More 4-H

What is 4-H?

4‑H is America’s largest and longest standing youth development organization—empowering nearly six million young people with the lifeskills to lead and change. For more than 100 years, 4‑H has welcomed young people of all beliefs and backgrounds, giving kids a voice to express who they are and how they make their lives and communities better.

In 4‑H, we believe in the power of young people. We see that every child has valuable strengths and real influence to improve the world around us. 

4‑H is delivered by Cooperative Extension—a community of more than 100 public universities across the nation that provides experiences where young people learn by doing. In New Jersey that university is Rutgers and it's Agricultural Experiment Station Cooperative Extension. The Morris County 4-H office is located in the Rutgers Cooperative Extension building, which is part of the county office complex off Hanover Ave. The Morris County 4-H Association, as a non-profit volunteer based group, is supporting the program, clubs, and events. 

The 4-H Youth Development Program uses a learn-by-doing approach to enable youth to develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to become competent, caring, and contributing citizens of the world. This is accomplished by using the knowledge and resources of caring adults who provide educational programs for youth in grades K-13 (one year out of high school) through 4-H clubs, events, and activities. The programs strive to improve community partnerships and collaborations, strengthen skills for adults working with youth through publications and training, and encourage responsibility, community awareness, and character development in youth.

• Assist in a 4-H club

If you would like to help in your current club or clubs, please reach out to the leader(s). There may be a variety of ways you can support the leaders and members: e.g., be available to help with materials or activities at meetings, lead a group of members to put together a club window display, make a new banner, or design club t-shirts; organize a club outing based on a project related topic, get a speaker for a meeting, etc.

• Workshops

We are always looking for workshop helpers, presenters, or speakers to offer a wide variety of learning opportunities to our 4-H'ers, their families, as well as potential new members. If you (or anyone you know) are passionate about a subject and want to share your knowledge and skills, please let us know how we can help you set up a single workshop or a set of them. (See New Club section below too)

• Become a Club Leader

4-H requires at least 2 appointed leaders to be at every official club function. Many of our 4-H parents are already (assistant) club leaders - Thank you! But it is always helpful to have a back-up leader available in case one or both of the main leaders can't make a meeting or activity, or to just have help in general or for a future transition in leadership. Please let your current leaders know if you would like to help.

• Start a New Club

If you are passionate about a subject and/or have knowledge you would like to share, or simply have an idea for a new 4-H club, please let us know. We are always excited when we can offer more clubs. The project / club theme ideas are endless. We will help you find a co-leader, the 5+ members needed to start with, as well as with the bit of paperwork for the process to create a new 4-H club. 

Starting a new club sounds too overwhelming? Do a short-term club of three 2-hour or six 1-hour sessions. Or just a one-time workshop / event and see how it goes.

• Be part of the 4-H Promotion Committee

If you would like to help promote 4-H at one (or more) of the next local events, please let Valerie Smit, our 4-H Program Coordinator, know. She will put you on her email list to let you know what the next opportunities are. You can just visit at the next event, so you know what to expect. But they are always looking for people to help with set-up and take-down as well as with activities to offer or simply engage families in a short conversation about 4-H, answer questions, or hand them a club list.

• Help in the 4-H Association / Become a 4-H Board Member

The 4-H Association is comprised of all 4-H appointed volunteers. All club leaders, co-leaders, and board members are automatically part of the Morris County 4-H Association. There is also an Auxiliary Association, which includes all 4-H parents and other people who want to help. 

If you would like to help in more specific ways, that would be great - please let us know. The Morris County 4-H Association is led by the Board of Directors. There are 13 board members who serve for 3 years and about 1/3 are up for (re-)elections each year in October. The nominating committee collects names and applications all year (they can be sent to the office), interviews prospective members, and presents the nominees to the board. A ballot (or form) will be sent to all Association members to vote.

The Association also has committees, and you don't have to be a board member to be on some of them. The Fair Committee is the best example, as it needs many helping heads, hearts, and hands to get all Fair tasks done.