4-H PROGRAM POLICIES AND DEFINITIONS

4-H Youth Development Faculty Policy

• plan and carry out an appropriate 4-H youth development program for the county emphasizing learner outcomes appropriate to the region;
• recruit, train, place, screen, evaluate, and recognize adults who serve as mentors and leaders for 4-H youth development members;
• act as the authorized representative of the Director of the WVU Extension Service in the assignment of the 4-H name and emblem to activities and clubs that follow appropriate guidelines. (http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/)
• act as the responsible professional in authorizing 4-H youth development activities within the county;
• provide for accident and liability insurance to cover all participants (youths and adults) at 4-H youth development events;
• create programs that are consistent with the educational purposes, character-building objectives, and dignity of 4-H youth development programs;
• seek resources from state and national Extension sources and other appropriate youth-serving organizations to implement appropriate 4-H youth development programs at the county level; and
• review annually all 4-H club, county foundation, and leaders’ association financial summaries that are due to the county Extension office by October 30.

(Refer to the section for responsibilities related to money management, membership records, Treasurer’s book requirements, and due process.)

The Use of the 4-H Name and Emblem

• The use of the 4-H name and emblem is limited to authorized groups. The federal register, Volume 50, Number 149, of Friday, August 2, 1985, amended March 17, 1987, and published by USDA in The 4-H Name and Emblem, Guidelines for Authorized Use. A 1999 update stipulates the addition of further guidelines to protect the emblem. The guidelines are available at the Web site (http://www.national4-hheadquarters.gov/).
• All 4-H groups, clubs, and units are open to all individuals without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, veteran status, political beliefs, sexual orientation, national origin, and marital or family status. All reasonable efforts as determined by the Civil Rights Act of 1964 are required.

4-H Membership and Age Interpretations

The 4-H Year is October 1 to September 30. Use the following guidelines to determine eligibility.

• County Membership. An individual of 4-H age may enroll in and carry 4-H membership in only one state and one county. It is not the intent of the WVUES to deny any individual membership or participation. If any special concerns exist, please contact your local county Extension agent.
• West Virginia 4-H Membership. The 4-H Year is October 1 to September 30. An individual of 4-H age may enroll in and carry 4-H membership in only one state and one county. The individual can join when he/she is in at least the third grade and/or 9 years of age (Example: a child can join 4-H if he/she is 8 years of age and will reach his/her 9th birthday during the current 4-H club year), and will not be eligible for membership if he/she reaches his/her 21st birthday on or before December 31 of the current 4-H year.
• Grade Levels. It is strongly recommended that grade levels be used in determining eligibility for camps, clubs, and special-interest groups, and when making subdivisions of the 9-21 age group. It is not possible to use grade levels for some state competitive events, due to national age requirements.

Eligibility for Competitive Events

• WV Junior Division. The individual must be a 4-H member and must not reach his/her 14th birthday on or before January 1.
• WV Senior Division. The individual must be a 4-H member and must be at least 14 years of age on or before January 1.
• National Senior Division. The individual must be at least 14 years of age on or before January 1, and must not have reached his/her 19th birthday by January 1 of the year in which the National 4-H Competitive event is held. Check specific contest rules for eligibility.
• All Star Age Requirements. The All Star Constitution states, to be eligible, a person, must have been enrolled as a 4-H member for at least five years, must have been awarded the 4-H pin, must be at least eighteen (18) years of age on or prior to December 31 of the calendar year recommended and not reached their 22nd birthday by September 30 of the year recommended;

4-H Enrollment

The following definitions are from the USDA Cooperative Extension System ES237 4-H Enrollment Report.

• 4-H Member – any youth who has completed individual enrollment (including name and address) in an organized, ongoing local 4-H unit, and is aware of his/her involvement in 4-H. Includes, but is not limited to, 4-H club members.
• 4-H Youth Participant – any youth taking part in programs provided as a result of action by Extension personnel (professional, paraprofessional, and volunteer). This includes youth participating in programs conducted through 1862, 1890, and 1994 land-grant universities, Family Nutrition Program, urban gardening, and other programs that may not use the 4-H name and emblem with participants.
• Enrolled Youth – any youth who is recorded by Extension as participating in one of the recognized delivery modes—a 4-H youth participant or 4-H member.

Enrollment by Delivery Modes:

• Organized 4-H clubs – an organized group of youths, led by an adult, with a planned program that is carried on throughout the year. 4-H clubs may meet in any location and have elected officers and a set of rules approved by the membership to govern the club. Includes 4-H clubs (that meet these criteria) in school-age child-care settings.
• Special interest/short-term programs/day camps – groups of youths meeting for a specific learning experience that involves six or more hours of direct teaching by Extension staff or trained volunteers, including teachers. Such a program is not part of school curriculum and cannot be restricted to members of 4-H clubs.
• Overnight camping programs – youths taking part in an Extension-planned educational experience of group living in the out-of-doors, that includes being away from home at least one night (resident, primitive, or travel camping). This experience cannot be restricted to members of organized 4-H clubs.
• School enrichment programs – groups of youths receiving a sequence of learning experiences in cooperation with school officials during school hours, to support the school curriculum. Involves direct teaching by Extension staff or trained volunteers, including teachers.
• Individual study/mentoring/family learning programs – planned learning that occurs independent of a formal group setting such as a club, as an individual, paired, or family learning effort. Self-directed, usually with limited adult involvement except for parents (or mentor). Examples include self-study, home study courses, mentoring or shadowing with an expert, whole families learning together.
• School-age child-care education programs – educational programs offered to youths outside of school hours, usually in a school or other community center and incorporating 4-H curricula. The primary purpose is to provide care for youths while parents are working or unavailable. (Youths who are members of 4-H clubs in school-age child-care settings are considered members of organized 4-H clubs.)
• Instructional TV/video programs – youths offered learning experiences through Extension via broadcast or closed-circuit television, including satellite transmission, or videotape replays of such series.

4-H Participation by Place of Residence

• Farm – use the U.S. Census definition for a farm that includes all persons living in rural territory, on places that $1,000 or more of agricultural products sold, or normally would have been sold in a year.
• Towns Under 10,000 and Rural Non-Farm – persons who live in towns under 10,000 population, in rural non-farm, and open country situations not reported as farm in above definition.
• Towns and Cities of 10,000 to 50,000 – include participants who live in the immediately built up areas surrounding such towns and cities, even though they might live somewhat beyond the immediate city limits.
• Suburbs of Cities Over 50,000 – report the number of 4-H participants living in the urbanized and contiguous suburbs and towns of a city over 50,000.
• Central Cities Over 50,000 – report the participants living within the boundaries of metropolitan cities over 50,000 population. This category includes twin cities of standard metropolitan statistical areas.

Integration of 4-H Units

• Racially-ethnically mixed community – an area or community in which more than one of the racial-ethnic groups make up the population of potential program recipients of that community.
• The appropriate geographic area – the area you are using for your current county affirmative action plan.

Distribution of Racial-Ethnic Youth in Integrated and Non-Integrated 4-H Units

Ethnic Classification:

• Hispanic or Latino – a person of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race.
• Not Hispanic or Latino – all others.

Definitions for 4-H Member Enrollment Card:

• White – a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, North Africa, or the Middle East.
• Black or African American – a person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa.
• American Indian or Alaskan Native – a person having origins in any of the original peoples of North, Central, and South America, and who maintains tribal affiliation or community recognition.
• Asian – a person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, of the Indian Subcontinent, including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.
• Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander – a person having origins in any of the original peoples of Hawaii, Guam, Samoa, Micronesia, the Northern Marianas, or other Pacific Islands.

4-H Volunteer

Any adult or youth recognized by Extension as giving service to the 4-H program without salary or wages from Extension.

• Adult Volunteer – Unpaid support for the 4-H program by an individual beyond high school age.
• Youth Volunteer – Unpaid support for the 4-H program by a person who has not yet graduated from high school. (A youth volunteer is also likely to be a youth participant.)
• Direct Volunteer – Unpaid support for the 4-H program through face-to-face contact with youths by a youth or adult. (Example: project leader, club leader, camp counselor, teacher)
• Indirect Volunteer – Unpaid support for the 4-H program by a youth or adult that does not include face-to-face contact with youths. (Example: boards, committees)
• Middle Manager – Unpaid service to or leadership of other volunteers by a youth or an adult.

4-H Collegiate Club Membership

• Membership is open to any student who is currently enrolled in a university or college in West Virginia and is a member of the respective campus 4-H club, in accordance with student organization regulations on the respective campus.
• Collegiate membership does not give a student membership in the West Virginia 4-H program.
• Students wishing to participate in noncollegiate 4-H activities as a West Virginia 4-H member must maintain membership in his/her home county or become a member in the county in which he/she is currently a student.

Cloverbud (Pre 4-H membership) Policy

It is neither the intent nor the objective of the 4-H Cloverbud program to duplicate the 4- H member experience that are designed to older youth, nor to create a “mini-4-H” concept. While the 4-H Cloverbud program is a part of the overall 4-H Youth Development program and 4-H Cloverbud members are recognized as 4-H members for the purposes of enrollment, they are considered to be in a special membership category with regard to program and policy.

Chartering 4-H Cloverbud

4-H Cloverbud group must follow the national policies established for special membership groups and must be chartered to recognize their program and enable them to use the 4-H Name and Emblem.

Philosophy of 4-H Cloverbud

The overall purpose of the 4-H Cloverbud program is to foster the development of life skills that are essential for the cognitive, social, emotional, and physical maturation of youth 5 – 8 years of age. Children of this age are different from older children and youth. As a result, the 4-H Cloverbud program is designed with specific educational objectives and program policies.

Participation, safety, personal development, learning and fun are the highest priorities in providing 4-H Cloverbud programs. State and county programs are expected to be age appropriate, based on the interests and needs of youth, and cooperation-based to provide feedback and recognition.

A “developmentally appropriate” program is one that is based on the general characteristics of an age group and adapts to meet the individual needs of each child. That often involves using different kinds of equipment or providing more adult supervision. Sometimes a 4-H Cloverbud member will be physically capable of doing something but will not be able to understand the reason for the process or the result. Participation in that activity would be just as inappropriate as participation in an activity that is unsafe because of physical limitations.

4-H Cloverbud Program is fun and educational. It is designed for youth from 5 – 8 years of age. The program is: (1) child-centered, (2) noncompetitive, (3) hands-on learning, (4) and open to family and community involvement.

The Cloverbud Program

• Develops self-understanding and confidence in a relaxed setting,
• Develops positive attitudes toward learning
• Increases knowledge through the experiential learning process,
• Develops an on-going caring relationship between young children and caring adults,
• Helps youth explore family and community relationships
• Teaching youth how to share, work together, compromise and resolve conflict
• Helps youth learn to make friends,
• Develops an understanding of and appreciation for social and cultural differences.

Child-Centered and Activity Focused rather than Project-Focused

The educational component of the 4-H Cloverbud program consists of activities rather than projects. The activity focuses on developing a single concept and/or skill rather than focusing on a project over time. It is not appropriate for Cloverbuds to participate in an ongoing, planned series of activities as a member, whether it is 4-H Shoorting Sports or an animal project. 4-H Cloverbuds participate in occasional, non-competitive, sampler- type, age-appropriate, properly supervised events or activities.

Cooperative verses Competitive Activities

Cloverbuds do not conduct or participate in competitive activities. Competitive activities require motor skills, reflexes and strength that often are not yet fully development in young children. In addition, research indicates that participation in competitive activities is developmentally inappropriate for children of the Cloverbud age. Children of this age are sensitive to criticism and often have not development a tolerance for frustration or the full ability to manage their emotions. They find it difficult to handle failure. 4-H Cloverbud activities should be conducted in a positive environment that focuses on the child’s strengths rather than deficiencies. The members need opportunities to practice skills, discover talents, and learn about fairness in a non-judgmental setting.

4-H Cloverbud Members and Exhibits at Fairs

Cloverbuds are encouraged to show activity-related items from their club at appropriate venues. 4-H Cloverbuds can be presenters and be awarded based on their participation. They should never be in competitive contests or eligible to receive premium funds. 4-H Cloverbud members should not have animal projects nor should they participate as competitive exhibitors with animals. The developmental ability and the maturity level of cloverbuds as well as the unpredictable behavior of the animals determine this policy.

Adult Supervision of 4-H Cloverbud Programs

4-H Cloverbud clubs do not conduct formal business meetings or elect officers. Children of this age are not yet ready to fulfill the responsibility of club officers and require much more adult guidance when making group decisions. It is important, however, to have a structure routine during the club meetings. For safety reasons, 4-H Cloverbuds should not bring money to club meetings, nor should they conduct door-to-door fundraising activities. They may, however, participate in group fundraising events that are supervised by an adult. Parents and leaders will decide on how club expenses will be handled.

A minimum of two adult leaders is required to start a 4-H Cloverbud club and at least two adults must be present at every 4-H meeting and activity. For groups of 5-6 year olds, the group should not exceed 12 children. For groups of 7-8 year olds, a third adult is required if the group exceeds 12 children and the group size should not exceed 16.

An adult or older teen will be with 4-H Cloverbuds at all times when in the presence of an animal or when using equipment that is potentially dangerous. This includes scissors, needles, rockets, kitchen appliances, etc. 4-H Cloverbuds should not operate power driven equipment like sewing machines, small engines, blenders, mixers, etc. 4-H Cloverbuds should wear appropriate safety helmets or other safety equipment such as life vests when engaged in activities that are dangerous.

4-H Project Book Policy

1. Project books are provided free to members of all organized 4-H clubs. Orders are distributed directly to volunteer leaders.

2. Project books are provided free of charge to members of organized school clubs provided those groups are functioning with volunteer leaders and engaged in a full club program.

3. One copy of project books will be provided free for teachers working with special interest groups in the classroom. Additional books must be purchased or reproduced by the school if not copyrighted.

4-H Project Ordering Policy

1. Oct.1 – March 1:
One initial order filled per club and mailed to the volunteer leader. If additional materials are needed during the year after a club’s initial order, consolidate these orders into one county order. Publications will be mailed to the county office for distribution to the respective leaders.

2. After April 1:
No leader orders will be filled. If good justification is given, county project orders will be filled to take care of lost project books, etc.

3. July 1 – Sept. 30:
No project order for county office or leaders will be filled until Oct. 1. If you must order, contact the publications coordinator within the 4-H Youth Development Program Unit; otherwise orders will be held and filled after Oct. 1.

Out-of-State Trips for 4-H Members (State Awarded) Policy

1. Once a 4-H member has won an out-of-state trip during the calendar year, he/she will be permitted to compete as an individual in another state event. However, he/she will be ineligible to win an out-of-state trip, since only one trip can be awarded to a member per calendar year. (See Judging Events, General Rules for exceptions.)

2. However, since the land judging team wins in one calendar year and takes its trip in the next calendar year, the team members are eligible for state contests during the calendar year in which the trip is taken.

3. The state winners of the following events are involved in this policy:

• State 4-H Livestock Judging Contest
• State 4-H Dairy Judging Contest
• State 4-H Horse Judging Contest
• Horticulture Identification Contest
• State 4-H Poultry Judging Contest
• Forestry Judging Contest
• State 4-H Land and Home Site Judging Contest