There’s a youth development organization in your community that helps young people gain citizenship, leadership, and life skills . . .

It’s called 4-H.

The 4-H Youth Development Program is in every county in California. You will recognize 4-H by its green clover. What you may not know is that 4-H is for everybody, for all young people in California, whether they’re in small towns, big cities, or anything in between. Today, 4-H is 130,000 young people learning, achieving, and giving back to their communities, supported by 20,000 caring and enthusiastic adult volunteers.

4-H is a place where young people are given many opportunities to build confidence, learn responsibility, and develop skills that will last them a lifetime. It’s a place where youth make friends and share interests, ranging from building robots to raising rabbits, from designing web pages to landscape design. It’s a place where youth work together to make a positive difference in their community, and adult volunteers make a powerful difference in the lives of young people. Get involved in the 4-H community and make a lasting difference!

LEARNING TOGETHER . . .
The 4-H Youth Development Program is open to all youth, ages 9 –19. In some counties, additional programs for “primary” members allow youth to join 4-H beginning at age 5!

BUILDING IMPORTANT RELATIONSHIPS . . .
With a youth to adult volunteer ratio of 6:1, young people have the opportunity to develop a strong, positive relationship with a caring adult. Research suggests that this may be one of the most important factors for positive youth development.

UNIQUE PARTNERSHIP . . .
Because of the unique partnership between USDA, University of California, and county governments, private funds raised for 4-H go directly to support programs for youth.

4-H Brochure (PDF)

How do youth participate in 4-H?

4-H is an organization for youth, ages 5-19, that promotes hands-on learning and is based on parent and volunteer participation. 4-H welcomes all youth (and adult volunteers) from all backgrounds in all locales (rural and urban) regardless of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or status as a covered veteran.

The United States 4-H program is run through county Cooperative Extension offices, the University of California, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), and a variety of volunteer councils and foundations at the county, state, and national levels.

4-H has many different programs including after-school programs, horse groups, camping, and 4-H Clubs.  The common theme is youth learning and growing in citizenship, leadership, and life skills.

How Can I Join?

4-H Information
(in PDF format)
"Welcome to 4-H"
"4-H Members Guide"
"The 4-H Experience"

4-H enables all youth to reach their fullest potential through:

• Developing citizenship, leadership, and life skills
• Learning by doing
• Utilizing the knowledge and resources of the land-grant university system
• 4-H enables youth to have fun, meet new people, learn new life skills, build self-confidence, learn responsibility, and set and achieve goals!

4-H builds the leaders of tomorrow.

• Members can range from age 5 to age 19
• 4-H starts on a community level, then moves onto county, section, state, and national levels
• 4-H offers such a wide range of projects, programs and activities that every member can benefit from involvement
• Exhibitors receive a ribbon award- purple, blue, red, white, or participation, according to the judging
• Parents, volunteers, community leaders, and 4-H staff share their time and talents with 4-H youth
• Get involved in a community service project through 4-H!

4-H activities can include:

• Club 4-H Meetings and Events
• County 4-H Events
• 4-H Camps
• State 4-H Youth Gatherings
• Collegiate 4-H
• Other 4-H Delivery Methods

4-H Motto

To make the best better

4-H Pledge (in California)

As a True 4-H Member, I pledge
My head to clear thinking
My heart to greater loyalty
My hands to larger service
My health to better living
For my club, my community, my country, and my world.
(4-H Pledge in various languages)