4-H Connections
A Newsletter for 4-H Volunteers and Families March, 2006

YORK COUNTY 4H NEWS

Spring Celebration a success with over 100 participants!

Yes, over 100 folks attended this first annual event, including 75+ 4-H club members.  It was a beautiful day with lots of educational and fun activities. There was a balloon rodeo, pony rides, goats, llama and llamas and sheep. 

Thanks to the Mane Event 4-H Horse club for organizing the barbecue.  The wooden saw horses were very colorful. 

Special thanks to new 4-H leaders, Seth Kenneway, Russ Osgood, for organizing the day, and to the York County 4-H Leaders Association for  financial support.

Based on the success of this year, we will be holding a similar event next summer.

Welcome to our new 4-H Aide, Marcia Miller

Marcia has begun work as our new 4-H Aide in York County.  This is a one day per week position (8 hours.)  Marcia brings years of public school experience, experience in 4-H and her role as a current 4-H leader in York County.  Marcia’s primary roles will include providing support to our leaders and clubs as you do the wonderful work you do in York County. 

Please join us in welcoming Marcia!

Sign up now for 4-H summer Discovery Arts events

4-H Discovery Arts provide youth with opportunities to:

·        Experience the expressive arts

·        Learn about themselves, their communities and the world around them

·        Use the arts to learn broader life skills

Research has shown that the arts can help youth to develop self-esteem, appreciation of the work of others, self-expression, cooperation with others, and critical thinking.

See our summer programs below and sign up early – they tend to fill quickly! 

Summer 4-H Arts program

Date:       August 7-11, 9 am-12:00 pm
Location:  Extension Office, Springvale
For youth ages 9 - 17
Space is limited.  Pre-registration required
There is a $40 fee for materials and snacks
Call the Extension Office for brochure and registration materials

Our young artists will experiment with visual arts during classes that will occur indoors and outdoors in nature.  We will provide art instruction, supplies, a cooperative and fun atmosphere and inspiration. 

They will also have the opportunity to contribute to our community art project, creating public art that will be permanently displayed in the halls of the Anderson Learning Center at the former Nasson College in Springvale (the location of the Extension Office.) 

Summer Discovery Arts is generously supported by a grant from the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation.

Community Angels “Art-with-Heart” program

Date:       August 14 and 15, 10 am-2 pm
Location:  Extension Office, Springvale
For youth ages 12-17
Space is limited.  Pre-registration required
There is a $10 fee that covers materials and lunch for both days
Call the Extension Office to register

Want to help beautify our public places with art?   We will provide art instruction, supplies, a cooperative and fun atmosphere and inspiration.  This is the first of our “Art-with-Heart” programs that will beautify public space with youth art. 

Our August program will create visual art in the form of individual and group canvas murals that will be permanently displayed in the halls of the Anderson Learning Center at the former Nasson College in Springvale. 

The Community Angels program is generously supported by a grant from the Pine Tree State 4-H Foundation.

Northeast Regional 4-H Volunteer Forum

The information on the NERVF in New Jersey this October is finally up on their website at www.nj4h.rutgers.edu/nervf.  There is a $50 savings for registering before Aug 1, so be sure to take advantage of this early bird special.  Remember, the leaders association typically will provide scholarships to leaders attending NERVF.

There is already a group from Maine attending, so if you would like to join them, you will be able to share transportation costs.

Maine 4-H Days, July 21-23

By now everyone should have received a copy of the Maine 4-H Days registration form from the State 4-H Office.  It will be held July 21-23 at the Windsor Fairgrounds. 

There are lots of great workshops for everyone.  The deadline was July 12, but contact Michelle Bailey (800-287-0274i), if you’re still interested and we’ll see what we can do.  Remember, you must pre-register to attend.

Information about fairs

The York County Extension Office has 4-H show information for the following fairs:  Bangor State Fair, Skowhegan State Fair, Union Fair, Topsham Fair.  Contact us for more details about any of these fairs.

Ossipee Valley Fair

Results for 4-H youth

Six 4-H members of the Beef Club exhibited their animals at the fair:  They were:  Meredith White; Mitchell White, Mackenzie White, Mathew Johnson, Kylie Johnson, and James Stevens.  Meredith won the Grand Champion Female and Mitchell won the Reserve Champion. 

The York County Shepherds members were represented by Todd Miller, Nick Parks, Keely Trabold, Mark Trabold, Oliva Broadrick, Zoe Gudjonsson-Kaply, Nathan Cole, and Alysha Michaud.  All of our York County kids won a Grand or a Reserve Championship with their sheep either in their age or breed class or in showmanship.

Congratulations to all our 4-H kids!

In the 4-H Exhibit Hall York County was represented by Serene Caprine; Hoof n Boots; Little Britches; Four-Leaf Clover; Kidding Around; Coastal Clover; York County Llama Brigade; and York County Shepherds.   

A special thanks to Ann Boucher and Diane Qualey for all their hard work on the 4-H Exhibit Hall.  It was well received by the public.

Here Comes Acton Fair!

4-H Food Booth

We could still use help in the food booth.  Please call Deanna Thompson at 490-9040.

Remember this is your County Fair.  Money from the food  booth is used to support our    4-H youth through academic and other scholarships.

4-H Exhibit Hall Preparation Help Wanted - August 19!

Leaders and parents - Please contact Marcia Miller to help with cleaning the exhibit hall on Saturday, August 19.  We want to get it in tip-top shape before the fair!  Call the Extension office at 324-2814.

4-H Exhibit Hall

All 4-H exhibits must be in by Tues. August 22, 2006 at 7:00- no exceptions.  You will be receiving an Acton Fair packet from the Extension office in the next few days.

What is the Danish System of Judging, and how is it used in 4-H?

The Danish system is a method of evaluation where a product or process is evaluated against a set of standards, and recognition is awarded on the degree to which the standard has been met by each competitor.  In the Danish system, the exhibitors are not judged against each other.  In Maine 4-H, ribbons traditionally awarded by the Danish system are:

Blue – for excellence, exceeding the expected standard.

Red – for good work that meets the expected standard.

White – for work that falls below the expected standard.

 The Danish system is used in 4-H because it is a way to provide recognition to greater numbers of youth who may all be making significant progress in their projects.

back to top