Join 4-H
Become a 4-H Member
- If your child is new to 4-H, take a minute to see the different topic areas we cover on our 4-H state website and our county 4-H club map. If you are a new 4-H member joining a year-long club, we recommend starting with just one project your first year.
- Fill out this 4-H Interest Form to inform us what clubs, projects or discovery programs your child is interested in.
- Our office will contact our club leaders (who are caring adult volunteers) to help place you in a 4-H club. Please know that many of our club enrollments fill up fast. If the club you want to join is already filled or you don’t see the projects you’re looking for, please contact us about starting a new 4-H club.
- After receiving a confirmation of 4-H club placement from the UI Extension office or 4-H club leader, enroll for your selected club and project through ZSuite. Please review the Self-Service Enrollment Guide (PDF).
- Pay youth enrollment fees online on Idaho Marketplace. Payment is only accepted after youth participants are registered on ZSuite. Cost is $30 for horse projects, $25 for all other projects.
- Your youth is now an active 4-H member. Welcome.
Start a 4-H Club
To charter your own 4-H club, you will need:
- Five or more youth members from at least three families.
- Youth club members to elect youth officers (president, vice president, treasurer, secretary)
- Six or more meetings a year
- One or more adults certified as 4-H volunteers to supervise the 4-H club activities
- At least one club service learning activity to participate in each year
- Topic areas that your club can complete 4-H projects in
Contact our office to get started chartering your own 4-H club.
We help connect you with a 4-H club that fits your interests. Take a look at our club map to see what clubs might interest you and give our office a call. Please know most of our clubs tend to be filled by January.
Schools, libraries, community centers, churches and even homes of 4-H volunteers all throughout Ada County.
4-H is powered by caring adult volunteers. Most of our clubs and programs are led by parents who want to give their kids positive developmental experiences. All of our 4-H volunteers are screened and trained. Some programs are also delivered by our office staff, such as day camps and in-school enrichment programs.
4-H opens for enrollment Oct. 1 of each year. By April, most of our clubs are closed for any additional members, but spring and summer 4-H day camps, discovery programs and other camps and events are open for registration.
Starting Oct. 1, 2019 membership in 4-H in Ada County for each youth is $25 per year. Members doing horse projects pay $30 per youth instead.
For multiple members in the same family, the price is capped at the cost for three children. That means fees for all of the youth in a family total only $75 unless members are doing horse projects, in which case the total is $90.
No, 4-H members must make their own arrangements to keep and care for animals on their own. Individual 4-H volunteer leaders may have recommended breeders or places to look for animals for 4-H projects.
Become a Certified 4-H Volunteer
- Complete a volunteer application and submit it to the Ada County University of Idaho Extension office. Please include four non-family references; they will receive an email with a short form to fill out.
- Follow the email from our office to submit an online background check through Verified Volunteers.
- Schedule and attend a phone interview with our office.
- Create a ZSuite account.
- Watch the Protecting Minors video.
- Attend a new leader orientation.
- Pay 4-H volunteer dues of $12 by mail or in person at UI Extension, Ada County; 5880 Glenwood St.; Boise, ID 83714.
You are now a certified 4-H Volunteer.
The Perks
- Being first to hear about events, updates and changes for 4-H in Ada County.
- Professional continued volunteer education
- One Western Idaho Fair Pass and One Western Idaho Fair Livestock Parking Pass
- Helping more youth make their best better!
The Requirements
To maintain your leadership status for each new 4-H year you must:
- Attend at least two 4-H leaders meetings held at the UI Extension office in Ada County. Meetings are held the first Thursday of every month (except December, July and August) at 7 p.m.
- Attend at least two volunteer trainings offered throughout the year. Trainings are offered periodically before 4-H leaders meetings at 6 p.m.
- Pay volunteer dues each year