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About 4-H & How to Join

  • Who can join 4-H?

    Any youth ages 5-18 can join 4-H! 

    • Ages 5-7 are Cloverbuds 
    • Ages 8-10 are Juniors 
    • Ages 11-13 are Intermediates 
    • Ages 14-18 are Seniors 

    All ages are based on the child’s age as of September 1st of the current 4-H year. For example, if it is currently March and your child’s 13th birthday was February 1st, your child is considered 4-H age 12 because that was their age on September 1st (the start of the 4-H year). If you are unsure of your child’s 4-H age, you can check their 4-H Online profile or contact the Extension Office. 

  • Steps to Join 4-H

     

    1. See our 4-H Club Directory, and choose a 4-H club that best suits your child’s interests and your family’s schedule. Contact the 4-H Club leader to verify the next meeting time and location. Ask the leaders any questions you may have about the club. We advise attending a couple of different 4-H Clubs before choosing one. Youth are allowed to be in more than one club, but we recommend participating in no more than 2-3.
    2. Enroll your child as a 4-H member in 4-H Online (v2.4honline.com), and pay the annual $25 membership fee for youth ages 8-18. You should enroll parents who plan to volunteer as well. Parents and Cloverbuds (ages 5-7) do not pay a membership fee. 
    3. Get started on your 4-H project! Ask your club leader or explore this website for details.
  • What is a 4-H Project?

    4-H’ers can choose any project area to focus on. Try to complete at least one activity in each of the six parts of a project with the help of your 4-H club leader and/or 4-H Extension Agent. Here's a breakdown of what actually goes into a 4-H project along with some ideas of ways to meet some of your project goals!

    Project Goals Description of project goal Examples of activities to meet project goal
    Education

    This is the time you spend learning about your project area. You can attend workshops, learn from fellow 4-H'ers, or complete project books from shop4-h.org. This includes hands-on learning such as taking care of your animal or practicing sewing.
    • Attending a club meeting with a guest speaker
    • Hands-on practice with your project
    • Workshops related to your project like those hosted by UF or other local organizations
    • Curriculum books from shop4-H.org
    Presentation

    For each project you complete, you should give some type of presentation. This can be a demonstration (showing how to do a task - i.e. "How to Wash a Chicken"), a speech (public speaking without visual aids), or an illustrated talk (a presentation with a PowerPoint or poster). County Events is a presentation contest that allows youth to give these presentations and improve their public speaking skills.
    • County Events (held each Spring)
    • Club meeting speech/demonstration
    • Presentation to a local group about your project
    Service

    All 4-H'ers should participate in service projects throughout the year. Most 4-H clubs work on service projects together. It's especially great if you can tie your 4-H project into your service project!
    • 4-H club organized service project
    • Participation in county-wide or state-wide service activities, such as hurricane supply drives
    • Independent service activities related to your project
    Exhibit

    Each 4-H project you complete should be exhibited in some way. There are many contests that you can enter to fulfill this goal. The Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show is a great opportunity to exhibit your livestock projects, as well as your other projects through Exhibit Judging.
    • Showing at the Alachua County Youth Fair & Livestock Show
    • Participating in 4-H contests (see list of dates)
    • Showing/competing in other local opportunities, even if they are outside of 4-H
    Leadership

    All 4-H'ers should be working on their leadership skills, especially Intermediates and Seniors. 4-H clubs have elected officers, and these roles are a great way for youth to practice leadership skills. Youth can also practice leadership by mentoring other 4-H youth, teaching at their club meeting, and Senior 4-H'ers can apply to be a part of the State Executive Board.
    • Serving as a club officer
    • Teaching/mentoring other club members
    • Applying for additional opportunities like State Executive Board or Youth Fair Ambassador
    Record Keeping

    Record keeping is an important aspect of all 4-H projects. If you are showing an animal at the Alachua County Youth Fair, you will be required to submit a record book at the fair. For other 4-H projects, you can complete a 4-H Project Record. Additionally, 4-H'ers are encouraged to practice their resume and cover letter skills by submitting an Achievement Application each summer.
    • Alachua County Youth Fair Record Book
    • 4-H Project Record
    • 4-H Achievement Application and the State Scholarship application for Seniors
  • What does 4-H do?

    All 4-H events should foster an opportunity to promote Positive Youth Development (PYD) among young people. The 4-H program does this by providing a holistic approach to working with young people by respecting multiple learning styles, personalities, and motivations. Additionally, all 4-H programs should be implemented following an Experiential Learning approach. 4-H programs should give members positive, meaningful experiences and promote life skill development.

    Strong county programs are foundational to the success of 4-H programming. District, State, and National Events complement county programs by offering many exciting opportunities ranging from educational conferences, workshops, and camps to competitive exhibitions, demonstrations, public speaking, and judging events. District and State Events should emphasize and support the county/club level program. All 4-H events and activities should be designed to allow youth to:

    • gain experience and develop skills in gathering, absorbing, preparing, and presenting educational information
    • enhance decision making capabilities
    • make public presentations
    • learn standards by which comparisons are drawn
    • develop good sportsmanship

    4-H professionals, volunteers, and parents are encouraged to keep competitive events in the proper perspective, making sure the event or award does not become an end in itself. The emphasis should be placed on providing an educational experience for the 4-Her and not on the importance of winning an award.

    The Targeting Life Skills Model guides all of our 4-H programming. For each event or program, we identify the life skills that we want to focus on. So, for example, a science based program will teach science, but it might also teach critical thinking, contributions to group effort, keeping records, and marketable skills.

  • 4-H Motto, Slogan, Pledge, & More

    4-H Motto - To Make the Best Better

    4-H Slogan - Learning By Doing

    4-H Pledge - I pledge my head to clearer thinking, my heart to greater loyalty, my hands to larger service, and my health to better living. For my club, my community, my country and my world.

    4-H Mission - The Florida 4-H Youth Development program uses as learn-by-doing approach and caring adults to help youth grain the knowledge and life skills they need to be productive, responsible citizens. To achieve its mission, Florida 4-H accesses the expertise and resources of the Univeristy of Florida as well as a nationwide network of Cooperative Extension Service faculty and staff.

    4-H Vision - Florida 4-H aspires to be the leading youth development program that creates positive change in youth families, and communities.

    4-H Creed - I believe in 4-H Club work for the opportunity it will give me to become a useful citizen.  I believe in the training of my HEAD for the power it will give me to think, plan and to reason.  I believe in the training of my HEART for the nobleness it will give me to be kind, sympathetic and true.  I believe in the training of my HANDS for the ability it will give me to be helpful, skillful, and useful.  I believe in the training of my HEALTH for the strength it will give me to enjoy life, to resist disease, and to work efficiently. I believe in my country, my state, and my community and in my responsibility for their development.  In all these things I believe, and am willing to dedicate my efforts to their fulfillment.