Teller County 4-H Member Handbook

Welcome

Welcome to Teller County 4-H! We are excited that you are joining our community of youth, families, and volunteers. 4-H provides kids with a safe and inclusive environment where they can learn and have fun. These experiences build character and develop life-long skills that prepare them for the future. The Teller County CSU Extension office, in close partnership with a passionate group of volunteers and other local organizations, strives to support youth and families on their 4-H journey. Please contact the Extension office if you have questions, need help, or if challenges arise.

Contacts

About 4-H

• Youth development: 4-H is the largest youth development organization in the United States with over 6 million members. It’s open to youth ages 5–18.
• History: 4-H’s origins lie in the late 1800s, when researchers discovered that young
  people were open to new ideas and eager to share their experiences with adults.
• Volunteers: 4-H programs are led by adult volunteers.

View the Colorado 4-H Code of Conduct

Setting up for success

A network of trusted adults support Youth in their 4-H journey. By working together toward common goals, we can empower Youth to be successful in their 4-H endeavors including project completion, community service, skill development, and participation in regional and state events.

4-H member requirements:

1. Attend club meetings regularly
2. Participate in community service
3. Complete a demonstration approved by your 4-H club leader
4. Complete a project, including a record book
5. Exhibit a project, typically at the county fair

Cloverbud requirements:

1. Participate in Cloverbud activities regularly
2. Attend club and/or Cloverbud meetings regularly
3. Participate in community service and fundraising
4. Complete a record book
5. Share learning at fair in a non-competitive format

Roles and responsibilities

Family:

• Provide transportation and attend 4-H events with your child as much as possible.
• Guide your child through selecting and completing a project. Make it a family learning experience!
• Keep up to date on information through emails, newsletters, and other communication channels.

Club leader:

• Oversee operations and finances of club
• Guide club officers
• Guide club goal setting
• Guide club annual planning
• Communicate with stakeholders
• Maintain records

Project leader:

• Maintain competence in the project area
• Hold regular meetings to guide Youth through the project
• Plan special events related to the project
• Be familiar with project requirements
• Communicate with stakeholders

Extension office:

• Coordinate the Teller 4-H Program
• Build relationships within and beyond the community
• Communicate with stakeholders
• Serve on state committees and work teams
• Be up to date on all aspects of 4-H

Club information

Club meetings:

• Once per month with possible schedule adjustments due to holidays, summer, etc.
• Led by 4-H member club officers with support from club leaders.
• Agendas may include club business, program updates, event planning such as community service and fundraising, information about camps and conferences, and project demonstrations.

Typical club events:

• Community Service
• Fundraising
• Camp Eagle (traditionally held Mother’s Day weekend)
• County Fair (late July/early August)
• Achievement Banquet (late October)
• Parades
• Other events depending on club

Officers:

Members can take on leadership roles by serving as a club officer. All clubs have a president, vice president, treasurer, and secretary. Some clubs choose to have additional leadership positions.

For information on available Teller 4-H clubs and contacts, view the Teller 4-H clubs page.

Project information

What is a 4-H Project?

The project is a big part of 4-H’s learning by doing philosophy involving hands-on learning over time. 4-H members will learn specific skills related to the project such as woodworking or cake decorating in addition to building skills such as goal setting, organization, planning, problem solving, and overcoming challenges. Each project has a manual to guide youth through their project. Many projects, but not all, have local, knowledgeable volunteers who serve as mentors and who have experience with the topic.

What projects are available?

There are over 100 different projects available in the following categories:

• Animals
• Creative Arts
• Family Consumer Science
• Natural Resources
• Personal Development
• STEM

Visit the state 4-H projects page for the full list of projects and more information.

Selecting a project

4-H Members should put some thought into selecting a project. New members may want to consider only completing one project in the first year to allow time to learn about what a year 4-H is like and avoid overtaxing busy schedules. Talk to veteran 4-H Members, volunteers and other families to learn more.

Things to consider when selecting a project:

• Interests
  • Choose a topic that sparks your curiosity! Projects should be interesting and fun!
• Time
  • Consider the amount of time you have available to complete the project. Some projects can be completed in a few weeks while others require daily care of an animal over many months.
• Budget
  • Consider the budget that you have available to spend on project supplies. Some projects can be completed with very little cost while others can be costly.
• Equipment
  • Consider the equipment that is needed to complete the project. If you do not own the equipment, are you able to borrow it or can you afford to purchase it?
• Space
  • Consider the space needs of the project, especially if it involves animals.
• Available leader
  • Not all projects have a volunteer project leader available in the local community. If you are seeking to have a project leader guide you through the process, then you will need to take this into consideration.

What is a project manual?

Project manuals are available as a guide for each 4-H project. Some projects require the use of a project manual, and others may not. You can acquire project manuals through your club leader or contact the Extension office. If no project leader is available, the project manuals will serve as an extremely helpful resource.

What are the major project commitments?

• Project meetings: Volunteer project leaders will host regular meetings to guide youth through their projects.
• Family activities: Working on the project at home as a family can serve as great quality time for both children and parents.
• Demonstration: Youth are required to provide a demonstration about their project. The demonstrations are sometimes done at a club meeting, but other options are also available. Demonstrations should be tailored to the age and experience level.
• Other events: Project leaders may schedule activities such as field trips, tours, guest speakers, and/or workshops to extend the learning.
• Record book: All projects require a record book. The record book serves as an account of the project completion. The major components of the record book include project goals, an overview of the 4-H year, budget, self-evaluation, photos, and a story.
• Exhibit: The culminating event for most projects is the Teller County Fair held in late July/early August.

Teller County Fair

This is an overview of the Teller County Fair. For more information, contact info, and to download the current year’s Fair Handbook visit the Teller County Fair website.

The 2026 Teller County Fair is scheduled for July 24 – August 2.

Indoor Judging

• All indoor projects will participate in judging on the same day, typically the first Monday of the fair
• Youth arrive at the fair with their project or display board and record book and participate in a 15-20 minute interview with a volunteer judge

Animals

• All animals, except dogs, undergo a vet check upon arrival
• Market animals must also complete a certified weigh-in
• Youth are responsible for the animal care. All animal, except dogs remain at the Fairgrounds from the check-in date through the end of the fair

Colorado State Fair

The Colorado State Fair is held in late August to early September in Pueblo. The Colorado State Fair offers a wide range of events listed below that 4-H Youth can participate in. Contact the Extension office or speak with your club and/or project leader to learn more about how you can get involved. Visit the Colorado State Fair website or the 4-H state fair information page for more information.

Camps and conferences

Camp/Conference	Age(s)	Month	Location
Colorado Leadership Conference	Intermediate	October	Glenwood
Dare To Be You	Intermediate	November	Pueblo
Leadership Development Conference	Senior	January	Denver
District Retreat	Intermediate, Senior	March or April	Varies
Youth Fest	Intermediate	March or April	Varies
Camp Eagle	All	May	Teller County
4-H State Conference	Senior	June	Fort Collins

This list represents the more commonly attended camps and conferences but there are other opportunities beyond Colorado.

Camp Eagle is our local camp which is planned and run by Teller 4-H Volunteers.

Registration fees

Through the generous support of the Teller 4-H Foundation and contributions from the clubs, families pay one-third of the registration fees.

4-H Foundation

The Foundation is a local non-profit organization started in 1953 whose mission is to support Teller County 4-H Youth. Examples of support include:

• Fees for conferences, workshops, and camps.
• Project scholarships to assist youth with expenses.
• Career Path Scholarships for graduating seniors

The Foundation is always seeking new members which involves attending two meetings per
year and making a “free will” donation. Contact Debbie Rocco, Foundation Secretary, for more information.

Resources

• 4-H Online
• Colorado 4-H
• Teller County Fair
• Colorado State Fair
• National 4-H