Lafayette and Rawcliffe 4-H Science and Engineering Learning Center

10/13/2026

Come and try your hand at engineering by building your own straw rocket with Meg, and seeing how far it can fly! Build. Create. Innovate. is a hands-on event for all ages, packed with science, technology, and creativity. Explore interactive exhibits, exciting demonstrations, and challenges to spark your curiosity and imagination.

Saturday, October 17, 2026
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Cole Land Transportation Museum Campus
405 Perry Rd, Bangor, ME 04401

At this family-friendly event, explore technology and engineering through hands-on activities, including car design, aviation, space exploration, and more to discover how the past inspires the future.

10/09/2026

There are a lot of outdoor projects going on around the 4-H Science Center!

The UMaine Construction, Engineering, and Technology undergraduates helped create a path from the building to the picnic tables. They also created a wet station for sloppy projects behind our greenhouse.

UMaine facilities put in a gravel pad for a new storage shed which we are hoping to install an outdoor chalkboard on for program use.

We have been working with Agronomy, Sustainable Agriculture, and Ornamental Horticulture Extension research (the building across our parking lot) to start building a certified, native pollinator garden with the help of Kate Garland and Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden! The birds haven't found our feeders yet, but the squirrels and chipmunks have ...

Woo! We're making strides to create more learning spaces around the building. Thank you everyone for all the help!

10/07/2026

Calling all crafty kiddos! We still have room for some more young people ages 9+ in our Tactile Textiles SPIN club. This first session will be a chance to make your own "no sew quilt block" using a Japanese technique called kinusaiga. We plan to meet monthly, and as a group will decide on what sort of activities we'll do in future sessions. Register by the end of the day on Friday, October 9th!

https://umaine-extension.formtitan.com/ftproject/events?eventid=a1cUy000007eEoD

10/02/2026

We had some amazing engineers at our Intro to Robotics, Part II program on Monday. The mission was to create a "Dancing Dude" and everyone succeeded! 🕺💃🏾

We may or may not have had a dance battle that reminded the adults of a Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots battle ... 🤖

09/29/2026

You are invited to the first-ever Fermentation Expo taking place this Saturday, October 3, from 9:00 a.m. to noon on the UMaine Orono campus at the IMRC in Stewart Commons. This free program has something for all ages.

Liam Fisher will be there from Maine Garum to talk about "How an ancient fish sauce tradition can help solve modern problems."

Bring a t-shirt from home and try dyeing techniques with Dr. Susan Smith from the Intermedia program, fermented indigo vats, or join 4-H Science Center staff, who will be using dyes made from food scraps.

MFA student Alicia Bell will be showing an immersive way of experiencing the fermentation's metamorphic cycle through "It's Alive!"

Join 4-H staffer Tess, who will be there with microscopes, giving you a chance to get a closer look at some of these cultures and microbes.

There will even be a scoby petting zoo, and a chance to take starter cultures of all sorts home with you to ferment on your own.

You can squeeze some cabbage as a part of our student-led kraut mob, or try one of dozens of fermented foods that you can make yourself or purchase at the grocery store!

Join Ellie Markovitch and Jessy Brainerd, who host the in-person Fermentation Friday here on campus, as well as the radio show.

09/25/2026

It was a beautiful day at the Common Ground Fair today! Let's see what kind of weather we get tomorrow...

09/22/2026

We want to spread the word about TWO great virtual club opportunities for youth!

4-H Super Sitters Virtual Series and 4-H Volunteer Storytellers!

4-H Super Sitters Virtual Series: Learn the basics of babysitting through our introductory 4-H Super Sitters Virtual Series! 4-H staff will introduce interested teens to the basics of babysitting – what questions to ask families, how to hold a baby and change a diaper, and the development stages of children. This workshop is targeted for youth ages 11-18, with a maximum of 12 youth participants. The last session, December 1, will be a hybrid model, in-person location(s) to be determined.

Cost: Free
Ages: 11 – 18
Dates/Time: Tuesdays, October 27 – December 1, 2026, 4:00 – 5:30pm
Registration Deadline: September 30, 2026

4-H Volunteer Storytellers: What makes someone choose to volunteer? What inspires them to keep showing up and making a difference? In this virtual 4-H SPIN club, teens will become Volunteer Storytellers, learning how to uncover and share the stories behind the people who give their time to help others. Together they will explore why volunteering matters and why recognizing volunteers is important. They’ll learn about developing thoughtful interview questions, practice interviewing skills, and conduct an interview with a real volunteer. Then use what they learn to create an engaging social media post that celebrates the volunteer and shares their story with the community.

Cost: Free
Ages: 14+
Dates/Time: Tuesdays, October 13, 20, 27, November 3, 10, 17, 4-5:30pm
Registration Deadline: October 1, 2026, limited to 6 participants

Find registration links for both:

Open Registrations 4-H Volunteer Storytellers What makes someone choose to volunteer? What inspires them to keep showing up and making a difference? In this virtual 4-H SPIN club, teens will become Volunteer Storytellers, learning how to uncover and share the stories behind the people who give their...

09/18/2026

🦋We had a few pollinator programs this week at Rogers Farm and we learned how to identify different organisms that visit flowers.

We learned that 🐝bees have eyes on the side of their head, while flies have eyes on the front of their head. Keep a look out next time you are outside and see if you can spot the difference! 🌼

09/15/2026

FREE opportunity for high school students in Maine!

Sign up by September 30 to participate in the Mark Cuban Foundation AI Bootcamp this fall in Orono! https://markcubanai.org/students/

The 20-hour, hands-on program is designed for students who are curious about technology, creativity, entrepreneurship or future careers, including those who have never coded or considered themselves “tech students.”

Students will:

- Experiment with generative AI
- Explore AI applications in health care, business, sports, sustainability, computer science and the arts
- Learn alongside industry mentors and other students
- Create a capstone project that uses AI to address a real-world challenge

Program details:

Dates: Oct. 31, Nov. 7 and Nov. 14
Location: University of Maine, Orono
Cost: Free
Experience required: None
Application deadline: Sept. 30

09/12/2026

A shout out to the kids of 4-H staff and volunteers! Thanks for being good sports when we drag you to programs with us :-)

We had a fun time at Rogers Farm Demonstration Garden today with all the amazing activities they had. It was great seeing everyone who came out to support the event!