4-H Youth Cooking Contest Tasting

Learning and Growing Together

4-H Youth Program

4-H is a youth education program. It uses a learn-by-doing approach to help youth develop the knowledge, attitudes, and skills they need to become competent, caring, contributing citizens.

4-H staff work with adult volunteers to offer 4-H activities that help youth explore, learn, and grow. Youth can be club members and meet regularly with friends or enroll as independent based upon their interests. New members are accepted into 4-H throughout the year.

For a complete list of our 4-H programs and for help to find the place that's right for you please contact kmg286 [at] cornell.edu (kmg286[at]cornell[dot]edu) or call 585-798-4265 ext. 125. 

4-H Forms

Enrolling is easy – just fill out a couple forms and submit them with each youth's enrollment fee to the 4-H Office. 

Our 4-H staff will connect you with a 4-H Club that matches your interests.

Enrollment for new families will remain $5 per youth on a year-round basis.  

Re-enrollments will be $5 per youth until December 5, 2026 - after that day, re-enrollments will be $15 per youth.

4-H Club Project Areas

Animal ScienceDairy/Beef Cattle, Sheep, Dairy/Meat Goats, Llamas, Rabbits, Poultry, Horses, Dogs, Cats
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math)Robotics, Model Rockets, Geocaching/ Geospatial Science
Family & Consumer ScienceHealthy Living, Food Science (Baking, Cooking, Canning), Textile Design (Sewing, Knitting, Crocheting, Spinning, Tie Dying), Crafts
Environmental ScienceWildlife, Outdoors, Shooting Sports/Archery, Plant & Soil Science
Youth walking a goat during Animal Crackers workshop

Opportunities for Everyone

  • 4-H youth can give public presentations
  • Grown in NY cooking demonstrations
  • Enter projects at Holiday Faire in December and the County Fair in July
  • Participate in Clothing Revue
  • Exhibit in animal shows
  • Go on trips like Cornell Career Exploration Days
  • Win awards
  • Youth ages 13+ can be Senior Council members and participate in leadership activities
4-H Core Values

The 4Hs and their meanings:

Head – Managing, Thinking
Heart – Relating, Caring
Hands – Giving, Working
Health – Being, Living

4-H Pledge

I pledge my head to clearer thinking,
my heart to greater loyalty,
my hands to larger service,
and my health to better living,
for my club, my community, my country, and my world.

4-H Ages and Stages

Cloverbuds: 5–7 years old
Junior 4-H: 8–13 years old
Senior 4-H: 14–18 years old

Age is as of January 1 of the current 4-H year (Oct. 1 - Sept. 30).