4-H Connections
A Newsletter for 4-H Volunteers and Families January/February, 2005

YORK COUNTY 4-H NEWS

4-H Youth Celebrate Accomplishments at Annual Fallfest

Exploring the Arts! 4-H Program Kicks off in York County

Get ready for an exciting new expressive arts program coming to York County 4-H, beginning in April! 

Exploring the Arts! is a youth expressive arts program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension and 4H program in York County. The goal of the program is for children to enjoy exploring and learning about a variety of arts and then having the opportunity to publicly showcase what they have created. The arts provide an important expressive outlet for children and teaches them important lessons in creativity, expression and demonstration.  

Exploring the Arts! develops self-esteem, appreciation of the work of others, self-expression, cooperation with others, and critical thinking skills, skills vital to the success of our children.

Exploring the Arts! inspires children to explore the world of art through, creativity journaling, painting, music, and other mediums.

The Exploring the Arts! program will enroll 20 children, between the ages of 7 to12, and engage professional artists and Extension staff members. 

During this first pilot year the program will be offered during three seasons of the year.

The Spring Program - Exploring the Arts! will occur on five consecutive Saturdays, April 2 – April 30.

This series will offer the following classes:

·         Word Picture collages –“The Story of Me”

·         Recycled Art projects (2 sessions)

·         Healing Art Cards

·         Wellness Creativity Journals

For this series we also will be selecting Teen Leaders (ages 13-17) to help teach the classes.  This will be a good way to learn the art yourself and learn leadership skills, while offering a valuable community service.

Youth may enroll in the entire series, or select individual classes.  During the 5-session program, classes consist of 2-hour sessions

that offer a short lesson followed by hands-on creative study.  We are exploring ways that the art projects might be displayed, including during Acton Fair.

The final session of the program is a celebration.  Each child is encouraged to bring in one or more projects from their classes.  It will be a time to swap success stories, receive a tee shirt with the Exploring the Arts! logo, and be recognized for successfully participating in the program.

The Summer Program - Exploring the Arts! in Nature – A Summer Day Camp    A one-week York County “Exploring the Arts”   4-H Camp will be offered in July 18-22, 2005.   This program will use the creative arts as a way to teach youth to understand and appreciate our natural world. 

The program also is being integrated with Vaughn Island 4-H Camp, with special arts in nature activities being offered in the 2005 summer program.

The Fall Program - Exploring the Arts!  through Community Story Telling will be offered again in the fall.  This program will help youth to create visual art projects that help to tell a story that captures something valuable about their community.  Their stories will be obtained through interviews with elders, family members, community leaders, even animals (yes, animals). 

In addition to offering it to the 4-H club community, we are exploring sites for the program to occur as part of on-site afterschool programs.

All materials are either provided by Extension or offset by a small class fee.  Most classes will occur at the Extension office in Sanford.

In early February, Jon will mail directly to all 4-H members a detailed schedule and registration materials for the spring Exploring the Arts! program.

He also will be presenting more detailed information on these programs at the February 15 Leaders Recognition event in Alfred (See attached flyer). 

York County 4-H Talent Show?

 Jon is working with a group of 4-H youth to create a 4-H/Community talent show to occur sometime this spring.  If you would like to be involved or have ideas you’d like to share with us, contact him at the Extension office.

Survey of York County 4-H Program

In late January, many of our York County leaders and staff received a survey from the Extension office in Orono.  We are interested in what you feel is working well in York County’s 4-H program, and what could be improved.

Power of Choice: A Free After School Program

The Eat Well program is offering a fun filled ten-week after-school program for 8 to 12 year olds.  “The Power of Choice” will have cool activities, experiments, and prizes, while offering youth the chance to learn to make after school snacks and other healthy lifestyle choices.

The program is sponsored by the University of Maine Cooperative Extension (UMCE), and Partners for Healthier Communities, Goodall Hospital, and Massabesic Health and Fitness Center.

Together we will embark on an adventure learning to make healthy choices with food, physical activity, and other lifestyle choices.  Participants will create their own cookbook filled with after school snacks that they can make themselves.

The Power of Choice After School Program will be free for ages 8-12, and will be held on:

Mondays starting at 3:30 pm for ten weeks from February 28-May 16, at the library in Lyman.  Parents should be prepared to pick up children promptly at 5:30 pm.

Tuesdays starting at 3:15 pm for ten weeks from March 1 - May 17, at the library in Limerick.  Parents should be prepared to pick up children promptly at 5 pm.

Wednesdays starting at 3:15 pm for ten weeks from March 2 - May 18, at the library in Waterboro.  Parents should be prepared to pick up children promptly at 5 pm.

Space is limited.  To register, please call the UMCE office at 324-2814 or 1-800-287-1535.

Leaders Association Meetings February 15 and March 9

Attend our Leaders Association meetings!

They’re informative, fun, and a great place to network and learn from one another. 

February 15 will be taken up with the Leaders Celebration, though we will have a brief business meeting as needed.  There will be a regular leaders meeting March 9.

Hope to see you there!

4-H Leaders Celebration February 15

Our 4-H leaders do an incredible job   supporting our youth and 4-H programs in   York County!  Now it’s time to celebrate and acknowledge them.  If you’re a 4-H leader, Thank You! , and we hope to see you at the celebration, February 15. 

If you’re a club member or parent, please take the time to thank your club leader for the time and energy they put into 4-H. 

Leaders - please see the enclosed flyer for more information.

Adult Volunteer Needed for Acton Fair Food Booth

For as many years as anyone can remember, Diane Qualey has taken leadership in organizing and managing the Acton Fair food booth each summer.  And now she has decided it’s time to take a well-deserved break.  Thank you, Diane, for all you have done to make the food booth a successful educational experience for our youth and a powerful fund raiser for 4-H scholarships and programming in York County.

We need volunteers to replace Diane.  Ideally we would like to find someone who is willing to volunteer to organize the entire food booth process as described below.  Alternatively, Diane is willing to organize the food booth up until the day of Acton Fair begins; in that case we would need someone to oversee and manage the booth for the four days of the fair.

 If you are willing to take on the entire process, you would be responsible for inventory, ordering, managing coverage by   4-H clubs during the fair, and trouble shooting.  Diane is willing to mentor and teach you through the spring and summer leading up to the fair.

If you do not want to take on the entire food booth process, but are willing to manage it during the four days of the fair, you would be responsible for managing the shifts, making sure inventory is covered, trouble shooting.  You would need to be on the fairgrounds during the entire four day period of the fair.  Barbara Petersen manages the money, so you would not need to involved with that.

The Food Booth offers a tremendous opportunity for our 4-H youth to learn important life skills, to interact with other 4-H members and adults, and to raise funds to support our 4-H youth in York County.  Will you consider helping out?

If you think you might be interested, or just want to explore further, please contact Diane Qualey, 793-4843, or Jon Prichard at the Extension office.

Preparing for Acton and Ossipee Fairs

STATE AND NATIONAL NEWS

Citizenship Washington Focus

Half Price in 2005!

If you have always wanted to attend Citizenship Washington Focus and you are between the ages of 15 and 19, there is a special opportunity for you in 2004.  This year, thanks to the generous support of the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation, the cost to attend the week-long program will be no more than $300, less than half of the traditional fee.

CWF is a week-long program, held at the National 4-H Conference Center in Chevy Chase, Maryland, just outside of Washington, DC.  The program is sponsored by the National 4H Council and includes workshops and activities that let you experience the processes of U.S. government, visit your congressional delegation on Capitol Hill and see many of Washington’s most famous sites. 

The Maine 4H delegation will be attending CWF July 9-16, 2005.  Registration materials and information will be coming our way soon, so be sure to read upcoming newsletters for updates and registration information.  There are a limited number of slots for this trip, so if you want to go, let Jon know right away.

National 4-H Conference and Congress

Now is the time to apply for a State Award to National 4-H Congress or National 4-H Conference.  Both of these national programs are excellent opportunities to meet 4-H members from across the nation.  Participants learn about the 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.

“National 4-H Congress was the best educational conference I have ever attended.” – Daniel, 4-H Teen

“I was impressed by the people, the work, the planning, the national sites, the presentations, and the seriousness our organization had for our thinking, opinions, experiences, and recommendations.” 

- Audrey, 4-H Alumni, past teen participant of National 4-H Conference

When are the programs held?
National 4-H Conference – in April.
National 4-H Congress – in November, immediately following Thanksgiving

4-H club members will receive a separate mailing in the next few days. Please consider applying for these great opportunities and adventures!

Exciting Opportunity for a Week-long Exchange

The Maine 4-H International Exchange Program is offering a week-long exchange this spring.  Discover a different culture in your home by hosting an international visitor April 30, 2005 to May 6, 2005. 

Delegates will be adults and adults with children hoping to learn about life in Maine.  Matching siblings are not required for this short and fun friendship building week. Consider this opportunity to show our visitors what Maine life is like, not as tourists, but participating family members!

Please contact Jill Coffren at 207-645-3248 or Coffren@megalink.net

Bring the World Home by Hosting a Japanese Student! 

These young people have a desire to learn about life in America and build on English

skills.  They bring their own spending money and insurance.  You do not need to be involved with 4-H to host.  You just need a willingness to share your lives and your friendship with a young person from Japan.

They look forward to doing family chores, learning new games, shopping, trying new foods and sharing their own Japanese culture with their host family.  The exchangees of this program range in age from 12 to 18 years old. 

The month-long program is open to families with same gender children close in age to the Japanese students.  The year-long students are available to families that are able to connect them to other youth of similar age.  Host families and students are matched based on similar interests. 

The Japanese youth are happy to share a room with their host sister or brother.  The month-long students will arrive around July 21 - 25 and depart around August 19-23, 2005.  This program stresses the experience of everyday American life.  Participants often comment that being a part of the family is the best part of their homestay. 

This is a real exchange; there is an opportunity for host siblings to travel to Japan for a month.  If you are able to host or recruit host families, it will be a great help to our program.  Please contact Jill Coffren at 207-645-3248 or Coffren@megalink.net

Support and Training for York County 4-H Leaders

Based on conversations with 4-H leaders, Jon has decided to offer a new training and support for York County leaders on a monthly basis, beginning on February.  Save the date: Second Wednesday, every month

That’s right.  On the second Wednesday of every month Jon will offer a training on a chosen topic as a way of keeping our leaders informed on issues, programs on which they will want to be up to date.  Some of these trainings will be combined with regular leaders’ meetings.  The following four dates have been selected:

Feb 17: A New York County 4-H Program -  Exploring the Arts!
Mar 9: National Trips (Congress, Conference, CWF)
Apr  13: Community Service
May 11: Risk Management
Jun 8: Outdoor, experiential programs (e.g. Vaughn Island)

STATE AND NATIONAL NEWS

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