Volunteers and parents help make 4-H possible. Without 4-H volunteers and parents the program would not have the mentors and leaders that 4-H'ers need in order to learn the new skills that 4-H has to offer youth. With each volunteer comes knowledge, experiences, and skills which can be taught to 4-H youth and shared with the 4-H program "to make the best better." Volunteers and parents are a major reason for 4-H's success in youth development. Since 1902, parents and volunteers have helped the 4-H program develop successful leaders, build young minds, and set the path for 4-H'ers to become contributing citizens.

Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer - either with an existing club or starting a new club - must pick up a Volunteer Application Packet from our office. Any individuals interested in starting up a new club must meet with Kiersten by January 22, 2019, and attend an annual Advisor Training. The entire new volunteer process must be completed by April 1, 2019. This deadline is final.

See additional links and resources. These are available to volunteers and parents.

Parents

My 4-H Career Record Book

Members (and parents!) can use this fillable pdf form to keep a record of your 4-H career, and keeping records in this book will make application for awards and scholarships easy! No handwriting necessary!

Click here for the My 4-H Career Record Book

Scholarship and Awards

There are many state and local scholarships and award opportunities for 4-H youth. Click here for details.

More Resources for Parents

Volunteers

Club Information Sheet

We regularly receive calls and emails from new families interested in joining our 4-H program. In an effort to assist these families in finding a good fit for them, we need some information from each club.

Before the start of each program year, we ask organizational advisors to complete a two-sided Club Information Sheet. The information you provide assists us in finding clubs for new families. The sheet requests information such as meeting times and places, the types of projects your club focuses on, and if you have Cloverbuds. The more details provided, the better we can assist new families in finding a good 4-H club "home."

Even if you are not accepting new club members this year - and so your club isn't given out as an option - please complete this form and submit it to the office.

Please return the Club Information Sheet by December 20, 2019. The form can be completed and submitted online, returned by email, or dropped off at our office (either in person or use the locked drop box). Thank you for your assistance as we help new families find their 4-H "home."

  • Club Information Sheet (Form is a fillable pdf. For Firefox users: You may be prompted by your browser to open with a different viewer. For Google users: Download document to complete. Submit button will not work. Complete and save, then attach to an email.)

2019 Advisor/OSU Policy 1.50 Trainings

OSU Policy 1.50 requires an annual training for all volunteers. This annual training will be covered at the Advisor Trainings; it is highly suggested that you stay for the entire training. One (1) advisor from each club must attend a training; other advisors not attending will be required to complete the online 1.50 Training and Quiz through 4HOnline. These are opportunities to share, learn, and ask questions. Think of Advisor Training as "Quality Assurance" for advisors.

There are two (2) training dates available:

  • January 26, 9:00 a.m. at St. John's United Church of Christ in Dover
  • January 29, 6:00 p.m. at St. John's United Church of Christ in Dover

Pre-registration is required. Club materials will be distributed. Please indicate at registration the advisor who will be picking up materials.

1.50 Training and Quiz
in 4HOnline Update
(from State 4-H Office):

The training and quiz were received from OSU Human Resources and we do not have the ability to edit or correct them. The training and quiz are approximately 5 years old now and several updates/changes have been made by Google Chrome since they have been created and GC is no longer supporting them.

Volunteers have to use Firefox for the 4HOnline Policy 1.50 training and quiz. Volunteers should log out and log back in (using Firefox) and select "No" to start the training or quiz from the beginning. We've also learned if the volunteer starts the training or quiz, leaves, and then comes back to pick up where they left off, the training will not progress. Therefore, please allow enough time to complete the entire training or quiz after it has been started.

 

2020 4-H Calendar

 

 

Advisors will receive the calendar with their materials packet at Advisor Training. Click here for the full calendar.

 
4HOnline

4HOnline Year-End Rollover

Publications

A new process began in 2017 for ordering of 4-H publications. Due to the costs associated with having an inventory of 4-H publications, we no longer carry a supply of books. Therefore, clubs will need to complete and submit a Project Book and Resources Order Form. Orders will be filled on a first-come, first-serve basis. Advisors are not limited to one order. Orders are due by noon on Thursdays. Once the club's order has arrived and completed we will contact the individual listed on the form for pick up. Complete payment is due at that time; prepayments will not be accepted. Only one club check made payable to OSU Extension or cash will be accepted; multiple checks will not be accepted.

Individuals wanting to pick up 4-H publications will also need to complete a Project Book and Resources Order Form. Again, orders are due by noon on Thursdays, and will be completed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

NOTE: The deadline for all publication orders is May 1. No full club orders will be accepted after that date as all members should have enough time after enrolling to complete the project requirements before Interview Judging. Orders are to be picked up no later than one week after being contacted.

Click here for the 2019 Publication Order Form

Secretary and Treasurer Books

Secretary books are to start from the beginning of the current 4-H year until December 31. The Treasurer’s books fiscal year is January 1 through December 31, 2019.

Both books are due to the Extension office by January 17, 2020. All books need to be complete and Treasurer’s Book audited. Club name, officers’ names, and ages need to be on the front covers. All books will be returned at the January 2020 Advisor Training.

Secretary Book

All clubs are required to use the most current Ohio 4-H Youth Development Club Constitution as their club's constitution. Advisors received this at the Advisor Training. A signed copy is due with enrollment materials by April 15, 2019. Club By-Laws are highly encouraged, but not required. If your club decides to have By-Laws, a signed copy is also due by April 15, 2019. The originals of each of these forms, along with signatures, need to be placed in the Secretary's Book.

Click here for the complete Secretary Book (you can decide to print multiple copies of certain pages to your printer).

Treasurer Book

Financial integrity is very important for our 4-H program both at the county and state levels. For this reason, we ask that clubs observe the following guidelines:

  1. Money within the club belongs to the club membership - not individuals - thus a vote is necessary when funds will be used for any purpose.
  2. Clubs should establish a budget at the beginning of the year. This budget should be voted upon by the club members. This helps to facilitate the purchase of necessary items by advisors and/or committee leaders between meetings. For example, the fair decorations committee may need to make purchases for the upcoming fair booth. If this is a budgeted item, the purchaser can act within that budget to make the necessary purchase. These purchases should then be noted on the Treasurer's Report.
  3. Club funds, other than fair premiums, should not be dispersed to individuals. Clubs wishing to provide members with money for food, rides, etc., during the fair should provide their members with vouchers instead. The Clover Café and our commodity groups are accommodating in setting up vouchers for interested clubs.

Click here for the complete Treasurer Book (you can decide to print multiple copies of certain pages to your printer).

A copy of the following forms was included with the Treasurer's Book or Advisor Packet obtained at advisor trainings. Both forms are due with the Treasurer's Book by January 17, 2020.

Non-completing Club Officers
While it is not common, occasionally clubs have officers fail to complete their year of service for a variety of reasons. This is particularly challenging if the secretary or treasurer does not complete their year. Regardless, your club must submit a Secretary’s Book and a Treasurer’s Book to demonstrate fulfillment of your club charter. Contact us if you have concerns.

Additional resources for members and volunteers: