The four H’s stand for Head, Heart, Hands, and Health, and signify the development of the whole person. 4-H is an informal, educational youth organization, and our county has a large and active program. You’ll be involved in year-round project work and club and county activities, local community service and learn valuable life skills through your 4-H participation.
Boys and girls in 3rd grade through grade 13 are eligible to join 4-H. Most clubs also offer a Cloverbud program for 5K through 2nd grade. Parents and adults are encouraged to be volunteer leaders. 4-H is open to anyone regardless of race, color, creed, sex, national origin, disability, religion or ancestry.
Did you know???
The largest youth organization in Wisconsin with 150,000 youth members and 30,000 adult volunteers is 4-H.
No Farm? No Problem!
Some people hesitate to join 4-H because they don’t live on farms. When 4-H started in the early 1900s most people lived on farms, so some of the most important life skills for young people to learn were related to animal and plant sciences. Some 4-Hers still choose animal and plant projects, but you don’t have to have animals or live on a farm to be a 4-H member or leader! About 80% of 4-H members live in cities, villages, or in rural non-farm homes. In addition to the traditional animal projects, projects are offered in many other interest areas from archery and shotgun, to Lego robotics, to basketry, to remote controlled cars, to the arts, and everything in between.
The 4-H Way: Experiential Education & Learning Partnerships
Nationally, 4-H offers 125 4-H projects in 8 different subject areas, but all 4-H projects have 5 things in common.
- First, since 4-H is a non-formal educational program that seeks to empower youth, 4-H projects are chosen by the young people who participate in them.
- Second, whatever the particular project, all 4-H activities are designed to teach life skills that can be used long after the project is finished.
- Third, the 4 “H”s stand for head, heart, hands, and health, emphasizing that the goal of 4-H is to educate the whole person.
- Fourth, 4-H projects use a “learn-by-doing” approach, based in the assumption that strong and lasting learning happens when you do something, reflect upon what you do, and then apply what you’ve learned to your next effort.
- Fifth, 4-H activities are led by 4-H leaders who create learning partnerships with youth, guided by basic principles of youth development. In a nutshell, 4-H projects are based on the general idea that young people learn best when they choose hands-on learning experiences that are guided by adults who understand and care about them.
For more information visit:
4-H How to Join
4-H Countywide Projects
4-H Countywide Activities
4-H Newsletter- Harbinger
4-H Camp Upham Woods
4-H at the County Fair
4-H Opportunities and Awards
4-H International Youth Exchange
4-H Centennial Celebration
4-H Award Recipients
The Ozaukee 4-H program received educational support and coordination through the University of Wisconsin-Extension Office in Port Washington. Please contact us for additional information.
4-H and Youth Development Educator