4-H Project Information

It’s never to early to pick out projects for next year – The 2025 4-H Project Guide is now available online

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The 2025 Project Guide is now available online. Both the PDF and flip book versions are posted here: ohio4h.org/projectguide.

For those who are new to Extension and Ohio 4-H, here are some other Project Guide distribution details:

  • Copies of the Project Guide will be mailed directly to 4-H families and volunteers.
  • Thanks to the Ohio 4-H Foundation and Kroger for making this possible again.

Coming October 30: Meet the Authors of Mentoring: Leadership in Action!

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Are you a 4-H member looking to lead, or do you know one who is? If so, register for National 4-H’s Meet the Authors Webinar on October 30! Authors Gwen Soule and Lisa Brenner will showcase the Ohio 4-H project, Mentoring: Leadership in Action. In this project, youth can refine their skills as a mentor and be the one a younger member looks up to for reassurance and guidance. This project is for youth 13 or older with at least two years of 4-H experience.

Register for the webinar and mark your calendar today!

4-H Booth Information and Setup

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The 4-H theme for 2024 is “Lassoing Opportunities in 4-H”  Clubs should decorate their booth using this theme. Please note, no straw, sand, mulch, feathers, etc. is permitted in the displays. To view a booth score rubric, see the Advisors Resources on our website!

  • The club booths will be in the 4-H Display Barn (south side of the track). All booth related questions should be directed toward Haley at 768@osu.edu.
  • If your club is not requesting a booth, there will be a special area in the 4-H Display Barn for your member’s projects to be displayed. A reminder that for a member to receive a premium for their project, it MUST BE DISPLAYED the entire week of the fair!
  • 4-H Display Setup is Friday October 4th from 2:00 – 7:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 5th from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. (NO SUNDAY SETUP!).
  • 4-H Display Tear Down is Sunday, October 13th, 12:00 – 2:00 p.m. No booths or projects may be removed prior to this time!
  • We are in need of volunteers to help oversee the safety of exhibits of 4-H Displays. Please sign up here and share this link.
  • A reminder when creating your club booths – if you are including pictures of your members, please make sure that the photo release was checked and electronically signed via 4-HOnline by the parent of your members. No photos of members who did not accept the photo release should be displayed. If you need to see who did not agree to a photo release, please contact the Extension Office.

Ohio 4-H Launches CareerNext Online Course, Empowering Youth for Success in Tomorrow’s Workforce

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Ohio 4-H proudly announces the debut of CareerNext: Are You Ready?, an innovative online course designed to equip young individuals with the skills and confidence needed to excel in the dynamic landscape of tomorrow’s workforce.

As the career landscape evolves rapidly, Ohio 4-H recognizes the importance of preparing youth for forthcoming challenges and opportunities. CareerNext stands as a comprehensive program integrating practical knowledge, interactive modules, and real-world scenarios to empower participants to explore various career paths, hone critical skills, and make informed decisions about their future.

Key features of the online course include interactive learning modules covering resume building, interview techniques, post-secondary education, and financial literacy. Participants also benefit from expert guidance, flexible learning options, hands-on activities, and resources for career exploration.

For more information about CareerNext: Are You Ready?, visit http://go.osu.edu/careernext.

Club Opportunity: 2024 4th H Club Challenge is live!

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We pledge our “health to better living,” but do we actually practice it? Practicing healthy habits and choices has lifelong effects on the health of youth, and the 4th H Club Challenge promotes this by encouraging Ohio 4-H Clubs to learn, practice, and advocate for healthy choices and behaviors at 4-H club meetings.

Each club that completes the challenge before the deadline will be entered into the $100 voucher drawing for their region, with the winning club receiving funds to purchase items like project books, educational tool, or other resources for their club.

How does it work? Apply three healthy practices per meeting (see list below) at six or more 4-H club meetings between Jan. – Dec. 2024.

  1. Register and complete pre-survey. https://go.osu.edu/4thHClubChallenge
  2. Record the dates and activities in the 4th H tracker link. (tracker link will be provided after registering)
  3. Share a picture of your club doing a healthy practice on social media. Be sure to include the official hashtag #Ohio4thHClubChallenge.
  4. Submit all activities to the tracker link by Dec. 31, 2024.

If your club already does some health practices, great! We encourage you to challenge yourselves with different or new health practices for your club.

Did you recently complete or help a member complete a 4-H project this summer?

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4-H Project Central is a great resource for 4-H members and project helpers to review and preview Ohio 4-H project books.

Visit ohio4h.org/projectcentral to submit your project book review and share your thoughts with everyone.

It’s easy—and leaving a review is a terrific way to help other members choose a future project!

Volunteers needed to help in the 4-H Display Barn during fair week!

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We are in need of volunteers to be barn guards for the display barn. During your time please keep an eye on the amazing display booths and help to answer questions from visitors. Barn guards can be older teens accompanied by parents, grandparents, advisors, and friends of 4-H. Please plan at least 2 hours and arrive at least 15 minutes prior to your selected shift.

If you are working the first shift of the day, we will be unlocking the building for you and meeting you to give a brief orientation. With each shift change, please help share this brief orientation with the next group of volunteers. If working the last shift of the day, please stay until the end of your shift to meet those who will be securing the building for the night.

Please review the available time slots below and click on the button to sign up, comment the club/chapter you are affiliated with. Thank you!

If you are able to help out, please include your name and club at this link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A084CACA72EA7F94-50882078-display

See you on Sunday, August 18th at 4-H Summerfest! (Summer Project Award Ceremony)

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Attention summer project award winners and families:

Congratulations on your outstanding project work that you have completed this summer! Please join us to be recognized for your 4-H Project achievement or 4-H Speaking Event participation at Summerfest on Sunday, August 18th. Summer Judging project award winners will be announced, so please dress appropriately. Please join us on Sunday, August 18, 2024, at 6:00 p.m., with registration beginning at 5:45 p.m. at the Fairfield County Liberty Center. While this event is not required, it is encouraged for you to attend.

If you are an Ohio State Fair award winner, please bring your Outstanding of the Day Ribbon and/or Clock Trophy with you to share when your county and state awards are announced on stage. For Clock Trophy Winners, please be prepared to answer a couple questions about your state winning project (What was your favorite thing that you learned and what did you learn from your Ohio State Fair experience, etc).

Event Details:

Fairfield County 4-H Summerfest

Sunday, August 18, 2024

Registration Begins at 5:45 p.m.

Fairfield County Liberty Center

951 Liberty Drive

Lancaster, OH 43130

 

Congratulations again! Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns! Thank you!

Special Accommodations for Skillathon: Winning 4-H Plan Requests – Due Tuesday, August 27th

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The Winning 4-H Plan is about Making 4-H Accessible for Club Members with Disabilities. Ohio 4-H welcomes and encourages youth with disabilities to participate. If you have not submitted a request and think your child may need one, all request forms are due Tuesday, August 27th.

Need more information about the Winning 4-H Plan?

  • Reasonable accommodations will be made for all youth with disabilities.
  • The Winning 4-H Plan Request Form can be found here and is due to Leslie Cooksey (cooksey.25@osu.edu) by August 27th if you have a member who need accommodations for Skillathon or fair.
  • The 4-H Educator will communicate all accommodations to the appropriate personnel
  • This completed accommodation document will be provided to the youth by the 4-H Educator
  • Requests for accommodations are considered on a case-by-case basis to ensure that the accommodation does not fundamentally alter the event or provide a significant advantage or disadvantage to anyone participating.
  • Accommodations will be specific to the individual.
  • Judges may modify regular judging procedure to accommodate requests and will need to determine that
    modification would not inhibit the ability of other exhibitors and/or animals in the show.

Common Accommodations include:

  • Typed responses or use of scribe for longer passages in project bool
  • Help with _________ (ex. reading, writing, math)
  • Extra time for ___________ (ex. reading, writing, response answering questions, taking test)
  • Rephrase or reword questions as needed for understanding
  • Break down tasks/questions to simple instructions
  • Directions/questions provided orally
  • Hand over hand to perform skill/task
  • Reduce the number of questions/items performed
  • Use of interpreter (sign language)
  • Project books/materials provided in pdf, enlarged print, or other format. Pease contact Laura Akgerman (akgerman.4@osu.edu) to request project books in alternate/electronic format
  • Use of service animal or seeing eye person when deemed safe (in show ring)
  • Change of location to quieter setting for interview/judging/ task performance
  • Use of device, tool or mechanism that helps the individual perform the task