Aroostook County 4H Program

CLUB NEWS AROUND THE COUNTY…

The Healing Hearts 4-H Group went to the Community Players performance of “Annie” as part of their drama curriculum. It was an amazing performance. Our kids were able to get their picture taken with “Annie”. They were able to pet “Sandy” and have pictures taken with him as well. The cast was awesome, and if you did not get to see the play, you missed out on some wonderful talent. We will be taking our kids to the Wizard of Oz performance that will be coming in April to Houlton. Our kids are working on a talent show, date of performance to be announced.

...submitted by Tami Cote, Leader

AV Dairy’s Club Reporter, Katie McKenna is keeping us updated on the goings on with their club. Following are the minutes of their previous 2 meetings.

At 6:50 p.m. on February 8, 2008, the meeting of the Aroostook Valley Dairy Club was called to order by our newest president, Grace Braley. First, we did our pledges, attendance and dues. Next, we discussed the ski/snowshoe-a-thon, Tubing at Big Rock, and the Leader’s Association workshop for project records. The possibility of going to the McKenna’s farm to see the lambs, calves and goat kids was also discussed. Another “field trip” that was also discussed was the possibility of going to the Smith’s farm and Greenhouse. There was no craft for the night, so we adjourned to snacks at 7:25 p.m.

The Aroostook Valley Dairy Club was called to order by our vice president, Meagan Smith, at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 14, 2008. We had our secretary’s and treasurer’s report from 2 of our officers, and the approval of the minutes was by Sidney Smith and Katie McKenna. We reported what we got in dues, and Stephanie Winslow and Katie McKenna moved to accept the dues. 5 of our members went to the first cancelled ski/snowshoe-a-thon, but no one went to the rescheduled one. We talked about the April 19th Leader’s Association Public speaking clinic, etc. We talked about June Jamboree, and filled out the survey about the achievement awards celebration. We received a copy of the project records and went over how to do them. We are going to have a field trip to the McKenna’s house for seeing the lambs and calf on the 29th of March. We will also be tasting goat milk and cheese. We adjourned at 7:50 p.m.

The Crafty Critters 4-H club has been busy working on a quilting project which is being led by Teen Leader Amanda McNeil. The McNeil family recently purchased materials and took the lead on instructing club members on the creative project. Club member Zach Roy also recently completed his first comic book compilation entitled “Nut Brothers”.

4-H Spring Energizer

April 19 9:30 am to 1:30 pm

Houlton Higher Education Center

After the winter we have had, who couldn't use a little energizer?? Come and enjoy of day of activities guaranteed to get you on the road the 4-H SUMMER success.

First there will be a public speaking clinic—practice for our Countywide event to be held as part of June Jamboree—this will be a lot of fun and there is nothing you will find more useful in your life than knowing how to speak comfortably in public.

Next REALLY EXCITING NEWS

GPS/GIS Workshop with the Center for Community GIS—learn how to navigate and collect data with GPS and then how to make maps using ArcView software. What a great fair and community service project—come learn how to do it!

There will also be adult volunteer and parent sessions—one on Cloverbud activities and another on getting new families ready for fairs. Adults can also sign up for Adult and Child CPR training. Watch for the sign-up sheet coming this week in your mail!

Don’t forget our next Leader’s Meeting on April 24th!!!

Video Sites—Houlton Higher Education Center and UMPI

Lots of June Jamboree and Fair work to do!

Attention Seniors —Time to Apply for

The Wilma Winslow Post Secondary Scholarship

Each year the Leader’s Association offers a $500 scholarship to an outstanding Aroostook County 4-H member who is going on to college.

For a copy of the application, call Laurie at the Houlton office. Packets are due on May

National 4-H Trips

Now is time to apply for the National 4-H Trips, Conference and Congress. To apply, fill out an application and submit your 4-H Story and Resume. Mail your completed application to the State 4-H Office. Guidelines for writing your 4-H story can be found at www.umext.maine.edu/4h/events and click on the event you wish to apply for.

You may also pick up an application at your local County Extension office. Nat’l 4-H Congress will be held in November in Atlanta and Nat’l 4-H Conference will be held in Washington, DC in March 2009.

Applications must be postmarked by April 15, 2008.

Welcome to Aroostook County’s newest 4-H volunteers

Penny Kern

Jane White-Kilcollins

Jillianne Pendleton

Mavis Bradstreet

Arlene Wright

Started the process to be a new volunteer and don’t see your name here? Check with Laurie to see what part of your application is missing!

Maine 4-H Days

Mark your calendars now for Maine 4-H Days this summer at Windsor Fairgrounds, June 27, 28 and 29th. It will be a weekend full of personal enrichment workshops as well as livestock events. Camping is encouraged and entire families are welcome!

Save the date for Teen Conference on Wheels!

July 14-17, 2008 featuring Citizenship, Leadership and Entrepreneurship themes being planned by the Youth in Governance Program Leadership Team.

2008 Northeast Regional

Volunteer Forum

The Radisson Hotel in Manchester, NH

October 23-26, 2008.

A promotional flyer is available at:

http://extension.unh.edu/4H/4HVol/08NEVF.htm

The full registration brochure will be available in May.

Tanglewood Hosts Open House

Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center, a program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension will host two open houses, April 20 and May 11, at both Lincolnville and Tenants Harbor camps from 1:00-4:30pm. Parents and potential campers will have the opportunity to meet Tanglewood staff, explore the camps, participate in ecology activities, and go on hikes.

· Affordable program offerings for 2008 include family camps and a variety of youth day and residential, discovery, and leadership camps for ages 5-18 years old. New programs this year include residential camp and family camp at Blueberry Cove in Tenants Harbor. Tanglewood is partnering with the St. George Sailing Foundation to offer quality sailing programs at the seaside camp. Also new this summer is a Leadership Development program for teens where participants will get a chance to climb Mt. Katahdin!

To see or request a catalog, visit www.tanglewood4h.org or ask the Houlton office—we have a few copies here..

4-H EDGE: Connecting Kids to Campus

May 17 & 18, 2008

Find all the latest EDGE information - workshop choices, registration forms (coming soon), maps program schedules and other information as it becomes available at the 4-H EDGE website http://extension.umaine.edu/4h/events/edge.htm.

It’s time to register for this year’s 4-H EDGE: Connecting Kids to Campus. This year’s 4-H EDGE is bigger and more exciting than ever!

· If you are an 11-15 year old 4-H member, we have an exciting weekend planned for you including 29 different workshops for you to choose from. You might learn about sensor technology, biomedical robotics, tracking whales with GIS, marine botany, technical theater, robotics, museum display design, and geometric origami to name just a few of the choices. There are math workshops, art workshops, new chances to explore the meaning of gender equity and the topic of bullying from a university perspective. Explore many faces of engineering - wood composites, civil engineering, biological engineering, lasers, and surface technology. You will stay over night in Oxford Hall, eat in one of the University Commons, swim in the new Recreation and Fitness Center, see the new Physics Road show and have a great time with 4-H members from around the state.

The cost for this weekend will be $50 per person. Second and additional members from the same family can come for $35 each. To get a registration form, go to the 4-H EDGE website (shown above) or call your county office and ask to have one mailed to you. We expect to have the registration forms posted on-line on March 24. Deadline for registration is April 25.

· If you are a 4-H member ages 16-18, we are preparing a day-long experience to introduce you to some of the information given to prospective UMaine students in the Open House program. You will participate in a campus tour, and then have an afternoon series of sessions giving you lots of information on what to expect as you go through the college application process and what life might be like as a new college student.

· Also for 4-H Adults - In order to make sure the 4-H EDGE weekend is safe and fun, we are asking for some volunteers to help chaperone the 11-15 year old portion of this event. Chaperones will arrive with the youth on May 17 and stay until the end of the program on May 18 and will be able to participate in the workshops and other activities or can choose to attend the parent sessions on Saturday if they wish. If we have more volunteers than we can use, we will try to make sure we have at least one from each county that has youth attending. We will notify you either way by the end of April. Chaperones will not need to pay the registration fee. You can volunteer to become a chaperone by using the Adult registration form found on the EDGE website.

Nurture Nature Kids Drawing Contest

Maine children in grades 3-7 are invited to participate in a statewide reusable bag drawing contest. The winning artist will have their design printed on 1000 special Bulletin Bags, receive public recognition and win a $100.00 gift card!

As a leader at the Maine 4-H you have direct interaction with the age groups eligible for the contest. Please take a moment to register at: http://www.bulletinbag.com/component/option,com_chronocontact/chronoformname,KidsCare/ for a Nurture Nature Contest Kit.

The kits include information about the problems with disposable paper and plastic bags, entry forms, official rules and a return envelope for mailing completed forms (please allow 2 weeks to receive your Contest Kit).

The first 1000 children who enter will be sent a free Bulletin Bag printed with the winning artwork AND be entered to win more great prizes (stay tuned for prize details!). Contest ends April 30, 2008

Northern Maine GIS Camp

This summer there will be a GIS (Geographic Information Systems) Camp

right here in our own backyard!

July 20-23

Greenland Point Center-Princeton, ME

(on Route 1 about 1/2 way between Houlton and Calais)

For ages 12-15

Also we are in need of four teens 16 or older to act as junior staff who may attend at the reduced rate of $50.00

You will also have the option of staying the rest of the week at the Greenland Point Center Conservation Camp for an additional $100.00. There will be a conservation camp running at the same time so campers will also get to take part in some of those activities.

Cost for this camp is $75.00.

For more information, contact Christy Fitzpatrick at 532-6548 or

1-800-287-1469 or email her at cfitz@umext.maine.edu.

The registration form will be posted on the Aroostook County 4-H website in

early April or one can be mailed to you by calling the Houlton Office.

Agriculture Specialty License Plate

Perhaps you have seen the colorful, new Agricultural Specialty plate which raises money for agricultural education through the Maine Agriculture in the Classroom program. This is not affiliated with Maine 4-H, rather a national program that provides training and resources to classroom teachers to promote agricultural education in the schools.

The Agricultural Specialty plate has been very successful so far with over 3,000 plates issued in the first four months. The Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Association has 500 vouchers still available so that the full $20 cost of the plate submitted in the first year will benefit the Agricultural Education program. They do not expire until 2009.

To receive a voucher, mail a check for $20 per set of plates with your name, phone and mailing address to:

Maine Agriculture in the Classroom Association

28 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333

They will mail your voucher immediately. For more information go to www.maineagintheclassroom.org/ or email maitca@maine.gov or call (207)287-5522

Summer Junior Engineering and Mathematics Program for Grades 3-9

University of Maine Orono Campus – June 23-27

Bangor United Technology Center – July 21-25

8:00 am – 4:00 pm each day

Fee $260.00

This program provides hands-on activities appropriate for students ages 9-14 building on the special connections of math strategies to games and the geometry of origami to architecture and music.

Faculty members include Eva Szillery and Rick Eason both of whom will be presenting topics related to the camp at our 4-H EDGE event. For more information, contact Eva at eva.szillery-mmsets@me.acadia.net or our county office for a copy of the registration brochure.

Horse Project News!

2008 Horse Vaccination Requirements

“4-Hers attending 4-H horse events in 2008 must provide proof of current, annual vaccination for Rabies as well as a current Coggins test done by a veterinarian. EVH-1 and Equine Influenza are also required, and administered within six months of your last 4-H horse event of the season. Horse owners may, however, administer their own EVH-1 and Equine Influenza inoculations and a sales receipt will be sufficient evidence for proof of vaccination.”

Horse Team Study Sessions Study Sessions for Hippology, Horse Judging, Quiz Bowl and the Communications Teams will be held one Tuesday night a month at high schools around the state via video conference. You do not need to be a team member to participate and tryouts for these teams will be on May 20 during the video conference. The next dates are:

April 15, 6-8 pm

May 20, 6-8 pm

At Houlton High School and Presque Isle High School

For information on the tryout dates and times for the Hippology, Horse Judging,

Quiz Bowl and the Communications Teams, please check the Horse Page on our website at www.umext.maine.edu/4h/resources/horse.htm or contact Kate Slattery at slatterk@sad44.org

Eastern States Exposition Maine Equestrian Team Tryouts

Teen leaders, Riders and Drivers

You may only try out in one area.

Packets must be postmarked by May 10.

If you wish to have your packet mailed from the Houlton office, please have it here by May 2. Christy will be away the week of May 5.

Tryouts will be held June 20, 21, 22 at the Skowhegan Fairgrounds.

For more information on educational programs in your area, contact your county Extension office.