4-H Wisconsin

What is 4-H?

4-H is a positive youth development organization that empowers young people to reach their full potential. A vast community of more than 6 million youth and adults working together for positive change, 4-H enables America’s youth to emerge as leaders through hands-on learning, research-based 4-H youth programs and adult mentorship, in order to give back to their local communities.

4-H prepares young people to step up to the challenges in their community and the world. Using research-based programming around positive youth development, 4-H youth get the hands-on real world experience they need to become leaders.  Young people who are a part of 4-H have the opportunity to explore all types of science, health, and citizenship programming delivered through 4-H clubs and camps, as well as afterschool.  Find out more about 4-H projects here.

In 4-H clubs, youth serve as officers and learn to conduct meetings, handle club funds, and facilitate group decision-making. In a growing number of communities, 4-H youth serve as youth representatives in municipal or county government or as members of Teen Courts. They give back to their communities through community service projects.

4-H is the youth development program of the United States Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture and the Cooperative Extension System of the nation’s land-grant universities. Wisconsin 4-H is a program of the University of Wisconsin-Extension in partnership with state, federal and county government in each Wisconsin county.

4-H reaches every corner of our state—from urban neighborhoods to suburban schoolyards to rural farming communities. In Wisconsin, with a network of more than 33,000 youth and 17,000 volunteers, 4-H helps shape youth to move our communities, state, country and the world forward in ways that no other youth organization can.

Check with your County Extension office for information on 4-H in your area.