4-H Clubs

What Are The Purposes of 4-H Club Meetings?

The purposes of 4-H meetings are to help boys and girls:

Acquire new information
Learn to use leisure time creatively
Develop social skills
Acquire leadership and citizenship traits

4-H members are given the opportunity to learn and practice decision making in group situations by using the knowledge and skills acquired at these meetings. 4-H members are expected to attend the monthly meetings. Parents are encouraged to attend meetings with their 4-H’ers. 4-H is a family affair.

How Often Does The Club Meet?
What Is The Educational Program?

This part of the meeting is designed to help members learn more about subjects of general interest in the 4-H program. 4-H teaching is unique – it is “learning by doing.” Good 4-H teaching employs seeing, hearing, and doing. Generally, the educational program will include talks and demonstrations by members. Outside speakers may also present programs for 4-H meetings.
A 4-H Meeting May Have:
Demonstrations

Demonstrations are “show and tell” type presentations where 4-H’ers share some of the things they’ve learned in their projects. Actual articles are used to show the steps necessary for a finished product. Most demonstrations consist of three parts:
- Introduction – explains the purpose of the demonstration
- Body – outlines subject step-by-step
- Summary – reviews important points and gives opportunity for questions.
Illustrated Talks

Illustrated talks differ form demonstrations in that they tell how rather than show how. Charts, models and other visuals are important for illustrated talks.

Project Talks

Project talks are given about the member’s projects. The project talk can relate to things experienced in the project, or give information relating to the project.

Business Sessions

The business portion of the meeting should be short and snappy. It is a small democracy in action.

Recreation Session

The recreation portion of the meeting distinguishes the 4-H meeting from other educational activities. Recreation may include challenges, group singing, dodge ball, relays, guessing games, singing games, active games, and quiet games.

Refreshments

Some clubs serve refreshment at meetings, although this is not essential. Most often different families are hosts each month. The learning experience for the members who select, prepare, and serve the refreshments is the prime concern. Club members should learn how to select simple, nutritious, inexpensive refreshments and how to serve them. Parents can and should help by giving suggestions and guidance.
How Are Good Monthly Meetings Accomplished?

Planning is the key. It takes considerable thought, initiative, creativeness, and planning well ahead of time. Most clubs outline their educational programs for each month early in the 4-H year.

Generally, program planning is done by club officers and junior leaders with guidance from community leaders and the club parent’s committee. The exact program planning committee varies from club to club.
Who Conducts The Club Meeting?

Each club normally elects officers at the beginning of the 4-H year. Officers elected may include president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, reporter, recreation leader and song leader. Other officers may be elected, depending on the club.
Who Provides Leadership?

Parents are usually the best source of adult leaders– but not the only source. Other friends of 4-H such as parents of former 4-H’ers, retired persons, and young adults are often willing to help the 4-H’ers. The community leaders provide leadership for monthly club meetings.
What Is The Club Parent’s Committee?

Club parent’s committees are usually made up of three adults. They assist the club by securing community and project leaders. They may also be called upon to lend some ideas and guidance in planning the yearly program and other club activities.
What Is The Role of the 4-H Educator?

The 4-H Youth Development Educator provides leadership for the 4-H youth activities on a countywide basis – conducting leader training, planning activities, and keeping everything organized. In addition, the 4-H Educator provides leadership and support for special interest youth programs throughout the county. The 4-H Educator is available to answer any questions you might have concerning the 4-H youth program.
What Are The Principles Of 4-H?
It is not what we know, but what we believe that determines what we do. 4-H leaders and parents can make their best contribution to the development of 4-H youth if they understand 4-H objectives and principles.
- The 4-H youth are more important than the project.
- Project work is one of the best devices for developing young people. To “learn by doing” is fundamental in any sound educational program and is characteristic of the 4-H program.
- 4-H is not trying to replace the home, church or school – only to supplement them. This does not mean that 4-H should avoid areas touched by school or church. 4-H music, dramatics, etc., may give additional opportunities for participation.
- 4-H’ers should be their own best exhibit. This means in manners, attitude, courtesy, as well as appropriate dress and physical appearance.
- Competition is a part of life and should be recognized in 4-H as a human trait, but competition requires careful planning and safeguards when used as an educational device.
- No 4-H award is worth sacrificing the reputation of a 4-H member or leader.
- A blue ribbon 4-H’er with a red ribbon exhibit is more desirable than a red ribbon 4-H’er with a blue ribbon exhibit.
- Many things are caught rather than taught.
- Every 4-H member needs to be noticed, to feel important, to achieve some degree of success, and to be praised.
- Our job is to teach 4-H members how to think, not what to think.

4-H Record Books

Keeping a record of your project activities is an important part of 4-H. Good records are helpful when you apply for awards, and when you just need to know when you participated in a particular activity. Your county record book provides a good place to write down your 4-H activities. View forms and record book information below: