National Congress

The Oregon 4-H program views National 4-H Congress as an important opportunity for 4-H members and is committed to providing this experience to as many 4-H members as possible. Because trips to Congress are dependent on donations, a selection process is held each year. Oregon trip winners typically demonstrate a considerable breadth and depth of 4-H experience.

Eligibility requirements

• Have at least three years of 4-H participation, including the current year.
• Must be an active 4-H participant during the current 4-H year.
• Must be at least 15 years old at the time of application.

Applications are due in the State 4-H Office by March 1. Check with your county Extension office for their submission requirements. Some counties will require you to turn applications into their county office. Other counties may request you to submit your application online. We encourage you to ask your 4-H volunteer(s) or your 4-H office to review your materials before submission to ensure that they are complete.

Application Materials

Your application must be uploaded in a single PDF in the following order:

1. My 4-H Story
   • This is a written or video essay sharing your 4-H experience.
2. My 4-H Resume
   • This is your record of your 4-H career and includes your participation, leadership, service, achievements, and contributions in 4-H as well as outside of 4-H. It should be up-to-date through February of the current year (2023-2024).
   • Submit the entire resume
3. Congress Signature Page
   • Requires member, Parent/Guardian, and 4-H Leader, and Faculty member signatures.

As part of the application upload, you will also be asked why you want to attend National 4-H Congress.

National 4-H Congress Selection Procedure and Criteria

The State 4-H Recognition Committee meets in March or April each year to review all applications for Congress. Finalists are selected based equally on leadership, community service, communication and projects/activities. These finalists will interview at 4-H Summer Conference in June at Oregon State University. Each finalist will participate in two interviews, after which the committee will select the members who will be awarded trips to National 4-H Congress.

Note: Finalists are required to register for 4-H Summer Conference, participate in the Congress track, and stay for the announcement of the delegation at the Recognition event.

The goal in selecting delegates for National 4-H Congress is to select members who demonstrate considerable growth and accomplishment in 4-H participation, who will gain from the experience of attending Congress, and who will return to leadership roles in their county and state.