To learn more about these programs, please visit the individual website links or contact your county Extension office (extension.osu.edu/lao). Programs are categorized by their overarching focus area. Use these links to drop in the page to a specific topic area.
Animal Sciences | Camping | Cloverbuds | College and Career Readiness |Â Community Programs | Healthy Living | Member Engagement | Ohio 4-H Foundation | STEAM | Volunteers | Youth Leadership and Civic Engagment
Animal Sciences
- Animal Sciences General Information -Â Resources for 4-H members taking animal sciences projects including Ohio Youth Livestock Exhibition Rules and the Animal Sciences Event Calendar.
- Assuring Quality Care for Animals - This program teaches 4-H youth how to use best practices that support the production of quality and safe animal products for consumers, as well as responsible animal handling, care and welfare.Â
- Skillathon Information - Members can evaluate their knowledge through hands-on activities in any one of nine different species during the Ohio State Fair. Skillathons are free, and members do not have to be a state fair exhibitor or be enrolled in an animal project to participate.
- Species Specific Information:
- 4-H PetPALS - 4-H PetPALS (People and Animals Linking Successfully) is an intergenerational 4-H program connecting youth and their pets with senior adults in various healthcare facilities.
- Beef Cattle - Resources for 4-H members taking beef cattle projects.
- Companion Animals - Resources and information about events for 4-H members taking companion animal projects including cavy, cat, and small pet projects.
- Dairy - Resources and information about events for 4-H members taking dairy cattle projects including Dairy Palooza, Dairy Quiz Bowl, Dairy Judging Team, and National 4-H Dairy Conference.
- Dogs - Resources and information about events for 4-H members taking dog projects including Dog Achievement Program and Ohio State Fair Dog Show information.
- General Livestock - Resources and information about general livestock events for 4-H members including livestock judging contests and teams.
- Horses - Resources and information about events for 4-H members taking horse projects including State 4-H Horse Bowl Contest, Junior Horse Show, Judging Contest, Hippology Contest, Communications Contest, State 4-H Poster Contest, Groom and Clean, and Competitve Trail Ride.
- Poultry -Â Resources for 4-H members taking poultry projects.
- Rabbits - Resources for 4-H members taking rabbit projects.
- Small Ruminants (Sheep/Goats) - Resources for 4-H members taking small ruminant projects.
- Swine - Resources for 4-H members taking swine projects.
Camping
- Ohio 4-H Camps - 4-H camping programs include day camps, overnight camps, camps that focus on specialty areas such as aquatic science, creative arts, and shooting sports, and camps that focus on specific groups of youth such as Cloverbuds, teens, and youth with special needs.
Cloverbuds
- Cloverbuds - The youngest 4-H members are called Cloverbuds (youth age 5 and in kindergarten until eligible for project membership). 4-H volunteers lead age-appropriate activities that explore topics such as health, Earth and the environment, and citizenship.
- Cloverbud Engineering Adventure - This event takes place at multiple locations during the summer and gives 4-H Cloverbuds the opportunity to work cooperatively in teams to problem-solve using STEM skills.
College and Career Readiness
- Ohio 4-H Pathways to the Future - This program is within The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences to help youth successfully accomplish their college and career goals following high school.
- Other Career Pathways programs include BuckeyeNext, CareerNext, MRW Work Ethic Certification, Spark EXPO, and YouScience. More information can be found at the link above.
- Ohio Youth Institute (OYI) - In this program, high school students research and write a paper on a global challenge, then present their findings at OYI (a day-long conference at Ohio State with other high school students and experts from OSU).Â
Community Programs
- Ohio Military Kids - A collaborative effort to support children and youth impacted by deployment and military service.
- Real Money. Real World. - An active hands-on experience that gives young people the opportunity to make lifestyle and budget choices similar to those they will make as an adult.Â
Healthy Living
- Healthy Living - Progams offered by Ohio 4-H that focus on the "4th H" - health. These include 4th H Club Challenge, Blender Bike, and Ohio 4-H Food Challenge.
- CARTEENS - AÂ traffic safety program conducted by 4-H teen leaders and their program partners for first time juvenile traffic offenders that is referred by local courts.
- Winning 4-H Plan (W4HP) - The W4HP assists families in requesting accomodation plans to meet the needs of Ohio 4-H youth with disabilites. This link provides information about requesting reasonable accomodations so that Extension professionals and volunteers can provide resources to aid the youth's participation.
Member Engagement
- Officer Resources - Club officers are an essential piece of the community club program to conduct business, plan club activities, and create a positive club experience for all 4-H youth.
- Shooting Sports - The 4-H shooting sports program teaches young people the safe and responsible use of archery and firearm equipment under the direction of state and nationally certified volunteers.
Ohio 4-H Foundation
- Ohio 4-H Foundation - The Ohio 4-H Foundation solicits and receives contributions to enhance the Ohio 4-H Youth Development program, works to promote Ohio 4-H, recognizes 4-H members and volunteers, and is guided by a volunteer board comprised of business and industry leaders, 4-H alumni, community members, Extension personnel, and 4-H youth representatives from around the state.
- Alumni and Friends - Are you a former 4-H member? We want to connect with you! Follow the link to receive our monthly 4-H newsletters, hear about upcoming 4-H events, and find out about other ways to connect to the 4-H community.Â
STEAM
- 4-H STEM - STEM is everywhere in 4-H programming! From animal science to woodworking projects, science, technology, engineering and math are part of 4-H projects, school enrichment programs, and club activities.
Volunteers
- Ohio 4-H Volunteers - At its heart, Ohio 4-H is an organization of volunteers dedicated to positive youth development. Learn more about joining our efforts by contacting your county Extension office or visiting the link above.Â
- Ohio 4-H Conference - This one-day event brings together hundreds of Ohio’s volunteers and older 4-H youth in the spirit of celebration, exploration, and personal development.
Youth Leadership and Civic Engagement
- 4-H Event Youth Assistant (4HEYA) - This statewide group of 4-H teens assists with Ohio State Fair events and have an opportunity to enhance their leadership skills.Â
- Immersion Projects - The best way to understand a different culture is to immerse yourself in it! Ohio 4-H has several cultural immersion project opportunities for teens. Each location has unique opportunities for learning, but in all experiences teens will participate in service-learning, individual and group reflections, and other cross-cultural experiences that aim to develop their understanding of the culture.
- Ohio 4-H Conference - This one-day event brings together hundreds of Ohio’s volunteers and older 4-H youth in the spirit of celebration, exploration, and personal development.
- State Fashion Board - Each year teen members serve as advocates for Ohio's 4-H clothing and textiles projects and programs, including assisting with the Ohio State Fair 4-H Fashion Revue.
- Teen Leadership Council - This statewide group of teens and young 4-H alumni provides a youth stakeholder perspective in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of Ohio 4-H progamming.