Upholding the four Hs at the Maine State Virtual Fair

There are no fairs being held in-person this summer in Maine. For many children, like 12-year-old Jason Bagley, who has been a member of 4-H for 5 years, this fact demands a complete reevaluation of summer plans.

“On a normal show year, we travel around the state of Maine and go to seven different fairs competing with my animals. We also normally travel outside on Maine to New York and Massachusetts to show as well,” said Bagley.

Approaching these challenges as optimistically and creatively as they could, the University of Maine Cooperative Extension partnered with 4-H to open a virtual exhibit hall so that the children participating in the program, some of which have been working on projects all year, could still have a chance to display their skills in a public setting.

“We’re trying to connect kids in a time when we’re not connected at all,” said Tara Marble, the 4-H Youth Development Professional.

The Maine State Virtual Fair was “a way to join the entire state in a fair,” while still maintaining the safety of the children involved. Children could enroll in several categories including cooking, arts and crafts, communication, photography, entrepreneurship and more. Anyone is able to view the exhibits through the UMaine Cooperative Extension’s page. National 4-H even recognized the Maine branch for their work in trying to address the challenges facing members this year. However, from kids and parents, “the response has been mixed,” said Marble regarding the shift to a virtual format.

Bagley, who is not participating in the Maine State Virtual Fair but has joined some of the other events and programs that 4-H has offered virtually, had a strong opinion about the shift to virtual.

“I don’t enjoy 4H being virtual because there’s no shows to show our animals in Maine and I market animals as well and there wasn’t a show or an auction to sell those animals at, so I had to find buyers to purchase either a whole or half a lamb and hog,” Bagley said. “I normally send out anywhere from 25-40 market letters depending on the auction, but I also get to meet new buyers at the fairs meet and greet. I also enjoy educating the public at the fairs about my livestock and there isn’t a chance to do that this year.”

The absence of a fair is not only impacting some children’s economic states, but their social experiences as well. 4-H knows this and, as well as joining the Maine State Virtual Fair, has been hosting online programming to try and combat the social challenges their young members are facing. Just recently they wrapped up the Summer Learning Series, a workshop series including programs on public speaking, cooking, shearing your own sheep, photography and more.

The series was successful, according to Marble. It provided a way for children to stay connected to some of the clubs that did not culminate in a fair this year, such as those in the agricultural and livestock areas, but it also showed young members that they had other options in remaining active in 4-H programs in a virtual way.

“My 4H clubs have zoom meetings where we run a club meeting and sometimes have guest speakers,” said Bagley.

Socially, it’s not the same experience and both the members and those in charge of programs recognize this. But at the end of the day, 4-H is still striving to teach children the “life skills” through an emphasis on the head, heart, hands and health.

Marble is in the process of trying to connect with some of the local schools as well to see how 4-H can help to provide supplemental enrichment to children on the days that they stay home from school for independent instruction.

“The skills we teach them are more applicable now than ever,” said Marble. Despite the online arrangement perhaps not being ideal in suiting the broad social needs of young children, the organization is trying to fit those needs and fulfill its motto to prepare children in whatever ways they can.

“They’re still showing responsibility, caring for another living thing, they’re learning problem-solving skills. The skills haven’t changed, we’re just using different pathways to teach them.”