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January 2008
Volume 3, Issue 1
January 21- Office Closed - Martin Luther King Jr. Day
March 1- 2008 Brain Power Engineers Week Expo
March 27- UMaine Day at the Legislature
May 17-18- 4-H EDGE Weekend 2007 University of Maine campus
July 5-12- CWF
For a complete listing of what’s happening in 4-H check out the 4-H Calendar Page at: http://www.maine4h.umaine.edu/calendarpage.htm
The annual Demonstration event will be held in March. It is now time to start preparing. Here are some hints to help you put together a successful presentation.
The Four P's of Public Presentations
taken from http://counties.cce.cornell.edu/wyoming/4h/programs/publicpresentations.html
Pick A Topic:
· that you like.
· that you know something about that you want to share with others.
Prepare an Outline:
· Introduction- Greet your audience and get their attention and interest. Tell what you will be demonstrating and explain why you are interested in the topic.
· Body- Present the facts and information in an orderly and logical sequence. Explain what you are doing and why.
· Summary- Briefly restate main points of presentation. Give sources of information. Ask the audience if they have any questions.
Practice - Practice- Practice:
So your show and tell will be smooth and natural.
Present:
· Dress neatly. Food demonstrators should wear short sleeves, gloves and have hair pulled back or preferably in a hair net.
· Be sure everything is in place before you begin.
· Work quickly and neatly.
· Look at the audience, not down at the demonstration table or your notes too often!
· Speak naturally in a clear loud voice so your audience can hear you.
· Smile at your audience, relax and enjoy what you are doing.
You can watch a demonstration video on our website at http://www.umext.maine.edu/Washington/washington4-H.htm. The Demonstration Guideline Handbook is found online at http://www.maine4h.umaine.edu/demonstration.pdf. Please see page two of this newsletter for the judges’ score sheet.
Please watch the mail for more information about this event!
I hope
everyone is enjoying the snow this winter. We already have more this year than
we did last year. Thanks to all who came out to Cloverfest. It was nice to see
everyone. Our enrollment numbers are low this year. We have lost several
members due to their 18th birthday. If you know of any youth who enjoy the same
things you do, then invite them to your club meetings. I challenge you all to
bring a new friend to 4-H!
Finally, great job to those who turned in project records. Now is the time to
start a new project record as we are in a new club year. I will be hosting a
project record workshop for leaders, parents and youth some time in February. I
will send a post card invitation when the date is posted. Hope to see you all
there!!
DEMONSTRATIONS will be held in March. I will be having a conference call to discuss the details. Please watch email for more information.
Maine State 4-H News
1. Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center Tanglewood 4-H Camp and Learning Center, a program of the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, will release their 2008 program catalog in January and will be accessible online. 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 will also be highlighted, including family camp and residential camp at Blueberry Cove in Tenants Harbor. Gift certificates are available and can be purchased in any amount and can be used toward any Tanglewood program. To see or request a catalog or to buy gift certificates visit www.tanglewood4h.org or call (207) 789-5868.
2. Good-bye and Hello from Orono - Dear 4-H’ers, leaders and families, December 14 will be my last day with Cooperative Extension, and my last day as the Program Administrator for 4-H. The last four years have been a great experience for me, especially because I got to know many of you who give so much to our 4-H program. I have learned a lot from you, and will carry many memories of events and meetings where exciting learning and wonderful connections were happening -- for youth and adults! It has been a privilege to support the staff and volunteers who make our Maine 4-H program one of the best in the country. I am moving on into the next phase of my life—retirement, sort of—and I’m sure I’ll be seeing some of you at fairs and events, especially around Franklin County where I will be living. I am delighted to be turning over this role to Lisa Phelps, who brings much knowledge and experience in Maine 4-H, a great sense of humor, and commitment to all that 4-H stands for. I know that many of you already know her, and if you don’t, you will love getting to know her. 4-H will be in very good hands.
Best wishes to you all, always, Shirley Hager
3. Hello from Lisa Phelps! - I am very excited to be moving into my new role as the 4-H Program Administrator. Prior to this new role I was an educator working with 4-H Youth and Family Development Programs in Cumberland County. I enjoyed working in Cumberland County and I will for sure miss the great volunteers and youth I left behind to begin a new position within UMaine Extension. Shirley has done an outstanding job with her support and growth of the Maine 4-H program and I will do my best to continue on with this good work. What I do know for sure is that without all of the incredible 4-H volunteers we have in Maine we would not have a 4-H program, and I am confident that all of you will continue on with your good work as we make this leadership transition. I began my new role on December 1st and one of the reasons I did that was to make sure I could spend as much time as possible with Shirley before her last day which will be Dec. 14th. My primary office will be in Lisbon at the Androscoggin/Sagadahoc County office and I will also have an office in Orono. If you need to reach me my e-mail address is: phelps@umext.maine.edu and my cell phone number is (207) 356-3851. Thanks and I look forward to working with all of you in my new role with the Maine 4-H program.
4. 4-H EDGE Weekend 2008 - It’s Back! 4-H EDGE WEEKEND 2008: Connecting Kids to Campus May 17 and 18, 2008 An on-campus experience for 4-H youth ages 11-15.
“College Life at the EDGE of your future!” For youth participants: Hands-on workshops with UMaine departments, meals in The Marketplace and University Commons, over night in a residence hall, experience on-campus recreation and activity opportunities, find out what excites YOU about the college experience. For parents and older teens: FREE workshops on college life, financial aid, and becoming “college-ready”.
Save the dates! Registration forms will be mailed out in January.
5. 2008 Brain Power Engineers Week Expo - Saturday, March 1, 2008
University of Maine Orono For more information go to www.EngineeringME.com
Cost: $2.00 per person donation suggested
6. Citizenship Washington Focus (CWF) - Start making plans now to visit our Nation’s Capitol during the week of July 5 to 12, 2008. Citizenship Washington Focus is a leadership program conducted by the National 4-H Council for high school youth ages 15 to 19. Delegations of 4-Hers from across the country spend six days touring the city and attending leadership skillbuilding workshops. This summer, the Maine delegation will leave on July 5 and return on July 12, 2008. You 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.
Contact your county 4-H office to find out how to apply for this trip. Each county willhave their own selection process.
7. Want to have a voice in the 4-H Program’s Teen Conference Planning? The Youth in Governance Program Leadership Team needs your voice to help guide the Maine 4-H Program while you learn new skills & build your resume… Join us via email, conference calls, or video conferencing to: Plan Teen Conferences, Award Mini-grants for youth projects in the community, Renew ideas for a statewide Teen Council Contact Debra by phone at 474-9622 or by email at dkantor@umext.maine.edu.
8. 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Team - The 4-H Healthy Lifestyles Team is looking forward to promoting healthy living choices for youth, families and communities in 2008! To help you enjoy a healthier 2008, here are some simple changes you can put in place in the New Year, one step at a time!
• Eat more foods made from fresh ingredients to lower sodium intake. Most sodium in the food supply comes from packaged or processed foods.
• Get outside and move/play every day! Tumble in the leaves, build a snowman, splash in a puddle, go for a hike, ski or snowshoe adventure. Walk with your dog or favorite person! (For health benefits, physical activity should be moderate or vigorous and add up to at least 30 minutes a day.)
• Eat more whole grains. Substitute a whole-grain product for a refined product – such as eating whole-wheat bread instead of white bread or brown rice instead of white rice.
• Plan a garden with your family or friends. It’s a great way to eat nutritious, local food, get lots of fresh air and exercise and put your artistic abilities to work through the planning of your garden design!
• Eat fruits and veggies every day with meals or as snacks and eat a rainbow of colors!
Try a new activity: learn how to play a musical instrument, take an art or a dance class through your local adult ed. or community center, start a writing journal, learn how to ice skate- use your creativity!
Check out these great resources:
• Healthy Maine Partnerships web site has many tip sheets and useful posters, brochures.
See this link to their “Tips for a Healthy You, A Healthy Family” :http://www.healthymainepartnerships.org/tips.aspx
• After School Physical Activity Web site features twelve thematic activity modules (average of 6 activities each) designed for children ages 9-13. The themes of a few of the modules are: "Survivor," "Beach Party," and "Athletics with a Twist." Some activities have video clips to show how the activity is performed.
www.afterschoolpa.com
• The USDA My Pyramid web site is full of information for both kids and adults on making healthy food choices and increasing physical activity. The *items in the list above are all from this web site: www.mypyramid.gov (Also, our UMaine Extension Nutrition folks are a wonderful resource right here in Maine! See www.umext.maine.edu/topics/nutritio.htm
• Maine in Motion web site from the Maine Governor’s Council on Physical Activity has downloadable information sheets in the “resources” section and a great newsletter called “Get ME Active: Promoting Healthy Lifestyles Through Physical Activity”-check out the Winter Issue! www.maineinmotion.org
For more information on Healthy Lifestyles or to join our team, please contact Ellie Libby at 1-800-244-2104, e-mail: elibby@umext.maine.edu or Karen Hatch Gagne at 1-800-287-1481, e-mail: karenhg@umext.maine.edu
9. Teen Leadership and Entrepreneurship Road Trip - The 4-H program leadership team focusing on teen leadership and entrepreneurship is planning a road trip for this summer to learn more about Maine success stories. We need your ideas to create the road map for our adventures. Do you have a favorite place in your community that highlights a local leader or business??? Let us know by contacting, Debra by phone at 474-9622 or by email at dkantor@umext.maine.edu. If your idea is selected, you’ll get to be part of the road trip for half price.
10. 2007 New England Regional Leadership Forum (NERLF) At the forum, we learned a lot about healthful eating, healthy cooking, and exercise. We also learned how easy these things are to incorporate into our clubs and everyday lives. In addition, we had the opportunity to meet a representative from Monsanto, which is one of the leading agriculture research companies that sponsored the 4-H Volunteer Leaders Forum on healthy living. It is our intention to present what we have learned in many different ways in our county. We hope to do a workshop in March at our County 4-H fest and, although we have not arranged dates yet, we also hope to present at several local 4-H clubs such as Penobscot Valley Homeschoolers Association, the sheep club, and the computer club, to show them fun ways to exercise and "how to eat what you know & know what you eat.” We’d also like to share some information we picked up on having a healthy brain. Although still in the planning stages, we hope to include some of what we have learned during the Maine Teen Conference in July, which we are currently on the planning team for. This will give us the venue for reaching more counties than just our own. We really had a good time at the conference and look forward to sharing the information we learned with our friends and peers. --Caleb, Matt, Nathan, and Andrew Junior Leaders 4-H Club, Penobscot County
11. UMaine Day at the Legislature - 4-H Honorary Page Program
UMaine Day at the Legislature, Thursday, March 27th, is quickly approaching. Since legislators like to see 4-H members from their districts, 4-Hers [recommended age 13 or older] are encouraged to serve as Honorary Pages. The Maine 4-H program has reserved 20 spots for Honorary Pages. What does a Page do? Pages hand out information to Representatives or Senators or place the paper information on their desks. They also hand phone and other messages to Representatives and Senators on the floor. To learn more about what Honorary Pages do, visit the website listed at the end of this article. If you are interested in serving as a page on March 27th, please contact Jane Haskell, Extension educator in Waldo County at 1-800-287-1426 x1013 or jhaskell@umext.maine.edu. She will be serving as the coordinator of the 2008 program. We will attempt to have pages from different parts of the state.
Slots, representing different state senators and representatives, will be filled in the order they are received. 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 March 27th”. Your slot will be reserved if you leave your: - full name - mailing address - county - phone number - email address - name of your Maine State Representative- name of your Maine State Senator 4-H Honorary Pages will be in the Capitol from 8:30am – 3:00pm. A parent or 4-H volunteer provides transportation and chaperoning. For a complete list of expectations and duties, visit the 4-H Honorary Page Program webpage at www.umext.maine.edu/Waldo/4H/Pages.
Internet Safety
Articles about Internet Safety are constantly in the news. As more people use the Internet, there are more scary things happening and more misuse. We are starting a new year and it seems like a good time to remind everyone about this helpful article that we have used before. We can’t stress safety enough. Enjoy the Internet. It is such a great source of so much information and a nifty way to communicate but stay safe.
Even when you delete, that information is still out there! If you want the privilege—be responsible. That’s a good New Year’s Resolution.
Maine 4-H Web Site—How to Surf the Net Safely
http://www.maine4h.umaine.edu/safenetsurf.htm
1. I will not give out personal information such as my address.
2.
Telephone number, parent’s work address/telephone number, or the name and
location of my school without my parent’s permission.
3. I
will never agree to get together with someone I “meet” online without first
checking with my parents. If my parents agree to the meeting, I will be sure
that it is a public place and bring my mother or father along.
4. I
will never send a person my picture or anything else without first checking with
my parents.
5. I
will not respond to any messages that are mean or in any way make me feel
uncomfortable. It is not my fault if I get a message like that. If I do, I will
tell my parents right away so that they can contact the service provider.
6. I
will talk with my parents so that they can set up rules for going online. We
will decide upon the time of day that I can be online, the length of time I can
be online, and appropriate areas for me to visit. I will not access other areas
or break these rules without their permission.
7. I
will not give out my Internet password to anyone(even my best friends) other
than my parents.
8. I will be a good online citizen and not do anything that hurts other people or is against the law.
4-H Happenings
How Can You Build 4-H Membership in Your County?
Here are a few ideas
to promote 4-H in your area. Use and adapt them as needed. Remember,
be creative!
•"Tell
a friend about 4-H." Suggest that members tell their friends about 4-H and
encourage them to join a 4-H club.
• Participate in
National 4-H Week, Pumpkin Daze, or other special promotional campaigns in your
county.
• Wear 4-H jackets,
buttons, T-shirts regularly—to school, club meetings, shopping, etc.
• Conduct community
service projects regularly. Not only is this good for the community, it’s also
good public relations for 4-H.
• Send announcements
about your club’s activities to local newspapers. This is a good job for a club
secretary or reporter, with the help of an adult.
Keep
your announcement simple… just a picture with a couple of sentences for a
caption. Be sure to include “University of Maine Cooperative Extension 4-H”.
• Hold a club open
house for current and new members and parents, and others, such as reporters,
local government officials.
• Conduct a 4-H
poster-making party/ contest and put the best posters in public places (with
permission). Be sure to include the 4-H name and how to join 4-H (including
phone number) on posters and displays, and in other promotion, too.
• Send thank-you
letters from your club to groups and individuals who have helped 4-H and your
club.
• Arrange for members
to give 4-H public presentations at school, in libraries, and to community
groups.
• Encourage your
members to participate in community functions, such as parades, as a 4-H club.
Display a 4-H banner. Better yet, create a special banner just for your 4-H
club.
Adapted from New Jersey 4-H Leader Training Series, Rutgers Cooperative Extension
Cooking with the Kids
Friendship Soup from “Let’s Do Lunch”
In the classic folktale “Stone Soup,” a soup made from stones and water becomes a grand feast for a whole village. Ask each member (or guest) to bring one of the ingredients from each list below and you will make your own grand feast!
Ingredients for You to Provide:
4 14.5-ounce cans of chicken, beef or vegetable broth
Salt and pepper
Ingredients for Guests to Bring:
List 1: List 2:
1/2 potato, peeled & chunked 1 cup corn kernels
1 carrot, peeled & sliced 1 cup frozen green peas
1 broccoli stalk, chunked 1/2 cup red/green
1/2 turnip, peeled & chunked cabbage, shredded
6 green beans, chunked 2 stalks green onion sliced
10 spinach leaves, shredded 1/2 red pepper, diced
Directions:
Put the soup broth into the large soup pot. Add the vegetables from List 1. Turn the stove to high and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat to medium & let soup simmer for 10 minutes. Add the vegetables from List 2 and let the soup simmer for 15 more minutes. Add salt & pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) Phone Numbers 1-800-287-8957.
If you are a person with a disability and will need any accommodations to participate in any programs, please call the Hancock County Office at 1-800-287-1479 or Washington County Extension Office at 1-800-287-1542 to discuss your needs. Please contact us at least 20 days prior to the event to assure the fullest possible attention to your needs.
University of Maine Nondiscrimination Statement
In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and in pursuing its own goals for diversity, the University of Maine system shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, or citizenship status, age, disability or veterans status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Questions and complaints about discrimination in any area of the University should be directed to the Director of Equal Employment Opportunities, 101 North Stevens, (207)581-1226.
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Last Modified:
02/22/08
These pages are currently being maintained from the
Washington County Office, University of Maine Cooperative Extension.
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In complying with the letter and spirit of applicable laws and in pursuing its own goals of diversity, the University of Maine System shall not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin or citizenship status, age, disability, or veterans' status in employment, education, and all other areas of the University. The University provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request.
Questions and complaints about discrimination in any area of the University should be directed to the Director of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens, (207) 581-1226.
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