Upcoming 4-H Calendar of Events
Date & Event |
Location |
Info or Registration |
---|---|---|
8/2-8/4 State 4-H Dairy Show |
Franklin County Fairgrounds Greenfield, MA |
|
8/16-8/25 Marshfield Fair |
Marshfield Fairgrounds 140 Main St., Marshfield |
|
8/17 4-H Day at the Heath Fair |
Heath Fairgrounds Heath, MA |
For more information: |
8/18, 6:30 -8:00 PM Records Judge Training |
Zoom |
Register: |
8/23-8/25 Middlesex County 4-H Fair |
Middlesex 4-H Fair Grounds 55 SouthChelmsford Rd., Westford, MA |
|
8/31-9/1 East Middleboro Fair |
East Middleboro Fairgrounds 183 Thompson St., Middleboro |
|
9/7-9/8 Western MA Regional Horse Show |
Three County Fairgrounds Northampton, Massachusetts |
|
9/13-9/29 Big E |
1305 Memorial Ave West Springfield, MA 01089 |
|
9/16, 6:30-8:00 PM Visual Presentation Judge Training |
Zoom | https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98648119332 |
9/18, 6:30 -8:00 PM Records Judge Training |
Zoom |
Register: |
10/4-10/14 Topsfield Fair |
Topsfield Fair Grounds Essex County, MA |
|
10/15 Start of the new 4-H Year! |
Massachusetts | More information to come. |
10/17, 6:30 -8:00 PM Visual Presentation Judge Training |
Zoom | https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98648119332 |
10/21, 6:30 -8:00 PM Records Judge Training |
Zoom |
Register: |
10/24, 6:30 -8:00 PM Records Judge Training |
Zoom |
Register: |
10/31 4-H Member Records Due |
Local 4-H Office | 4-H member record information |
11/12, 6:30 -8:00 PM Visual Presentation Judge Training |
Zoom | https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98648119332 |
11/20 – 11/21 National 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference |
Louisville, KY |
For information: asamuelson@umass.edu |
Approaching Deadlines
Deadline | Event or Opportunity | Application or info link |
---|---|---|
8/20/2024 |
Western MA Regional Horse Show | Western MA Regional Horse Show |
Massachusetts Statewide Programming & Announcements
2024-2025 National 4-H Leadership Trips
Every year Massachusetts 4-H’ers apply, go through an interview process, and if chosen, go on to represent Mass 4-H at National 4-H events. This year Mass 4-H’ers will participate in three National trips, National 4-H Congress in Atlanta, GA, National 4-H Ignite Summit, and National 4-H Conference, both of which take place in the Washington D.C. area.
Congratulations to the following 4-H teens invited to participate as delegates for the 2024-2025 4-H Year.
National 4-H Congress:
National 4-H Ignite Summit:
- Bristol Card
- Golla Rupinika
- Phoebe Klein
- Leianne Laine
- Sid Mongari
- Molly Quinn
National 4-H Conference:
- Miru Kunst
- Kaelyn McLoughlin
- Nate Murphy
- Lindel Tucker
Register Now! Record Book Judge Trainings
Are you a 4-H volunteer who has judged record books in the past or would like to judge them next year?
The UMass 4-H Records Program is one of the longstanding statewide programs for 4-H youth. Maintaining record books throughout the year teaches 4-H youth how to set goals, execute plans, reflect on learning, and use tools that help develop executive functioning skills to last a lifetime!
UMass 4-H Staff will be hosting a series of record book judge training sessions between now and October so that we can gather a robust group of trained judges to provide valuable feedback to the 4-H youth across the state who have dedicated their time to completing and submitting record books in October. The time commitment for this volunteer opportunity includes a one and a half hour training between now and October, a Zoom refresher training and judge orientation in November, and one to two solid days of participation in our statewide records judging events.
This amazing program is only possible with dedicated volunteer support. This is a wonderful way to engage in a short-term volunteer opportunity that has a lasting impact on youth.
Use this link to register for a Zoom Records Judge Training on one of the following dates:
- August 18, 2024 6:30-8PM
- September 18, 2024 6:30-8:00PM
- October 21, 2024 6:30-8:00PM
- October 24, 2024 6:30-8:00PM
Visual Presentation Judge Trainings
Join us for 4-H Visual Presentation Judge’s Training for the upcoming 4-H public speaking contests in spring of 2025. Volunteer judges are needed for multiple events. Any 4-H member, age 16 and up, or volunteer can serve as a judge! Please join us for one of the training sessions.
Use this Zoom link to participate: https://umass-amherst.zoom.us/j/98648119332
- September 16, 2024, 6:30-8:00 PM
- October 17, 2024, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
- November 12, 2024, 6:30 – 8:00 PM
2024 STEM Ambassador Program
The 2024 theme is Plants, Pollinators, and Percolation, exploring plant and soil science. This year our program is running in the western part of the state in Springfield/Holyoke and in the east in Plymouth County. We have four UMass students working with 4-H staff. Our two Springfield STEM Ambassadors are Haley and Immani, who also ran a track at Explore UMass in June and helped with the Hampden County 4-H Fair stomp rocket workshop in July. Our two Plymouth County STEM Ambassadors are Bella and Riley, both are working on the farm with the Careers in Agriculture program with Meg Riley. Watch for more!
If clubs are interested in the curriculum to do with their 4-H members, please reach out to Kim Pond at kima@umass.edu. For those 4-H’ers who will be attending UMass next school year, consider applying to be a STEM Ambassador. We would like to have even more teams across the state.
Animal Science Programs & Updates
4-H Poultry Program
NATIONAL 4-H POULTRY AND EGG CONFERENCE
We are excited to announce that we have expanded our MA 4-H Poultry and Egg Conference teams! There are spots available on the Avian Bowl and Poultry Judging teams. 4-H’ers with an interest poultry are encouraged to contact Andrew Samuelson for more information, asamuelson@umass.edu .
4-H Fun Fact
Summer STEM: Roller Coasters and Aerospace
August 2nd is SUNflower Day: Sunflowers are beneficial in many ways for nutrients, pollinators, soil remediation, trap crop for the brown marmorated stink bug and more, but they are also fascinating science wise for being heliotropic. As they grow, they appear to follow the sun based on the varying growth rate in the stem during the day verses the night, but the process slows down as they mature and will face to the east which also might protect them from the hot sun. If you see them in the early morning, they will appear bent forward making it appear they have been dozing. What other plants do you find interesting?
National Roller Coaster Day is August 16th:
Try building your own: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/make-a-marble-roller-coaster/ with foam, with paper https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1099310100403240 or Borrow the Design It Balls & Track Curriculum from your 4-H office.
National Aviation Day was created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939 to celebrate the growth and advancements being made in aviation. Also, Orville Wright, born in 1871 on August 19th, was still alive when the proclamation was made.
For more information visit: https://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/national-day/national-aviation-day-august-19
Assemble a hot air balloon.
Visit a museum, airport or website to learn more
Investigate Newton’s Laws or Bernoulli's principle
Apply the Engineering Design Principle to a paper airplane
Try reciting the aviators' alphabet “Alpha, Bravo, Charlie...” How far can you get?
Install a payload or parachute in your rocket
Observe the weather and outline a flight plan
Now share what you learned with others.
Aerospace, Rocketry, and other resources are available to check out!
Drone Discovery 2016: https://ucanr.edu/sites/YDResources/files/285346.pdf
Make a paper airplane launcher: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/build-a-paper-airplane-launcher/
National 4-H News & Opportunities
4-H Military Partnership
August 4, 2024, is National Coast Guard Day. Did you know that unlike most branches of service the Coast Guard came under Homeland Security in 2003 or that the Coast Guard was established when Alexander Hamilton petitioned President George Washington to build a fleet of ten sea-going cutters in 1790 eight years prior to the establishment of the U.S. Navy.
Coloring Book: https://www.uscg.mil/Portals/0/Community/img/coloring-book.pdf?ver=2018-04-16-100122-573
On August 14th UMass 4-H will partner with the MA National Guard Youth Programs for a STEM Day at Barnes AFB in Westfield MA.
As we grow our partnership watch for additional opportunities and resources. To get involved or for more information reach out to Kim Pond at kima@umass.edu .
Since many of our National Guard and Reserve are in our community there are many 4-H clubs who have members affiliated with military service.
Volunteers may be interested in these upcoming opportunties on available resources/curriculum. The past ones are archived which is a great asset for Leaders.
Third Thursdays Together hosted by the Military Partnership
Mark your calendars and register online.
Youth Voice & Understanding through Creative & Cultural Arts with Pat McGlaughlin from the University of Illinois
August 15, 2024 at 2 p.m. EST
Incorporating the arts and tapping into the creative side of youth allows young people to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of cultural differences, gain enhanced awareness that their voices matter, and identify effective ways to express themselves through the arts. Pat will share Illinois's approach to infusing creative and cultural arts and the curriculum available for the program.
Massachusetts 4-H Foundation
Shirley Kane Memorial 4-H Golf Tournament
Save the Date for the 22nd Annual Shirley Kane Memorial 4-H Golf Tournament. The Massachusetts 4-H Foundation will hold the Shirley Memorial 4-H Golf Tournament, its largest fundraiser, on Monday, September 16th, 2024. Consider signing on as a tournament sponsor if you are part of a 4-H advisory council or own a company. You’ll get valuable publicity for your organization, plus support our future leaders. Visit our website to sponsor or play!
Next Club Grant Applications Due October 31st
Did you know that ALL Massachusetts 4-H Clubs are eligible for one club grant per calendar year? These funds range from $100 to $500 depending on the size of the club, and can be used for supplies, special projects, and more! Club grant applications are due June 30th for this quarter. Visit https://www.mass4hfoundation.org/for-families-clubs/grants-and-awards/ to apply.
Give to the Foundation
Donate today online or set up a recurring donation. Thank you for your support of Massachusetts 4-H!
4-H Partner Organizations