1. Programs

4-H Youth Development

Credit: Alyson Yates (Cropped from original)
Menu [4-H Youth Development]

About 4-H

Head, Heart, Hands and Health

4-H is a place where Oregon kids can meet friends, experience belonging, explore new passions and interests, and gain valuable life skills! Backed by research-based hands-on learning, 4-H focuses on lifelong learning (Head), positive relationships (Heart), community service (Hands), and healthy living (Health). 4-H programming happens in and out of school through clubs, camps, workshops and other experiences.

For more than 120 years, 4-H has been delivered by the Land-grant University System’s Cooperative Extension Service in partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. With over 6 million members, 4-Hers are everywhere! You probably know more 4-H'ers and 4-H alumni than you think.

Oregon State University is Oregon's land-grant university, and the 4-H Youth Development Program at OSU Extension has a long history of supporting Oregon youth.

Get involved with 4-H

Read our latest Annual Reports

2024 Annual Report

The 2024 Annual Report has information about donations, scholarships, demographics and program participation.

4-H Youth Development

2023 4-H Annual Report

2023 Oregon 4-H Annual Report

4-H Youth Development

4-H History

4-H began over 100 years ago as a way to get agricultural improvements into the hands of rural communities through youth development and learning. This was particularly important for feeding American communities during the Dust Bowl, and continues to be a focus of 4-H today. Early groups that influenced the development of 4-H were “Corn Clubs” in which young boys cultivated crops on one acre of land under the supervision of club leaders, and “Tomato Clubs” that taught skills like gardening and food preservation to encourage self-confidence and community engagement for rural girls.

Today, 4-H still has a focus on community engagement, self confidence and skill building, and we offer opportunities for youth to learn about agriculture, animal science, robotics, rocketry, sewing, food preservation, environmental science, computer science, and so much more.

Photo: OSU Foundation (Cropped from original)

4-H focuses on positive youth development.

The core mission of 4-H is to guide young people in leadership development, career and life skills, and civic engagement .

4-H supports active learning where young people gain knowledge, understanding, skills and new habits through hands-on experiences. Learning is progressive, with experiences building on each other over time. 4-H connects youth to a larger world and provides opportunities for them to use what they have learned to improve their own lives, their families’ lives and their communities.

A circle of youths place their hands together around a colorful beach ball during a team-building activity on a grassy field.
Credit: Oh YEA! 4-H Grows True Leaders project

4-H'ers are beyond ready

4-H is a high-quality youth development program that promotes sparks (interests), belonging, positive relationships and engagement. This intentional design ensures youth are prepared with skills for work and life.

Ready for work

  • Teaching 4-H project content
  • Building work readiness skills
  • Supporting college and career readiness
  • Fostering leadership development
  • Offering real-life experiences
  • Providing post-secondary pathway development support

Ready for life

  • Fostering character
  • Supporting responsibility
  • Fostering purpose
  • Promoting caring and kindness
  • Promoting goal setting and management
  • Encouraging a growth mindset
Learn more

Was this page helpful?