Washoe County 4-H Youth Development | Extension

We are looking for volunteers!

Contact Sarah Chvilicek for more information.

Washoe County:
Event Calendar
Clubs
Record Books
Rules & Regulations
Meet the Team

Upcoming Events

If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in these events, please contact Paul Lessick, Civil Rights & Compliance Coordinator, at least 14 days prior to the scheduled event.

Welcome to 4-H Youth Development Programs

4-H youth development programs serve youth ages 5-19 by creating a safe space to build relationships and explore!
Join 4-H through:

4-H Clubs, facilitated by adult volunteers
AfterSchool Programs, coordinated with Washoe County School District and other community collaborators.
4-H Camp, a week long overnight camp experience at Lake Tahoe.
4-H Day Camps, hour or day long events that take place during spring break, summer, and winter break.

Not sure where you belong yet? All youth are welcome!
You can always come by a 4-H event to see the programs in action, meet volunteer leaders, and explore new topics. Or check out the free online curriculum offered by the National 4-H platform Clover.

4-H youth development programs are led by trained Extension staff and volunteers who teach youth science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) using research-based curriculum. Each year in Nevada nearly 50,000 young people participate in 4-H generated activities; over 15,000 of them are in Washoe County. They learn confidence, leadership, record keeping and other transferable life skills. They do better in school as well.

Background

4-H strengthens and promotes healthy youth development to give young people the capacity to act as responsible citizens and agents of community change.

By understanding the complex experiences that youth face and promoting high-quality youth leadership development, 4-H helps youth meet the challenges of adolescence and transition to adulthood. Through youth-adult partnerships, 4-H connects youth and adults to their communities, preparing them for work and life. 4-H engages both youth and adults in intentional, experiential and inquiry-based learning. The program also provides emerging research and policy to highlight positive youth development. 4-H partners with the Land-Grant University System to support America’s youth.

Guiding principles

The four guiding principles of 4-H youth development programs are:

Positive youth development
Partnerships
Learning
Youth potential

Experiences

4-H’ers are often involved in long-term learning experiences with peers and adult volunteers. Active, hands-on learning is a staple of the program. Youth choose topics that interest them, ranging from the broad areas of science, healthy living and citizenship/civic engagement. Community service, leadership and public speaking are typical opportunities.

4-H is about having fun, learning, exploring and discovering. In 4-H, young people make new friends, develop new skills, become leaders and help shape their communities.

The essential elements of the 4-H program include:

Creating an environment where youth feel a sense of belonging
Have an opportunity to master skills
Practice independence
Develop a spirit of generosity

4-H AfterSchool

The Washoe County 4-H AfterSchool Club Program works with organizations and schools in Washoe County to offer 4-H opportunities in an out-of-school setting. Youth learn transferable life skills through inquiry-based learning using research-based curriculum. In 2020, 4-H Professionals worked with over 20 schools in the Washoe County School District through the 21st Century Community Learning Center Team Up Program as well as School Break STEM/STEAM day camps with public and private nonprofit organizations. Youth involved in these programs have been introduced to robotics, rockets, embryology, animal science, cultures, energy science, healthy living/nutrition, civic engagement, leadership, and many other subject areas.

Washoe County 4-H Clubs

Enroll online today!

Join an active club in our area or start your own.
Email or Call our office for more information, and to connect with specific club leaders.

A young 4-H club member sits astride a white pony. They are wearing a dark jacket and a black riding helmet. They smile and hold the saddle. To the right stands an older 4-H club member who smiles with their hand on their hip. She is wearing a riding helmet, a green 4-H kerchief, and a grey sweater.

In a haystack field stands a brown goat with a young girl. She holds the goat's bridle and smiles. She is wearing a white shirt and green 4-H kerchief. On the right is a pink swine and a young boy. He smiles and holds the animal. He is wearing a white shirt and green 4-H tie. Behind them on a steel barn wall is a sign that reads "Silver State Youth Livestock Show and Expo".

Three 4-H ribbon winners smile and hold up their prizes. On the left a young girl in braids, a white shirt, and green 4-H Kerchief holds up a ping Grand ribbon and a trophy. In the middle a young Clover Bud participant holds up a Clover medallion. On the right a teen 4-H Club member smiles and holds up a pink Grand ribbon and a trophy.

Join us!

A young girl observes chickens in cages at a Small Animal Show. On the right, and older 4-H Club member smiles and introduces her chicken. Both youth wear white shirts and green 4-H kerchiefs and ties.

Active club areas

Arts
Cooking/baking
Gardening
Horses
Livestock projects (market, breeding, dairy)
- Beef
- Goats
- Sheep
- Swine
Photography
Sewing & Textile projects
Shooting sports (members must be 9 years old to join)
Small-animal projects
- Dogs
- Cavy (guinea pigs)
- Herpetology (reptiles and amphibians)
- Poultry
- Rabbits

Non-active club areas

We are currently recruiting volunteers who want to help with existing clubs, as well as for the following new clubs:

Adventure (outdoor and earth-science activities)
Market goats
STEM projects (Robotics, rocketry, engineering)
Other areas that you are personally interested in teaching and learning about!

Washoe County record books

Record books are a place where youth to write down their projects, plans, and document their goals.

Rules and Regulations

Current documents detailing 4-H regulations for conduct, policies, and participation.

Learn More

All are welcome in Washoe County 4-H!

Three people smile at the camera. A young man in a ball cap, a woman with wavy dark hair, and a woman with glasses and two braids. The young man and the woman with glasses are holding up sewing projects.

Each month we publish a Clover Clips Newsletter with updates for our clubs and include diversity, inclusion, and belonging articles.

Learn about Hispanic language interpretation at events like the Washoe County 4-H Small Animals and Static Exhibits Show.

Want to receive the monthly newsletter?
Email Sam Mitchell at SamM@unr.edu

Current Newsletter

4HOnline

4HOnline is a fully integrated management system that brings together all levels of the 4-H experience. Whether it's a member logging in to manage her record, a club leader printing mailing labels, or a county agent approving a member's enrollment, 4HOnline brings the 4-H community together and keeps everyone involved.

Log into 4-H Online