-H Dairy Program Dates
Please hold the following dates for your participation in the State 4-H Dairy Programs:
Forms are or will be posted on the Maine 4-H Dairy Web site.
UMaine Day at the Legislature – 4-H Honorary Page Program
UMaine Day at the Legislature, Tuesday, February 26th, is quickly approaching! Since legislators like to see 4-H members from their districts, 4-Hers who are age 13 or older are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages. The Maine 4-H program has up to 30 slots for Honorary Pages.
What does a page do? Pages hand out information to Representatives or Senators, or deliver phone and other messages to Representatives and Senators on the floor. If you are interested in serving as a page, please contact Debra Kantor in Somerset County or call 1-800-287-8957.
Requests to serve will be filled in the order they are received, but the final deadline to register is February 8th. If the slot for your legislative district has been filled, your name will be added to a wait list in the order it is received. If you are leaving a message, please be sure to say “I am interested in serving as a 4-H Page at the Legislature on February 26”. Your slot will be reserved if you leave this complete information:
4-H Honorary Pages will be in the Capitol from 8:30am– 3:00pm. A parent or 4-H volunteer provides transportation and chaperoning.
Maine ESE Horse Tryouts
ESE Horse tryouts will take place July 12-14, 2013, at Skowhegan Fairgrounds. Riders/drivers must be 14 years old as of December 31, 2012. Information and tryout forms will be posted to the 4-H Web site the first week of February. If you have questions about ESE tryouts please contact Tina Hogan, ESE Horse Committee Coordinator, or Kristy Ouellette, Extension Educator, or call 1-800-287-1458 (toll-free in Maine).
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 run July 20-21. If you are interested in helping to plan next year’s event, please contact Jessy Brainerd or call 207-581-3877.
February Vacation Day Camp at Tanglewood 4-H Camp
This outdoor day camp will be held at Tanglewood 4-H Camp in Lincolnville, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. on Feb. 19-20 ( for ages 6-8) and Feb. 21-22 (for ages 9-13). Aftercare is available each day until 4 p.m. It’s a fun-filled adventure packed with outdoor exploration, wildlife tracking and sledding, all of which encourage personal growth in harmony with nature. The cost is $65.00/child for the two-day program. Register or find more information online, email Patti or call 207-789-5868.
2013 4-H Horse Quiz Bowl and Hippology Meetings
Horse quiz bowl and hippology meetings began January 26th and will be held once a month on Saturday or Sunday. 4-Hers interested in trying-out for the Maine teams which compete nationally in Kentucky at the Eastern 4-H Horse Round-Up exposition are required to attend these meetings. Material is designed for 4-Hers ages 14-18, though all ages are welcome to attend and material will be revised for younger 4-Hers.
Meetings will consist of working with quiz bowl buzzers, labeling horse diagrams, hands-on activities, review of workbook assignments, field trips to equine facilities, lectures/demonstrations by equine professionals, and educational games. Home assignments will consist of assigned readings, short research essays, and review quizzes. All materials provided free of charge.
Topics to be covered each month:
For more information about time and place of meetings, contact Edie Kershner or call 207-322-4601.
Celebrate Awesome! 2013 Engineering Expo
The Engineering Expo will be held Saturday, March 2, 2013, 9:00 a.m.–2:00 p.m. at the University of Southern Maine, Gorham Campus. Suggested donation is $2/person at the door. Over 1,500 children and adults are expected to experience first-hand the many contributions that Maine Engineers make to our communities and way of life. Maine’s top engineering firms, engineering schools, educators, government agencies, industry, and engineering societies will provide hands-on activities and exhibits throughout the field house. The fun, dynamic, and positive environment is designed to help encourage our youth to pursue careers in engineering.
No registration is required to attend. Find more information on the Maine Engineering Promotional Council (MEPC) Web site.
Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
Start making plans now to visit our nation’s capitol the week of June 29 – July 6, 2013. CWF is a leadership development program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 15-18. Delegations of 4-Hers 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. More information is available online. 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.
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.
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
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.
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!
4-H @ UMaine: Connecting Kids to Campus
If you know any youth ages 12 to 18, make sure they save the date! 4-H @ UMaine will take place May 17 – 18, 2013, at the University of Maine in Orono. Details will be available online in February.
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).
2013 Morris Scholarship for Eastern States Participants
This is the year that Maine has the opportunity to select an Eastern States Exposition participant to receive a $500 scholarship towards continuing his or her education beyond high school. You can find out how to apply for this scholarship online.
Image Description: Balloons
Image Description: 4H members meeting
Image Description: 4H members meeting
Image Description: 4H members meeting
Image Description: 4H members meeting
Image Description: 4H 100 years
