Florida 4-H
4-H Clubs
Clubs are the foundation of 4-H. A 4-H club is a group of five or more youngsters guided by one or more adults. A club can be any size–from a small group of kids from the same neighborhood to a large group of youth from within the county.
A 4-H club has a planned program that is ongoing throughout all or most of the year, and can meet in any location. Typically a club’s members elect officers.
4-H clubs are organized and supported to provide community-based, positive, structured learning opportunities for youth during their developmental years.
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What do kids in a 4-H club do?
Kids in 4-H clubs participate in a wide variety of fun projects, based on members’ interests. Members learn through projects on such topics as gardening, woodworking, bicycle care and safety, photography, aerospace and model rocketry and much more. Members choose their own projects.
4-H members build life skills like decision-making, communication, citizenship, and leadership. They also meet new friends, and–most important–have lots of fun!
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Do all 4-H clubs offer the same activities?
All kids are different, and so are 4-H clubs! The goals and structures of 4-H clubs vary according to the needs of the members they serve. Some clubs offer one project topic that all members experience together at the club meetings. Others offer a selection of projects delivered through project meetings held apart from the clubs’ main meetings. Some clubs have a singular geographic focus, or serve specific audiences, such as tribal reservation clubs, afterschool clubs, or 4-H clubs on military bases.
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What kinds of projects can I do in a 4-H club?
The Sky is the limit! Most projects fall inot one of the following areas:
- Animal Sciences
- Career Development
- Citizenship and Leadership Development
- Communication and Expressive Arts
- Environmental Sciences
- Family and Consumer Sciences
- Healthy Lifestyles
- Plant Sciences
- Science and Technology
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What age do I have to be to join 4-H?
Membership age of youth participation is determined by the youth’s age as of September 1 of the current program year (September 1 – August 31). The minimum age of a 4-H'er is 5 years old and the maximum age for a 4-H'er is 18 years old, or completion of high school, whichever comes first. Youth whose membership age is beyond 18 who have qualified for a National contest (as a culminating event for their project learning) shall be eligible to participate in the event as long as they qualify per National Contest policies.
Youth classified as an “exceptional student” and thus determined eligible for a special program by the State Board of Education [Florida Statute 1003.01(3)(a)] shall be eligible to participate in 4-H until the age of 21 years old (National 4-H upper age limit) or completion of high school, whichever comes first.
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How can I be part of a 4-H club?
There are three different ways to become part of a 4-H club:
- Join an existing 4-H club in your area.
- Start a new 4-H club with your friends and neighbors.
- Start a 4-H club at your school, afterschool or another location, like a military base.