CLOVERBUDS:  Eligibility for 4-H membership begins when a child is enrolled in kindergarten and is age 5 as of January 1 of the current year (Cloverbuds).
 
4-H MEMBER: 4-H:Eligibility for participation in 4-H projects and competitive events begins when a child is age 8 and in third  grade. Any youth age 9 or above is eligible for project membership, regardless of grade level.

 

How to Join Defiance County 4-H:

  1. Contact the Defiance County Extension Office to receive a new member packet via mail or download the packet.
    Call 419-782-4771 to request a packet
    Email Chris Comden at comden.1@osu.
    Download Packet at: https://u.osu.edu/defiance4h/join-4-h/
  2. Once you have received your informational packet, contact the 4-H club advisor. If you need help choosing a 4-H Club, contact the Extension Office. When choosing a 4-H club, ask the advisor about when/where the club meets to make sure it works for your family’s schedule. (Some meetings in 2021 may be in a virtual format.)
  3. Costs:  Defiance County 4-H has a $7.00 4-H membership fee.  4-H Clubs may have additional dues.
  4. How to Enroll:  4-H families will enroll in Defiance County 4-H via Ohio 4-H online platform.
  5. Refer to the Step-by-Step guide for making on-line enrollment.  https://u.osu.edu/defiance4h/join-4-h/   Final enrollment deadline: March 15th. 
  6. 4-H Projects: Think about what project area the youth is interested in participating in (example: rabbit, sewing, or horses, cooking). Review the Ohio 4-H Family Guide for a listing of projects.  Still need help in trying to decide what project to take:  Project Central is an easy way for 4-H members and project helpers to preview Ohio 4-H project books and resources. Take a closer look at a book, find out what others have to say, and share your experiences. 

        

Enrollment Deadline for Returning Members    March 1st
Enrollment Deadline for New Members     March 15th
Final 4-H Club Enrollment   March 30th
Add Project Deadline
(may not add projects after this date) 		 May 1st

                                           

Defiance County Extension also recognizes youth can learn and grow through the 4-H experience at any time of the year and at any stage of their life.  Youth who enroll after March 30th are NOT eligible for competition.  Youth who enroll after March 30th are not eligible for Clothing, Food-Nutrition, Miscellaneous or Livestock Judgings; nor may they participate at the Ohio State Fair or in a Defiance County Junior Fair competition.  The reason for the aforementioned enrollment deadline of March 30th  is simply so there is an established starting date for 4-H in Defiance County and show that youth who join late do not gain unfair advantage over the 4-H members who join on time.

Members joining after March 30th will however have the opportunity to attend clinics, go to 4-H camp, participate in community service projects and even to complete a project.  For example a girl who wasn't aware of the deadline wants to complete a genealogy project or a boy received a rabbit for his birthday and now wants to join a 4-H club, may do so.  They will not compete in any judgings but may exhibit a poster about their project along with the other club members and receive a participation ribbon at the Defiance County Junior Fair.  They may also complete a one-on-on judging with the 4-H educator to gain insight and experience into the judging process.

4-H vs FFA Guidelines

The 4-H Winning Plan:  Ohio 4-H strives to make quality 4-H Programming accessible to all youth.  With this in mind we can make accommodations in judging events and other activities so that every child can have a successful experience. In order to make sure that we know what accommodations are necessary, parents are asked to complete the Winning 4-H Plan form. We can use this information to communicate to judges and volunteers as needed. It will also help us to formalize our process so that we do not miss anyone. If a 4-H member needs accommodations for a show or project judging, please complete this form and return it to the Extension Office.   Click Here for The Winning Plan form.