4-H

Maries County 4-H clubs

Stockmasters 4-H Club meets the first Friday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Vienna Youth Building. Club leaders: Carrie Kleffner and Renee Groene

Hawkeye 4-H Club meets the second Sunday of the month at 6 p.m. at the Belle City Park. Club leaders: Cheryl Garner and Lisa Nelson

Highgate 4-H Club meets the fourth Sunday of the month at 4 p.m. at 4-H Building at Belle City Park. Club leader: Tasha Busch

Rising Stars 4-H Club meets the fourth Tuesday of the month at 7 p.m. at 4-H Building at Vienna City Park. Club leader: Sue Gillispie and Brenda Johnson

Lanes Prairie meets the third Thursday of each month in Bland Missouri. Club Leader: Shawntel Freiberger

Maries County 4-H Council meets the first Monday of every other month.

If you have questions about joining 4-H in Maries County, please contact 4-H Youth Field Specialist Bethany Prenger.

Embryology curriculum

For embryology programs in schools, access the embryology curriculum here.

4-H exhibit: a completed project, trained animal, or presentation prepared for evaluation or display at a county fair, contest, or competition.

Find more information about fairs in Maries County:

4-H at the Missouri State Fair. August 10-20, 2023

The Missouri State Fair serves as an agricultural classroom offering Missouri producers and agricultural leaders opportunities to exhibit current practices and new technology and to provide a showcase of high-quality livestock, agricultural products, and industrial displays. The Fair also offers a wide variety of entertainment and fosters pride in the State’s agricultural heritage.

The Missouri State Fair provides a safe environment where knowledgeable producers, teachers, and agricultural leaders can offer encouragement and recognition to Missouri’s youth as they participate in competitions and educational programs.

The Missouri State Fair provides a setting for Missouri’s producers, agricultural leaders, and farm families to engage consumers in order to increase their awareness of our state’s strong agricultural heritage. The Fair fosters a better understanding of the important role of Missouri farm families and the agricultural community in assuring a healthy and prosperous future for all Missouri citizens.

Visit the 4-H State Fair page

4-H news and information

Families enrolled in 4-H Online will receive email newsletters about upcoming county events. We also use Facebook, GroupMe or Team Reach, and our website to help keep people informed. Each 4-H member and family are responsible for keeping current on 4-H activities, events, and deadlines. To get on the 4-H Youth News Blast email list, please contact your 4-H youth specialist or the MU Extension Office staff.

About 4-H

4-H brings young people, ages 5 to 18, and adults together to learn everyday skills through hands-on learning. Working on activities from animal and plant sciences to robotics, 4-H’ers learn problem-solving skills that can make a positive impact upon our community. Through 4-H, young people learn to meet the diverse challenges of today’s world, build self-confidence, learn responsibility and make positive decisions.

4-H mission statement

Engaging youth as valued, contributing members of their communities in partnership with caring adults.

4-H is the largest youth-serving organization in the world. Based on your age, you join as a 4-H Member or Clover Kid!

4-H Members (ages 8-18) - Youth choose projects to work on in groups or individually, participate in service projects and social outings, and grow leadership & communication skills. Youth can participate competitively in competitions and fairs! Youth can also join the 4-H Council, become a club/council officer, and go to State events!
Clover Kids (ages 5-7) - engage in fun learning activities to build skills, explore interests, and build confidence, to prepare them for being a full 4-H Member. Clover Kids learn from their older 4-H peers!

In Missouri 4-H we believe in...

Clearer Thinking by promoting character, maintaining excellence, upholding the mission, and honoring programmatic traditions of 4-H.
Greater Loyalty by embracing diversity and inclusion while encouraging and supporting innovation and youth leadership.
Larger Service by encouraging meaningful, positive youth-adult partnerships, community service, and engagement.
Better Living by supporting youth to become healthy, respectful, and productive members of society.

What can youth do in 4-H?

4-H's mission is to help youth learn skills they can use for the rest of their lives - what we often refer to as life skills. We believe young people learn best by hands-on-learning or learning by doing. In 4-H, your youth will have many opportunities to be actively involved in learning. 4-H Clubs help young people:

make new friends
explore topics of interest (or SPARKS)
develop leadership skills
share what they learn with others
make connections to mentors, leaders, and potential employers

4-H uses positive youth development strategies

In 4-H, youth build skills and values, and use their skills, talents, and time in ways that make them feel confident and competent. 4-H Enrollment begins Oct. 1 for the 4-H Program Year! Enroll in 4-H Online today.

4-H clubs are open to ages 8 to 18. Clubs meet monthly for group activities and club business. Each club elects officers and has an approved adult leader who supervises club activities. Club members also enroll in projects in their areas of interest.

With projects on more than 75 topics, 4-H has something to interest every child. Here are just a few of the opportunities 4-H offers: geocaching, robotics, international exchanges, horsemanship, pets, starting a business, arts and crafts, raising animals, woodworking, photography and gardening.

Clover Kids introduces 5- to 7-year-olds to the 4-H experience. In Clover Kids, children learn how to get along with others, work in groups and explore their interests, while building self-confidence. Clover Kids do not enroll in projects or raise animals and do not participate in competitive events, contests or shows.

Joining 4-H is as easy as contacting your local extension office. A staff member will explain the enrollment process and membership dues. In addition to dues, some projects may require a small investment to get started, and there may be a fee for materials, trips or other activities.

Young people are welcome to join at any time. The 4-H program year runs from Oct. 1 to Sept. 30. Certain activities may have participation deadlines.

Adult volunteers are essential to 4-H. Adult volunteers serve as club or project leaders, help with county or regional events, chair committees and organize fundraisers. You don't have to be a parent or grandparent of the 4-H member to get involved. All volunteers are screened for child abuse and neglect, as well criminal records, before they are accepted and each year thereafter. As a volunteer, University of Missouri Extension will provide you with training so you will be well-prepared and successful as an adult leader. The orientation includes information on 4-H history and the educational framework, the characteristics of age groups, character development and safety.

LEARN ABOUT VOLUNTEERING

Club Leader Guide (LG910)

Project Leader Guide (LG913)

Learn more about statewide 4-H events, projects and resources.

Missouri 4-H projects and opportunities

Volunteer 4-H Awards

The Missouri 4-H Foundation recognizes the work of Missouri 4-H friends and volunteers through annual recognition and awards programs. In addition, the county recognizes one outstanding volunteer who continues to model the 4-H Pledge in action and excel in utilizing Positive Youth Development strategies in their work with youth.

4-H Project Record

Young people self-select projects and goals at the beginning of the project year and then reflect on the experience at the close of the year. The purpose is to help members learn to set goals, reflect on their experience and apply this experience to other parts of their life. These are scored & also receive awards based on quality of effort.

4-H Project Record

State Excellence Awards

Missouri 4-H recognition form levels 1, 2 and 3 are used as both progress toward personal goals and peer competition. Forms can be found on the Missouri 4-H website (type in Y2000, Y2100, or Y2200 in the search box above). The forms should be completed in full and returned to your 4-H staff in September.

Each county is required to have a 4-H Expansion and Review Committee, as an expectation of the USDA. This committee’s function is to monitor and review the status of Civil Rights’ compliance with regard to the 4-H program and identify opportunities to expand the program to reach underserved audiences - such as youth of color, youth with disabilities, and youth in military families. This committee prepares recommendations, usually in the form of a SWOT analysis, which are to be acted on by the 4-H Council and MU Extension Council, as appropriate and reasonable.

Purpose of the E&R Committee

Review & identify communities where the 4-H program is not being extended.
Identify audiences not being reached by 4-H (gender, racial, geographically isolated, grade groups, abilities, etc.)
Determine needs of communities and audiences not being reached and make recommendations in how to reach them.
Help analyze and ensure balance in 4-H expansion, including attention to certain factors such as age, gender, rural/urban residence, disability status, minorities, and varied youth needs and interests.

Participation can take place via in-person meetings or online survey. For more information and meeting details, please contact the 4-H Youth Specialist or the MU Extension Office in Maries County.