Elbert County 4-H

The 4-H program empowers young people to reach their full potential by working and learning in partnership with caring adults. In a 4-H Club Program, young people get the opportunity to join a community, learn problem-solving and decision-making skills by exploring more than 60 hands-on projects, and have fun together.

Youth who are 8-18 years old are welcome to join 4-H. A youth’s “4-H age” is determined by how old they are on December 31 of the current school year.

Youth who are 5-7 years old are eligible for the 4-H Cloverbuds program.

The Elbert County 4-H fall enrollment period is Oct. 1-Dec. 31. The new 4-H year begins on October 1 and runs through September 30 of the following year. By enrolling, youth can register in county, statewide, and national activities, and events.

1. Join a 4-H club
   • Take a look at the Elbert 4-H clubs list. Here you will find the clubs in Elbert County, their location, and leader contact information. Each club tends to focus on certain projects. Once you find a club that matches your interest, reach out to the club leader. You will want to find out any upcoming meetings to attend and see if the club is a good fit.
2. Enroll
   • The fall enrollment period is Oct. 1-Dec. 31.
   • Enroll or re-enroll in 4-H by completing your online enrollment through 4-HOnline, you will be notified by email that your enrollment is “pending”. (Check junk mail for this email).
   • You can pay online or by phone by calling our office at (303) 621-3162.
3. Select 4-H projects
   • Explore our 4-H projects. 4-H projects are hands-on learning experiences that are designed to help youth develop new skills and explore interests in a variety of subject areas. Each project has its own curriculum and activities.
   • Families are responsible for downloading project information, manuals, and record books which are all available on the state 4-H website.
4. Club meetings and trainings
   • You must attend the monthly 4-H club meetings. Meetings look different in every club, but this is a great time for you to interact with your club member and leaders.
   • Occasionally, project training may be offered in addition to club meetings. Not all general projects will have a certified 4-H leader who provides training, and those members will need to work independently on their projects. Other projects involving animals and shooting sports projects have mandatory trainings to attend. All training or practices are in addition to your 4-H Club meetings.

A 4‑H project is a structured, hands-on learning experience that a 4‑H member chooses to work on, in depth, over time, guided by caring adults and built around real‑world skills. In addition to the project itself, youth share what they’ve learned through demonstrations, exhibits, presentations, or community service. 4-H projects help young people gain knowledge, skills, and confidence by actively exploring a topic they care about. Key features of a 4‑H project include:

• Youth‑chosen: Members select topics that match their interests.
• Experiential: Youth learn through doing, practicing, and reflecting—not just listening.
• Goal‑oriented: Projects involve setting goals, keeping records, and working toward improvement.
• Skill‑building: Projects develop technical skills as well as life skills like responsibility, problem‑solving, leadership, and communication.
• Ongoing: Projects are typically worked on over several months or a year, with increasing levels of challenge.

For information on types of projects, see 4-H Projects and Programs.

A 4-H club is a group of youth with similar interests. Groups meet to learn a new skill in a 4-H project area and have fun. They can be neighbors, friends and family members. The club determines when, where and how often they will meet and what projects they will work on.

4-H clubs and groups are required to charter each 4-H year, which begins on October 1 and runs through September 30 of the following year. A 4-H community club member must:

• Be of the appropriate 4-H age (8-18 as of December 31 of the current 4-H year).
• Enroll in 4-H via 4-H Online.
• Enroll in at least one 4-H project per year.
• Sign a 4-H member Code of Conduct.
• Pay state and local 4-H fees.

Ready to get started? Explore Elbert County 4-H clubs.

The annual Elbert County 4‑H enrollment fee is $35 per youth. Some community 4‑H clubs may charge additional club dues in place of fundraising activities. Club leaders will share specific details directly with families.

Certain 4‑H projects include additional project‑specific fees to help cover instruction, equipment, and materials. These projects may include:

• Shooting Sports
• Horse
• Dog

Fees vary by project and will be communicated by project leaders.

Yes, there are statewide scholarships available through the 4-H Foundation. Visit the State 4-H Scholarships page to learn more.

County scholarships will be mailed to graduating seniors sometime in March once the Extension office receives them. Most of these have a July 1 due date.

ALL Ages of Elbert County 4-H Members LEMBKE SCHOLARSHIP:
Three $1,000 scholarships available each year, one to each age group: Juniors ages 8-10, Intermediates ages 11-13, and Seniors ages 14-18.

Basic qualifications to apply are that Elbert County 4-H members complete both a general project and an animal project and participate in a county specialty contest. Scholarship applications are due at the end of the 4-H year on September 30.