4-H Projects
Listed below are projects that are offered on a statewide basis to youth enrolling in 4-H clubs in Montana. Statewide projects are under the priority initiatives of Science, Citizenship and Healthy Living and divided into project categories.
Some counties offer projects in addition to those listed here. These projects are usually set up to meet a specific need within the county 4-H program. If you are interested in these kinds of projects, contact your county’s MSU Extension Office to find out more about them. Many projects also have opportunities for sharing and learning about your unique skills and talents through project achievement programs. Contact your Extension Office to find out how to meet these goals.
SCIENCE projects
Animal Science
Animal Science
Environmental &
Natural Sciences
Environmental &
Natural Sciences
CITIZENSHIP Projects
Communication & Expressive Arts
Communication & Expressive Arts
Leadership & Personal Development
Leadership & Personal Development
HEALTHY LIVING projects
Support Materials
Additional Resources and Enrichment
4-H PRIORITY INITIATIVES
Science
For more than 100 years, 4-H has been a part of local communities trying new and innovative
techniques to improve their quality of living. 4-H, with its connection to land-grant
universities, has the ability to develop America’s future generation of scientists
and engineers. In 4-H, youth use a rich and diverse set of research-based curricula
and activities that provide hands-on, real-world experiences delivered in both informal
and formal settings. Delivered through the 4-H program, science curriculum offers
an extraordinary range of engaging and challenging activities for youth of all ages
and abilities. Some examples include: Robotics, Animal Quality Assurance and Veterinary
Science.
Citizenship
Since its inception, 4-H has placed emphasis on the importance of young people being
engaged, well-informed citizens. By connecting to their communities and leaders, youth
understand their role in civic affairs and are able to expand their role in decision-making
processes. It’s clear that civic engagement provides the foundation that helps youth
understand the “big picture” of life and learn the skill sets that allow them to become
wise leaders for the 21st century. Citizenship Seminar,service learning and international
programs are just a few of the many opportunities to learn about and contribute to
our global society.
Healthy Living
A core belief of 4-H is health, as evidenced by the four H’s in the 4-H clover: Head,
Heart, Hands, and Health. 4-H is committed to the physical, mental and emotional health
of our nation’s youth so they may lead healthy and productive lives as youth and into
adulthood. 4-H has become a national leader in health-related educational issues including
chemical health, mental and emotional health, foods and nutrition, physical health
and safety. Examples include Cooking 1-4 and Party Planning.
4-H Membership/Age Requirement
- Any youth who is 5 years old on Oct. 1 may join a 4-H Cloverbud group.
- Cloverbuds is a non-competitive educational program for youth ages 5 to 8 years of age and is the ONLY project they can enroll in.
- Youth age 8 on Oct. 1 may join a regular 4-H club as a full member who can enroll in several different projects. Given the differing maturity and ability of youth this age, a family may choose to have their child continue in a Cloverbud group even though s/he will turn 9 during the coming year. If a youth turns 19 years of age prior to the beginning of the program year (Oct. 1), s/he is not eligible to re-enroll in 4-H unless still in high school.
- Individuals older than 18 years of age who have special needs are eligible to participate in 4-H provided they are still enrolled in high school.
- 4-H membership is open to all eligible youth. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status.
- In recognition of the educational and developmental needs of youth, a general guideline is listed below to help determine which level of projects a youth might be enrolled in based on age.
Classifications Age Range
Cloverbuds 5 to 8 years old
Junior/ Intermediate 8 to 13 years old
Senior 14 to 19 years old
Youth who are 19 must be enrolled in high school to participate in 4-H.
Feedback on Montana 4-H Curricular Resources
We want to hear from you! Your insights provide fresh ideas for our curricular resources, and ensure that the content is engaging, accurate, and relevant.
Curricular Resources include project books, volunteer resources, new agent guides, and any other published resource provided by Montana 4-H to support its members, volunteers, faculty, and staff in the running of 4-H programs.
Upon submission, your feedback will be sent to the Montana Curriculum Advisory Team for review.
