About 4-H

Head & Heart & Hands & Health

4-H is a place where Oregon kids can meet friends, experience belonging, explore new passions and interests, and gain valuable life skills for a thriving future! Backed by research-based experiential learning, 4-H focuses on lifelong learning (Head), positive relationships (Heart), community service (Hands), and healthy living (Health).

Started over 120 years ago and now supported by the US Dept of Agriculture, 4-H is the largest out-of-school youth program in the United States. With over 6 million members, 4-Hers are everywhere! You probably know more 4-H'ers and 4-H alumni than you think.

In each state, 4-H is run by a land-grant university as part of that university's mission to share learning, education, and opportunities with everyone in their state. 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 Oregonians.

Get involved with 4-H

Read our 2023 Annual Report

2023 4-H Annual Report (in English)

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 is a Positive Youth Development organization.

According to the National Institute of Food & Agriculture, part of the Department of Agriculture, “positive youth development programs engage youth within their communities. These programs take place in schools, organizations, peer groups, and families in a manner that is productive and constructive; recognizes, utilizes, and enhances youth's strengths; and promotes positive outcomes for young people by providing opportunities, fostering positive relationships and furnishing the support needed to build on their leadership strengths.” Source

4-H emphasizes youth thriving, which means helping them grow personally and make a positive impact on their community. At its core, 4-H fosters trusting and positive relationships between adult volunteers and youth, promoting growth for everyone involved. This growth is about youth finding their “spark,” (or area of interest, which usually translates to their 4-H Project Area), supported by the 4-H environment and meaningful connections.

Thriving occurs when youth are growing from their associations, and using all they gain to add value to the world around them.

To determine if 4-H youth are thriving, we look for specific signs of their development and engagement, called “Thriving Indicators.”

Indicators of Thriving

An openness to challenge & discovery: They enjoy a challenge, and like to explore new things!
A growth mindset: They embrace new experiences as a growth opportunity and welcome challenges.
A hopeful purpose: They have a sense of purpose in life, and optimism for future.
A pro-social orientation: They are respectful, honest, responsible, caring, and value helping others.
Transcendent Awareness: They strive to connect with something bigger than themselves.
Positive emotionality: They are generally positive and optimistic, and can manage their emotions.
Intentional self-regulation: They set goals and create effective strategies to achieve them.
Goal Setting and Management: They set goals and persevere, making adjustments when necessary to achieve those goals.

Photo: National 4-H Council

The 4-H Thriving Model

We are very proud that the 4-H Thriving model, used around the world, was developed right here at Oregon State by Dr. Mary Arnold, who continues to study, share, and educate 4-H professionals nationally.

The 4-H Thriving Model is the theory of change for positive youth development in 4-H. The model illustrates the process of positive youth development in 4-H programs by connecting high quality program settings to the promotion of youth thriving.

Learn More

Servicio de Extensión de OSU