Welcome to our programs
Extension's 4-H Youth Development Programs serve youth ages 5-19 by creating a safe space to build relationships and explore!
Join our:
- 4-H Clubs, facilitated by Extension volunteers.
- 4-H AfterSchool Programs, coordinated by Extension with Washoe County School District and other community collaborators.
- 4-H Day Camps, hour- and day-long events we provide during spring, summer and winter school breaks.
- 4-H Camp, a week-long overnight experience we provide at our Nevada State 4-H Camp in Lake Tahoe.
All youth are welcome!
Not sure where you belong yet? You can always come by one of our 4-H events to see our programs in action, meet our volunteer leaders and explore new topics. Or, check out the free online curriculum offered by the National 4-H platform, Clover.
Extension's 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 Extension's 4-H-generated activities, including over 15,000 youth in Washoe County. Our participating youth 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 youth 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
Hands-on learning continues after school! Extension's 4-H Program in Washoe County collaborates with the 21st Century Community Learning Center Team Up Program. Since 2020, we've delivered hands-on 4-H activities at more than 20 schools in the district. In the 2024-25 academic year, our 4-H team provided over 200 hours of after-school programming in the county. Youth involved in these programs have been introduced to robotics, rockets, animal science, energy science, plant science, healthy living/nutrition, civic engagement, artistic expression, communication and many other subject areas.
