Ohio 4-H Recognition Awards – Due December 1st

The deadline to submit nominations for the 2026 Ohio 4-H Recognition Awards which are presented at the Ohio 4-H Conference in March is DECEMBER 1, 2025!! Nominations can be made by anyone (4-H Professionals, 4-H Volunteers, etc.) but the application must be filled out completely including references (if required) to be accepted.

Awards include:

• • 4-H Hall of Fame: https://go.osu.edu/halloffameaward 
    • Recognizes individuals who have made significant lifetime contributions to the Ohio 4-H program and who have also made an important positive impact upon clubs, communities, and the state 4-H program. Must have at least 15 years of service.
  • Meritorious Service: https://go.osu.edu/meritoriousaward
    • Recognizes adult 4-H volunteers who have made a positive influence in the lives of Ohio 4-H members. Volunteers who have demonstrated exceptional service at the club or county level. Must have at least 10 years of service.
  • Community Service: https://go.osu.edu/4hcommunityserviceaward
    • Recognizes adults and youth 4-H volunteers who have collaborated with community groups or undertaken them with their own 4-H club or unit, community service projects or activities.
  • Innovator: https://go.osu.edu/innovatoraward
    • Recognizes adult and/or youth volunteers who have developed and implemented new programs, county projects, or activities.
  • Friend of 4-H: https://go.osu.edu/friendof4haward
    • An individual, family, business, or corporation that supports the Ohio 4-H Program in a charitable manner at the county, state, or national level.
  • 4-H Alumni: https://go.osu.edu/4halumniaward
    • Young Alumni Award (21-34)
    • Experienced Alumni Award (35+)
    • Recognizes Ohio 4-H Alumnus who has demonstrated distinctive achievement in career or service and can attribute part of their success to participating in 4-H.

For more information on the awards and applications go to: https://ohio4h.org/about/ohio-4-h-conference  The Qualtrics applications and the paper applications can be found on this site. Applications can be submitted in the Qualtrics or by completing the fillable “paper” or PDF application and sending it by email to smith.11958@osu.edu but we must receive them by December 1^st.

***Reminder, if you submitted an applicant last year for an award and they were not chosen, please feel free to resubmit that application this year. We had many qualified applicants that were not chosen last year because of the amount of applications we received.

REMEMBER….Award applications must be received by Sunday, December 1, 2025