What is 4-H?
Thank you for your interest in the 4-H program. 4-H is a community of young people across Kansas engaged
in learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills. Caring adults that support our programs are essential for
youth to achieve their potential based on the guidance, respect, skills, knowledge, and wisdom adults can share.
4-H is a nationwide program. Each of the four H's of the clover represents ways youth can grow and develop.
- Head, critical thinking, problem-solving;
- Heart, self-discipline, integrity, communication;
- Hands, serving others; and
- Health, choosing healthy lifestyles.
Raising great kids is a challenging task, but it’s easier when you have a team of people behind you. 4-H clubs
are groups of families that do just that. Through working together, families share knowledge and interests to
help kids learn practical skills and important values.
4-H had its beginnings in rural America, but it now serves youth in urban and suburban as well as rural
communities. Kansas 4-H is open to youth between the ages of 7 and 19. The new 4-H year starts in
October, so many prefer to join 4-H at the start of the school year. 4-H enrollment, however, is open year-round,
so youth can join any time. In order to show at the County Fair you must be enrolled by May 1.
4-H clubs generally meet monthly. These meetings give youth opportunities to share their project work (speak),
plan community service activities, and practice running meetings. They may have ‘sub-clubs’ for individual
projects, led by adults or teens within the club. For specialized projects like horses, many counties have
county-wide project clubs that operate in a similar fashion.
To begin your 4-H journey, please read below to see links to view all community clubs and leader contact
information in Douglas County.
How to Join
Joining 4-H is as easy as 1-2-3! We encourage families to visit a few clubs before selecting a club they would
like to join. If you would like to visit a club, please contact the 4-H community leader before their next meeting.
This will allow them the opportunity to provide you with information about their meeting.
News & Events
Click the following links to follow Us on Social Media for the most recent updates on all things Douglas County 4-H!
4-H of Douglas County Facebook | 4-H of Douglas County Instagram
Community & Project Clubs
4-H participants must be a member of a Community Club and between the ages of 7 - 18 (by January 1, 2020).
We have ten community clubs in Douglas County Kansas, that meet at various dates and locations across
the county. We also have a Cloverbud program for youth who are 5-6 years old (or who turn 7 after January 1).
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Project Clubs are county-wide groups that meet in regards to a specific project area. Participants must also be a
member of a community club in order to participate in a county-wide project club.