4-H Connections
A Newsletter for 4-H Volunteers and Families February, 2004

YORK COUNTY 4-H NEWS

"Kids Can Grow" Gearing Up
Spring must be in the air!  We are beginning to gear up for our popular youth gardening program, "Kids Can Grow"!  This five part series is open to all youth.  During the series youth participants will create their own home gardens while learning through fun-filled classes. 

• Attend 5 Fun Outdoor Garden Classes

• Have your Own Garden Space at Home

• Build a 3' by 5' garden plot at home

• Plant and care for your own seeds and garden plants

• Grow and harvest lots of fresh, sweet veggies and flowers

• Learn nutritious ways to share our home grown goodies with each other

• Graduate from "Kids Can Grow" with a final summer harvest celebration.

Classes are on 5 Saturdays, May – August at York County Extension Office, Sanford.  The series is limited to 28 children.  Applications are due by April 21.  There is a $20.00 materials fee for this program. Call the Extension Office to request a brochure and application.

Web Camp Site
http://gocybercamp.org/login_form

This is a great resource sponsored by the University of Minnesota and content supported by other land-grant universities. goCyberCamp is open to all kids between the ages of 8 and 12.

Kids can join goCyberCamp for FREE! Only caregivers and parents or guardians can sign up their kids.

goCybercamp is a Web-based learning environment for kids 8 to 12 where they can engage in a variety of online camp activities and make new friends. As virtual campers, kids learn about their world through online activities that parallel those at camp. Kids explore different environments through the online activities that promote:

• Understanding of ecosystems

• Participation in outdoor activities

• Discovery of arts & culture

• Learning about health and safety both out of doors and online

• Sharing ideas and experiences with others

Preparing for Acton and Ossipee Fairs
It's not too early to be working on your fair project exhibits and signing up for Acton Fair food booth!  To sign up for the food booth contact Diane Qualey.

Scholarship Notice to All Seniors
There are 4-H scholarships available - in York County and at the state level - for seniors who are pursuing post-secondary education.  Information and application forms already have been made available to schools.

If you have not received yours, and you are a senior, or a recent graduate, please call the office and let us know.  We will be happy to send you a packet.

STATE AND NATIONAL NEWS

State Awards Reminder
The application letter regarding State Awards to National 4-H Congress or National 4-H Conference was mailed to all 4-H Members ages 14 and up.  If you did not receive a copy, please contact the Extension office.  The deadline for application is April 15. 

Make sure you get your applications in if you're interested in participating in either of these great opportunities.

Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF)
We are looking for a few York County teens who would like to participate in Citizenship Washington Focus.  This is a national 4-H  program held at the 4-H National Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, just outside of Washington,  D.C.  Maine will be sending delegates this year during the week of July 10-17.

CWF  is a fabulous opportunity for teens to visit Washington, D.C.  Delegates learn how our federal government works, how to participate in local decision-making, and will meet with our state Representatives and Senators.  They also will spend time seeing the sights – everything from Mt Vernon to the memorials on the mall.  CWF delegates do NOT have to be 4-H members.

The approximate cost of the program is $700.  However, the York County Leaders Association will divide $700 among all York County teens attending.  If only one teen applies, they will receive a “free trip”.  For more information contact Jon at the Extension office.

Maine 4-H Days
Maine 4-H Days will occur this year July 16-19.  The program committee is looking for volunteers, educators and specialists to present educational workshops and/or program tracks.  We have a budget and can offset expenses.  Programs can be on any subject - computers, rockets, animal science, leadership , and so on. 

Workshops will be promoted through the registration form.  Instructors may set a minimum number of participants and/or a maximum number. 

For more information contact:

Jane Haskell,  1-800-287-1426, or

Susan Jennings, 1-800-287-1482.

 ANIMAL PROJECT NEWS

 Eastern States Exhibition Information
Now you can get all of your information including animal project and Eastern States Exposition information at the 4-H website: http://www.maine4h.umaine.edu/forms.htm

 Dairy Quiz Bowl
The 2004 Dairy Quiz Bowl will be held February 15 at 1 pm in the Maine Farm Bureau Building, Augusta. 

 Maine 4-H Equine Fun Day
The Maine 4-H Equine Fun Day will be held February 22, 9 am-3 pm in Waterville.   Registration deadline is February 13.

Horses and Eastern States

March 26 - Eastern States Intent to Participate forms are due to the Extension office.

April 1 - Deadline for Horse Animal Approval Forms to be submitted to the York County Extension office.  Get a form by calling the office or printing it off the Maine 4-H web-site.  Lease forms are also due April 1.

ESE Information -  You must be 12 years old by January 1, 2003 to be eligible to try out .  You can try out to be a rider or a teen leader, but not both.  Both packets are available from the Extension office or the Maine 4-H website.  Packets are due in Franklin County on June 4.  Tryouts will be June 25, 26 and 27 at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds.  Check out the packets for the complete rules.

Sheep Project Information

March 1 - Eastern States Intent to Participate forms are due to the Extension office.  Forms are available through the Extension office or the Maine 4-H website.

If you think you might be interested in being on the Eastern States Sheep Team, consider raising a market lamb for the late September show.  There are very few entries in the market lamb class, so it's a good way to learn and possibly do very well!

TBIO, Maine Poster Contest
Girls ages 9-18 are invited to express their creativity and help build awareness of Turn Beauty Inside Out, Maine with our first poster contest. Turn Beauty Inside Out Maine is a grass roots celebration of the definition of true beauty as good hearts, great works and activism.  Your poster must include the words  “Turn Beauty Inside Out, Maine” and the website address,  www.umaine.edu/umext/genderproject .  Submission deadline is March 26.  The winning posters will be displayed on the web site and used in our public awareness campaign. Join the fun!  For more information visit the website or call the Extension office.

COUNTY CLUB NEWS

This Space Reserved
If you would like to share something special your club, or a club member has experienced recently, this space of our newsletter is reserved for you.  We can all learn from one another, and this is a good way to help.

• Has your club done something unusual lately?

• Has one of your club members done something unusual or especially noteworthy.

• Would you consider sharing it here?

Also, this month your Extension Educator, Jon has begun to visit at least one 4-H club a month as a way of staying connected with the volunteers and youth and the good work you are involved in. 

Consider inviting him to a club meeting or event.  He's willing to participate in one of several ways, as an observer, a participant, or presenter.

He's perfectly happy to attend as an observer, so don't feel as though you need to create a "reason" for him to attend.

Also, Jon is interested in featuring one 4-H Club per newsletter,  as a way of helping volunteers, parents and club members to learn more about one another.

He already has a date with the Mane Event    4-H Club in April.  This month he visited the Four Leaf Clover Club in Shapleigh, where he joined the Club in watching a very interesting demonstration about Native Americans and their connections to southern Maine. 

He also gave a demonstration himself, as he played Native American flute music on a flute made specially for him by a Hawk, a Native American from Maine. 

Four Leaf Clover Club will be featured in a future edition of this newsletter.  Mane Event 4-H Club has reserved April for him to visit with them.  When would you like him to visit with your club?   

Happy Birthday to… Special February birthday wishes to the following 4-Her’s:

• Jeremy Burbank

• Abigail Peverill

• Timothy Carr

• Mary Plaisted

• Kendra West

• Jedidiah Phillips

• Lydia Boothby

• Tyler Goodrich

• Marrissa Knight

• Meagan Brooks

• Krysta Black

• Kerri-Lyn Hernandez

• Andrew Guillemette

• Theodore Smith

• Hannah Stiles

• William Bellottie

• Caitlin Ervin

• Michelle Potter

• Halley Metcalf

• Allison Fernstrom

• Morgan Allard

4-H Leaders Association Meeting Notes - January 28, 2004
The following is only a summary of the meeting.  For a copy of the complete meeting minutes, please contact the Extension office. 

Attending:  Ann Boucher, Barb Petersen, Jon Prichard, Donna Flint, Diane Qualey, Annette Austin, Heidi West, Beth Hill, Else-Maria Cook, Dot Brown, Peter Schluntz, Kara Metcalf, Doreine White, Peter Trask, Mona Jerome, Laurie Doody, Valerie Cole.

Program Updates

Fall Fest - We had very large attendance.  The Extension Executive Committee enjoyed attending.

Spring Clean-up at Acton Fairgrounds - Tentatively scheduled for weekend of May 22, with a back up date of August 1.

New Programs

Horse Camp - We're exploring starting up  horse camp again in York County.

Art Camp - Jon is exploring developing a youth arts "camp" this summer.

County and State Updates

Acton Fair Committee meeting is on February 18.

Southern Maine 4-H Volunteer Mini-Forum is being planned for the Portland area.  We brainstormed ideas for workshop topics.

4-H Congress/Conference application process was discussed.

4-H Newsletter - Jon is revamping; asked for ideas.

Vaughn Island Camp - is happening this year.

Charters - need to be updated this year.

Food Booth - has had renovations and is improved.

Ideas for Acton Fair Exhibit Hall.  We discussed some display ideas including antique tools, milking, antique wire, antique milk bottle.  Also perhaps beekeepers coming in for the full four days, or the York County Kennel Club having a display and some dog demonstrations/discussions.

Donna Flint - has been appointed Maine 4-H Statewide Coordinator for Animal Sciences Committee and Eastern States Exposition.  This means she will spend 10 hours per week working on ASC/ESE related activities.  Congratulations and "thanks", Donna!

Next Meeting
April 5, 7 pm 

All are welcome to attend!

Our New Newsletter Format
At the most recent 4-H Leaders Association Meeting we spent some time discussing the newsletter and its format.  So beginning this month the newsletter has a new look.  This is an experiment.  We will be continuing to upgrade and try out new ideas in the months ahead.

If you have any suggestions, please contact Jon or Donna at the Extension office.

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