4-H Youth Development

4-H is a national youth development program that has been in existence for more than 100 years. The primary goal of 4-H is to assist youth in developing life skills that help them live productive and satisfying lives.

4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential by working and learning in partnership with caring adults.

4-H believes in the power of young people. 4-H recognizes that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world. 4-H is America’s largest youth development organization —empowering nearly six million young people across the U.S. with the skills to lead for a lifetime.

4-H focuses on youth learning by doing – this means projects are hands-on and youth driven. Youth focus on hobby exploration, leadership development, community service, expanding on life skills and more!

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.

4-H projects: Youth choose projects based on their interests and learn from caring adult volunteers and scientifically backed curriculum throughout the course of the year, creating a final project that can be exhibited at the county fair.

4-H clubs: Youth will learn how to use parliamentary procedure, the value of committees in order to accomplish work and cooperative skills through social interactions with club members.

4-H events, camps, and conferences: There are many camps, conferences and events that 4-H members may attend. These opportunities are located around the state and nationally.

Develop life skills: Each 4-H member completes community service to become more civically involved in their community. Demonstrations presented annually develop public speaking skills.

If you live in the Jefferson County area, we can help you join 4-H! Follow these steps to get started:

1. Explore 4-H projects
   • Start out by exploring 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.
2. Join a 4-H club
   • Next, you will want to take a look at our Jeffco 4-H clubs list. Here you will find the clubs in Jefferson 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.
3. Enroll
   • 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 303-271-6620.
4. Club meetings
   • Start attending meetings and learn about your 4-H Projects. Meetings look different in every club, but this is a great time for you to interact with your club member and leaders. You will possibly be creating some lifelong friendships with the people you are surrounded by in club meetings! Next, you will want to take a look at our 4-H Lifeline Newsletter for upcoming events. You’ll want to attend the Workshops that are offered for your project. Workshops are specifically geared to assist with specific projects, so this will be very helpful to you. You will also get the opportunity to meet other members who are working on the same project you are working on.
5. Record books
   • A 4-H record book is a written summary of a 4-H member’s accomplishments, experiences, and goals throughout the year. It is a tool for 4-H members to reflect on their learning, set goals, and document their progress in various areas of 4-H involvement, such as project work, leadership, community service, and personal development. They typically include a cover page, personal information, project records, photos, activity summaries, leadership and citizenship records, and a reflection on the 4-H experience. Some record books may also include other supporting materials to illustrate the member’s work and growth. Your club leader will be able to assist with it.
6. Exhibit your project
   • Exhibit your project. One option is to show your project at the Jeffco 4-H Fair. Exhibiting your project means an opportunity to showcase your hard work, skills, and knowledge gained through your project. It is a chance for you to display your animals, crafts, foods, and other projects to the public and judges, and receive recognition for your achievements. Exhibiting a project provides 4-H members with an opportunity to learn sportsmanship, gain confidence, and develop valuable communication skills.

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 Jefferson County 4-H clubs.

Annual dues are $50 for ages 8-18, and $20 for ages 5-7. Members are responsible for project supply costs.

Yes, there are scholarship and reimbursement opportunities available for Jeffco 4‑H members. Youth who need full financial support for enrollment fees or leadership experiences can apply using the Scholarship Request Form for Enrollment & Youth Leadership Opportunities. Members and leaders attending state‑level leadership events may also request 50% cost reimbursement using the Reimbursement Request Form, with reimbursement provided after the event.

Yes, 4-H members in Jefferson County are eligible for several community offers and discounts.

• 4-H Livestock King Soopers Cards
  • Just go to the King Soopers site, make an account or if you have one sign in and go to “community rewards”.  Look for and click on Jefferson County 4-H and they will donate a percentage of everything you spend to our awards program.
• Westerra Credit Union Fundraiser
  • Jeffco 4-H Livestock Council is holding an ongoing fundraiser.  For each account opened, Westerra Credit Union will donate $52.80 to the Jeffco 4-H Livestock Council.  So, if you open a saving and checking account that would be two donations of $52.80. 
• Discounts at Colorado Saddlery 
  • All Jefferson County 4-H members have been offered a discount by Colorado Saddlery in Golden.
  • Mention that you are with 4-H and receive 10% off your purchase.
• Murdoch’s 4-H Discount Card
  • Active 4-H members are eligible to receive a discount on show apparel and supplies throughout the year. Discount details and cards are available in stores.  Find your local Murdoch’s and pick up your card today!
• Big R Producing Partners Program
  • The Big R Producing Partners Program will be available to 4-H Members once again this year.  Pick up the paperwork at your local Big R.   Once completed drop off at your local Big R store, once your 4-H Projects are verified you will be provided gift cards to use for your project at any Big R Store.

Disclaimer: Jefferson County, Colorado State University Extension, and 4-H do not endorse any of these retailers, companies or organizations. These offers are direct from the retailer, company or organization and available to all Jefferson County 4-H members. Any retailer, company or organization may provide discounts to Jefferson County 4-H; offers will all be shared in the same manner. Offers may be screened out if there are violations to the 4-H Code of Conduct or the Colorado State University Principles of Community.