Massachusetts 4-H News

UMass Extension 4-H Youth Development Program is seeking students for paid summer internships. Applicants must be either undergraduate students who are rising Juniors or Seniors, or graduate students at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. UMass 4-H STEM Ambassadors are trained to provide direct teaching of STEM curriculum to young people throughout Massachusetts. UMass Extension 4-H Educators train STEM Ambassadors with the lessons Ambassadors will teach.  All materials will be provided.

National 4-H Agri-Science Summit: The National 4-H Youth Summit for Agri-Science brings together teen agriculture and science leaders from across the country to focus on learning about and solving agri-science issues impacting our communities and our economy. Our 2022 team worked with several of the 2021 team to update their action plan and prepare. Our on the ground team consisted of Hope H. and Owen W. of Plymouth with chaperone Meg Riley, local 4-H Educator.

UMass 4-H held the 2022 4-H Visual Presentation Day in April for all youth ages 8-19 who qualified at their local level.  Public Speaking is an important life skill that is taught through 4-H projects during the year and culminates at the 4-H Visual Presentation Day.  Pictured is Molly Quinn of Middleboro MA with her blue ribbon and rosette with her presentation on Mushroom Spore Printing.  Molly belongs to the Soule Kids 4-H Club in Plymouth County.   

4-H MEMBERS ATTEND 2021 NATIONAL 4-H CONGRESS. Six 4-H youth represented Massachusetts at the 100th National 4-H Congress, held November 26-30, at the Hyatt Regency Hotel, in Atlanta, Georgia. Over 900 delegates from across the United States and Puerto Rico, gathered to participate in this year’s special 100th celebration “A CENTURY OF Empowering Youth” Congress

New 4-H Year kicks off September 1st Fall is an exciting time in the 4-H program as youth complete their records for the previous year, set new goals for the new year and show their 4-H spirit.  September 7th- 4honline opens for re-enrollment October 1st – Records are due in the office October 3rd- October 9th is National 4-H Week October 6th – 2021 STEM Challenge “Galactic Quest” blasts off October 6-17th -Fall Paper Clover Campaign at Tractor Supply Company Stores 4-H 101 and Animal Science Programs offered as we launch back post Covid-19

A Season of Thanks and Service Earth Day Club Challenge  April 1st – September 1st (Forms Due October 1st) “...I pledge my hands to larger service... for my club my community my country and my world.”  These words found in our 4-H pledge are meaningful to so many of today’s 4-H families as they have been to past members and volunteers throughout the years. Community Service has been one of the main components of 4-H programming over time.   

“The Year Without a Summer: 4-H Projects in a Pandemic” is Massachusetts 4-H’s first literary magazine. An outgrowth of Mass4-H’s Spinning Stories pilot program, we want to hear about how you and your project have spent the season. We are looking for poetry (no more than 50 lines), short stories (no more than 1000 words), and artwork that tells a story about this summer from your project’s perspective.

This project was the brainchild of Kathyrn Aubry-McAvoy, leader of the Montague Stitchers 4-H Club. Twenty two 4-H youth, volunteers, parents and siblings made fabulous creations. View slideshow.

Our 4-H STEAM Bitmoji Classroom has evolved! We will be offering themed Classrooms that each have 4 bitmoji rooms and 4 assignments. Once all 4 assignments are completed and submitted you will receive a certificate of completion in the mail. You may complete the themed Classroom at your own pace, it can be accessed when it is convenient for your schedule. The first themed classroom, Space Exploration will be released on May 4th. You’ll learn about stars, mars, and the solar system from afar. Contact ldubois@umass.edu to receive a google classroom invitation on Tuesday, May 4th, 2021. May the fourth be with you!  All participants who complete the 4 assignments by May 31st will be entered into a drawing for one of 2- $15 Gift Cards to Dunkin Donuts.  Good luck and "may the odds be ever in your favor."