4-H Youth Development
Join 4-H in Benewah County and meet new friends or participate with friends you already have. Youth learn many positive life skills while participating in 4-H that will come in very handy as they get older and are asked to handle more responsibilities in their own life, whether it be at school, at home or at their job. Join us and "Learn by Doing!"
4-H Members Thrive!
Through Self-Regulation and Goal Setting: The ability to make choices with a specific goal in mind is an important skill for goal setting in every aspect of their life. Thriving youth will continue to work toward their goals even when the going gets tough. This is referred to as "grit" and youth with "grit" or perseverance. Research has shown that grit is a bigger indicator of success than innate intelligence or ability.
Through Positive Emotionality: When events seem unfair, frustrating or disappointing youth can experience very strong emotions. When in 4-H, volunteers help youth develop skills that allow them to explore their powerful emotions and redirect the negative emotions into positive emotional responses.
Through Transcendent Awareness: Youth learn to realize that there is a bigger world out there then just their own little bubble. Transcendent awareness results from interactions with others that help youth develop clarity and commitment to values, beliefs, actions and a way of living that benefits others and help guide their everyday thoughts and actions.
Through a Pro-Social Orientation: This occurs through social learning where youth observe and remember behaviors that are rewarded and begin to practice those behaviors. This is facilitated when youth feel that they matter and belong to a community and thus ultimately leading to youth who care about others and gives back to the community.
By Having a Hopeful Purpose: Research has shown that youth that have a sense of purpose and are more goal orientated have increased life satisfaction, better emotional well-being and a greater positive affect.
By Being Open to Challenge and Discovery: Youth realize that they can learn, grow and get better through effort, by being encouraged to take positive risks such as speaking in front of other people. For example, by doing a presentation in front of their 4-H club on something they learned in their beef project. As the youth grows they can expand that by giving their presentations at the county, district, state and national levels.
Growth Mindset: Youth embrace new experiences/challenges as an exciting adventure and a growth opportunity.
Membership
4-H is open year-round to youth ages 5 to 18 without regard to race, creed, gender, marital status, handicaps or disadvantages, economic or ethnic backgrounds.
Participants age 8 to 18 are eligible for all 4-H programs, including competitive activities and events. Ages 5–7 are eligible to participate in Cloverbuds.
Individuals older than 18 who have special needs are eligible if they are still enrolled in high school.
4-H age is the age of the individual on January 1 of the current 4-H year (which runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30).
Cloverbuds
Youth ages 5 to 7-years-old are eligible for Cloverbuds, an educational program designed to introduce young children to 4-H in a fun, non-competitive way.
Cloverbuds may not participate in large animal, ATV or shooting sports projects. Fair exhibits are optional and non-competitive.
Enrollment fees cover three project books, end-of-year certificates, insurance coverage and a state participation fee of $15. Fees must be turned in to your 4-H leader or the UI Extension, Benewah County office.
- Regular members: $40 for up to three projects
- Cloverbuds: $30
- Horse members: $42 for up to three projects including horse
- Additional projects: $3 each
- Supplemental accident insurance for volunteers: $1
- Supplemental accident insurance for horse volunteers: $2
You may enroll in 4-H at any time throughout the year. Some projects have a participation deadline in order for youth to exhibit during the Benewah County Fair.
Visit the 4-H Online website to enroll today. Please view 4-H Online Enrollment is Easy (PDF) for help with online enrollment. If you are a previous member ready to re-enroll, please view the Re-enrollment 4-H Online Tip Sheet (PDF).
Please contact UI Extension, Benewah County at 208-245-2422 or benewah@uidaho.edu for more information about joining 4-H.
Fair Participation Deadlines
March 2
- Final deadline for member and leader enrollments for participation in the 4-H/FFA division of the Benewah County Fair
April 1
- Deadline to add projects for participation in the 4-H/FFA division of the Benewah County Fair
- Deadline for leader (re)certification
There are many projects available. However, this does not necessarily mean that there is a 4-H leader to teach the project.
- Project Requirements Handbook (PDF)
- County-Specific Project Requirements (PDF)
If you have any questions, please email benewah@uidaho.edu or call 208-245-2422.
Cloverbuds is an educational program for children ages 5 to 7. It introduces youth to 4-H in a fun, non-competitive way.
Valley County Teen Leadership & Development Collaborative is a partnership between Valley County 4-H, St. Luke’s McCall and the Youth Advocacy Coalition.
Teen Advisory Committee supports teen leadership and builds life skills that ensure teenagers have a voice in adult groups devoted to helping youth.
Participants learn to help in different areas of the community by volunteering and creating events that oppose destructive behaviors and strengthen healthy lifestyles. They also attend and support the Youth Advocacy Coalition, whose mission and vision is to: “Engage youth to create a vibrant community” and “To promote healthy lifestyle choices while cultivating supportive relationships between youth and adults through collaboration, education, and awareness.”
We hope to expand our program and offer participants a chance to earn scholarships based on social intelligence. The vision is for recipients to use the award to further educational goals in a trade school, apprenticeship or college.
The Benewah County 4-H program is always in need of volunteers who are interested in leading a project area for the youth of Benewah County. If you have knowledge that you would like to pass on or if you yourself are interested in a project area and would like to learn with the youth, we would love to hear from you. If you are interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer please contact UI Extension, Benewah County at 208-245-2422, email benewah@uidaho.edu or go to the Leader’s Corner.