Gorham Notes: March 12

Allyssa DiShan of Gorham on March 7 won this year’s lifetime fishing license sponsored by the Sebago Lake Rotary Club at the Hooked on Fishing Derby at Range Pond State Park in Poland. She is pictured with State Park Warden Adam McKay and Portland Sea Dogs mascot Slugger. Courtesy photo

Essay contest for middle school students

The Gorham Republican Committee has announced its seventh annual Madison Prize for Written Excellence essay contest for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 who live in Gorham.

The question this year is “Is the United States a Republic or a Democracy? Explain Why Our Form of Government is Better.”

Essays will be judged on knowledge, clarity of ideas and persuasiveness/presentation. The winner will receive $250 and two runners-up, $100 each. Entries must be between 300 and 400 words and submitted by April 2.

For entry forms, contact Jim Means, chairman of the Republican town committee, at jamesmeans@hotmail.com.

4-H Mini-Forum

The Cumberland County 4-H Leaders Association, in collaboration with UMaine Extension Cumberland County 4-H staff and the Cumberland County 4-H Teen Council, is hosting Mini-Forum, a day of hands-on workshops for ages 5-18, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. March 21 at the University of Southern Maine Gorham campus.

All workshops are either free or have a minimal materials cost.

Members of 4-H members and non-4-H members can explore a variety of activities, from smoothie making, bio-security and animal science to fudge making, home decor and messy science.

New this year is a True Leaders in Service event from 12-1:30 p.m. designed by 4-H teens as a way for youth to give back to the community. The activity is free to join and participants will be making fleece no-sew blankets to be donated to local organizations in need. Youth do not have to participate in the rest of Mini-Forum to complete the service project, but they will need to register.

For more information on the workshops or to register, go to umaine.edu/cumberland/4h/events/mini-forum/.