4-H Activities and Events

You have now gone through the process or you are considering becoming one of our 4-H Members, but what will you do in 4-H? The list of what you can do in 4-H is endless, but we are happy to share some of the highlights our youth enjoy!

4-H Projects

4-H Members can choose from more than 50 projects that focus on science, engineering and technology, animals and agriculture, food and nutrition, outdoor activities, marine science, public speaking, art, and wildlife. 4-H learning is experiential - where youth learn life skills and use their skills to give back to their communities. Youth set goals and keep records and they can participate in events and activities on a county, state, and national level to keep their learning strong.

Southeastern Youth Fair

One of the highlights of 4-H'ers year is the county fair. This is no different in Marion County when it is time for the Southeastern Youth Fair (SEYF)! 4-H'ers work year-round on their projects to exhibit them at the fair. To learn more about SEYF, please visit their website.

Day Camps

We offer a variety of 3-day/4-day, day camps each year. Below are a list of camps to be offered in 2023:

June 5-7: Celebrating Cloverbuds Day Camp
June 19-20: Enviro Camp
July 17-20: Ag Explorers Day Camp

County Council

Youth ages 13-18 as of Sept. 1 of the current year are eligible to join the Marion County 4-H County Council. Through County Council's activities, the interests and concerns of young people can be voiced and incorporated into the 4-H program's goals. Participating in County Council provides the means for the personal growth of 4-H members through citizenship, team building, communication, and leadership activities. Youth work on committees to help plan countywide 4-H events, educational workshops, and community service projects. We meet the first Monday of the month, September through May, at 7pm at the UF/IFAS Marion County Extension Office. If the Monday falls on a holiday, we will meet the second Monday.

2023-2024 Meetings: 9/11, 10/2, 11/6, 12/4, 1/8, 2/5, 3/11 (2nd Mon. due to SEYF), 4/1, and 5/6. We hope to see you there!

County Competitive Events

Each spring we hold County Competitive Events where youth have the opportunity to compete against their peers by completing and giving a demonstration, illustrated talk, or speech about a topic related to their 4-H Projects. There is also the Share the Fun Competition, which allows youth to share their talents ranging from singing to dancing to story telling. Lastly, we have our county photography and graphic design contests. The 2023 County Competitive Events will be held on Saturday, March 25th. Youth who qualify will have a chance to compete at the District Competition for a chance to compete at the state level.

State Activities

4-H Members have the opportunity to attend Florida 4-H Programming including 4-H Day at the Capitol, 4-H Legislature, 4-H University, and more! To learn more about these programs, please visit the Florida 4-H Events Website.

Judging Teams

Marion County 4-H has a strong tradition of judging teams, and we continue this tradition with our forestry, meats, horse, horticulture, poultry, and livestock judging teams. If you are interested in learning more about these teams, please contact the office!

Livestock Judging - Contact Agent: Crystal McCazzio cfincher@ufl.edu
Horse Judging - Contact Agent: Vacant
Poultry Judging - Contact Agent: Crystal McCazzio cfincher@ufl.edu
Meat Judging - Contact Agent: Vacant
Forestry Judging - Contact Agent: Crystal McCazzio cfincher@ufl.edu
Horticulture ID and Judging - Contact Agent: Crystal McCazzio cfincher@ufl.edu

Please reach out to the 4-H Office to get the most up-to-date practice schedule!

Awards and Recognition

Through 4-H Participation, members can earn recognition at the county, district, state, and national levels and win scholarship awards for camps, leadership programs, and even college study.

4-H Project Completion is recognized by submitting a 4-H Project Report in addition to a record book to the 4-H office. You can use their Southeastern Youth Fair record book or complete a separate record book to support their 4-H Project Report. Youth will receive an award based on their score. Awards include white ribbon, red ribbon, blue ribbon, or project pin. Receiving a pin is the highest award a youth can win for a particular project. 4-H Project Reports and Record Books are due to the 4-H Office annually by the first working day in June.

Standards of Excellence

4-H Standards of Excellence are awarded to members that have excelled in completing on of the multiple levels of participation. Standards of Excellence applications are due to the 4-H annually by the first working day in June and awards are presented at the annual awards banquet.

What is meant by "standard"?

In 4-H, a standard is a level of quality or attainment established by youth development experts. Performance is based on participation, skills accomplished, knowledge gained, and self-reported behavior changes. Recognition is based on how closely each member matches the standard, not the performances of other youth. The levels of awards are bronze, silver, gold, or emerald based on the number of standards met.

Are Clubs Eligible for Performance Standards Recognition?

Yes, clubs may strive to meet specific standards of performance. Clubs self-report using the application below, and submit the application to the 4-H Office. Club awards are bronze, silver, gold, or emerald based on the number of standards met.