4-H

2021 Licking County 4-H Enrollment Information

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It is time to start 4-H enrollment for 2021! We are excited to share that 4-HOnline has received a major facelift. The function of the database is the same, but it has a new look and there are many improvements that I think you will appreciate.

Your login credentials are the same as last year. If you have forgotten your password, please use the I Forgot My Password option to reset your password. If you no longer have access to the email account you used last year, please email me so I can update your family profile.

Instructions on how to log in and enroll can be found on the How to Join 4-H page here: https://licking.osu.edu/program-areas/4-h-youth-development/how-join-4-h.  Scroll down to the instructions for RETURNING Families. There are step-by-step instructions that you can view and print, a tip sheet, and a video.

Once you have reviewed the instructions, visit oh.4honline.com to login and enroll. The new site is mobile friendly. It works best in Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox. Please note that the system is new and we are finding some bugs and glitches as we use it. We ask for your patience as we work through some of these issues.

A few things to note:

  • If anyone in your family has been enrolled in 4-H anywhere in Ohio since 2014, you will have a family profile. If you have trouble accessing your family profile, please DO NOT create a new one. Contact me and I will help you get access to your existing profile.
  • If you have a family member who has “skipped” a year or two of 4-H, their profile may have been archived. You can reinstate a member within your family profile by selecting the “archived members” option. If you have trouble doing this contact me. Please DO NOT create a new profile. We want to utilize the existing profile for each member.
  • Most of your contact information should have transferred over to the new system. Please take the time to review each member’s profile as you enroll them to ensure ALL the information is there and correct.
  • Please be sure that all projects are included and correct BEFORE you submit an enrollment. You will NOT be able to make changes to club/project enrollment once you click the Submit button. If you are not able to complete the enrollment in one sitting or are trying to decide on projects, the system will save each page of progress. You can leave that enrollment and come back to it later. Once you have submitted your enrollment, any changes regarding club and project enrollment will need to be made through me.
  • Once you submit an enrollment, it will be listed as “awaiting review” until it is reviewed at the county level. It will either be approved or will be sent back to you if there is something that needs fixed.
  • If you select a horse, dog, or shooting sports project the system will ask you to electronically sign the consent for those projects. This will replace the paper consent forms that were required for those project areas in the past.
  • If you have a member who is 18 years old, the system will ask whether to enroll them as a youth or adult. Be sure to select YOUTH for their enrollment. Selecting adult will make the system think they are applying to be an advisor, not completing their final year in 4-H.
  • Cloverbud members should select either project #710GPM Cloverbud Activities or #715 My 4-H Cloverbud year for their enrollment. It doesn’t matter which one is selected.
  • Those joining the Licking County 4-H Band should select “COP-Arts 1900 Performing Arts – 4-H Band” for their project. It will be listed towards the end of the project list.

Ohio Youth Capital Challenge

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There’s still time for youth interested in government and public policy to apply to be part of the Ohio Youth Capital Challenge. High School students from 4-H, FFA and the Ohio Farm Bureau work in teams to research local issues, create a policy and learn more about state and local government. Find the details and apply by Feb. 1 at https://ohio4h.org/…/just…/ohio-youth-capital-challenge

2021 Virtual Ohio 4-H Conference

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The 2021 Virtual Ohio 4-H Conference will bring together 4-H volunteers and teens (age 13 and older) from across Ohio. You can participate in a variety of educational sessions that offer something for everyone! Join us as we learn from one another to make the best better for Ohio 4-H programs.

Virtual sessions will start at 9:00 am on February 20 and 7:00 pm on February 23 & 25.

Information on the conference as well as how to register can be found here.

Extension Office Reopening and In-Person Programming Update

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Licking County Extension Office.

While the office has been closed to the public for the past two weeks, we are excited to say that we will be re-opening on Tuesday, January 19th. We will return to our Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., office hours, but do request that you make appointments or call ahead of your arrival. We are operating on reduced staff, with only two to three staff members in the office each day. You’ll likely find Adrienne and I in the office on Wednesdays and Thursdays, at least for the next few weeks, as we prepare for enrollment and advisor trainings. If you forget to make an appointment in advance of arriving to our parking lot, please know that you’re more than welcome to call and say that you’re outside – we’ll happily let you in with a smile! We’ve even posted our office phone number on the door!

Club Meetings.

As you begin to plan 4-H Club meetings, we would encourage you to stay virtual for a while longer… Ohio 4-H has announced that beginning January 16th, clubs can begin to return to their in-person meetings, provided they have an educational program planned that can not be conducted virtually. Keep in mind two parts of that statement – first, there must be an educational component to the meeting, and second, it should be held virtually unless it is not possible to do so. While all of us are anxious to see our 4-H members and their families, keep in mind that we are still in the midst of a pandemic. In speaking with many teens, we know that some are hesitant to attend face-to-face trainings simply due to their concern that they could be exposed, quarantined, and hence miss school or sporting events. This is a realistic concern, and we need to be cautious of the approach that we take to offering meetings and events.

At the county level, we are committed to staying virtual through the end of February, and hope that you will join us in doing the same. In planning for March, we are planning for both face-to-face and virtual, knowing that we may need to make a switch last minute, depending upon disease transmission at that time and guidelines of OSU, Ohio 4-H and our Health Department. Realize that as we begin to offer in-person programming, we will still need to make virtual attendance / participation available as needed. When offering in-person programming, keep in mind that you will need to plan accordingly to adhere to facial covering, hand washing, and social distancing guidelines – disinfecting the meeting location prior to, and after the meeting. We’re anxious to get back to 4-H, but we must also commit to keeping all our families safe.

Ohio 4-H Guidelines.

Below, you will find information from the State 4-H Office to assist you in staying up-to-date on guidelines and protocol. You will find 4-H information about in-person meetings and events on the state 4-H Stay Connected webpage.

In-person Meetings and Events Guidance and Requirements

As we begin the new year, the Ohio 4-H Planning Guide for In-Person Meetings & Events has been updated to reflect current guidance from Ohio State University and health officials. Beginning SATURDAY, JANUARY 16, 2021, the following is in effect:

  • Hosting virtual meetings and events is preferred
  • If activities are critical/essential and are in-person, they must be education-focused
  • Group cannot be larger than 50 people, including adults, youth, presenters, etc., and be held in a facility that will allow for appropriate social distancing of the families attending
    • Keep in mind that many facilities are encouraged to adhere to 25-50% capacity.
  • This directive is dependent on local health department guidelines.
  • The group size may need to be reduced to 10 (or other amount), based on directives from your local health department.
  • Face masks are required inside and outside at all times
  • Potlucks and buffets are not permitted. Food and beverages should not be served / provided.

Find details and updated guidelines at  Ohio 4-H Planning Guide for In-Person Meetings & Events

Finally, all of you are familiar with the map that is shared weekly by the Ohio Department of Health with updates to transmission rates. Please know that the above guidelines are in place while Licking County is “red” or a color that corresponds to a lower transmission rates. Should Licking County reach “purple” status, our office will return to being closed to the public and all in-person programming will be cancelled, postponed, or moved to a virtual setting.

We’ve Got This!

302 days… That’s how long we have been working to adapt our 4-H program to guidelines in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic. For some of us, it feels as though this is never going to end, but it will! We are working our way back to the 4-H that we remember with face-to-face programming, handshakes and hugs, and lots of smiles visible on faces. It will just take a while longer… We’ve got this, and after navigating through last spring and summer – I feel as though we can do anything! Keep your chin up and know that we are here to support you… But let’s not sit back and wait until all is normal, let’s find value in virtual, be mindful of the safety of all, and let’s get this year started in a positive way!

Take the Leap Career Readiness Program

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On behalf of the Ohio 4-H Teen Leadership Council, we would like to introduce you to the 2021 Take the Leap Year Program. Thanks to the Ohio 4-H Foundation Board, Take the Leap Year is a teen-led, five-month free program available to Ohio 4-H Teens ages 13-18. The goal is to help teens from Ohio gain leadership skills, career development skills, and learn how to establish and maintain goals. They will learn these skills through programming, journaling, and working with their peers.

Registration is now open at go.osu.edu/taketheleap and due January 24, 2021.

More information about the program:

The program will be meeting virtually on the third Wednesday of each month February-May. There will be two meetings in June, with one on the second Wednesday of the month and on the fourth Wednesday. These workshops will be held in the evening. Each session will have different themes taught by teen leaders. Prior to beginning in February, registered participants will receive a package in the mail with supplies for the program.

Below are the following plans with the corresponding months:

  • February: This meeting will be an introduction to the program. Throughout the program, we are challenging teens to pick one word to apply to all aspects of their life. This word can help them reach their goals.
  • March: Working with teens to develop a 5-year plan to help them determine what they would like to accomplish in the near future.
  • April: Teens will learn professionalism skills that will benefit them in their later careers. They will learn about resume building, elevator pitches, business cards, and much more!
  • May: Participants will learn about state opportunities within the Ohio 4-H program.
  • June (2nd Wednesday): Q& A with 4-H alumni and the opportunity to learn about several career paths.
  • June (4th Wednesday): Closing Ceremony

If you or any of your teens have questions please contact TLC Officers Avalon Havan (ava.havan@gmail.com) or Nat Kresic (natkresic@gmail.com), or TLC Advisors Kayla Oberstadt (oberstadt.1@osu.edu), Frances Foos (foos.61@osu.edu), or Sarah Longo (longo.79@osu.edu).