Join 4-H

4-H provides a large variety of educational learning opportunities and experiences. Leadership, citizenship, and life skills are taught through learn-by-doing projects, local club programs, and 4-H camps, as well as at county, district, state, and national events. If you're interested in joining 4-H, contact your local Virginia Cooperative Extension office and ask about the 4-H program.

Opportunities in Your Community

Community 4-H clubs (9 through 18 years of age) offer a variety of 4-H projects for their members, generally meet in homes or public buildings, meet 9 to 12 months of the year, and have elected youth officers.

Project 4-H clubs (9 through 18 years of age) focus on a single 4-H project or subject matter area (i.e. horse clubs, photography clubs, etc.), generally meet in homes or public buildings, meet 9 to 12 months of the year, and have elected youth officers.

In-school 4-H clubs (9 through 18 years of age) meet during school hours, are approved by the school system, and have elected youth officers.

After-school 4-H clubs (9 through 18 years of age) meet after school hours, usually from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m., in a school or public building; use 4-H materials; and may or may not have elected youth officers (depending on its organizational setup, a short- or long-term club).

4-H School Enrichment clubs (9 through 18 years of age) meet during school hours and are designed to strengthen the members’ knowledge of school subject-matter areas, thus complimenting what the school is teaching. The club may or may not have elected youth officers (depending on its organizational setup, a short- or long-term club).

Special Interest 4-H groups (9 through 18 years of age) have short-term learning experiences designed to create interest in a subject matter area, learn about 4-H, and have no elected youth officers.

Cloverbud 4-H groups are designed for youth 5 through 8 years of age who are introduced to 4-H through special learning activities designed for their age group. There are no elected youth officers and no competitive events for Cloverbuds.

Age Eligibility

The five through 18 years of age designation includes youth who will turn five during the 4-H year (October 1 through September 30).  Eligibility for 4-H membership terminates on December 31 of the year the member has his or her 19th birthday.