4H is a Community of Youth and Adults across America learning Citizenship, Leadership and Life Skills
 

Membership: Open to youth 5-18

Leaders: Adult volunteers. Requires finger-printing and orientation by county staff. Chaperones are required to be 25 or older.

Parent Expectations:

• You may be asked to stay at project meetings occasionally (all meetings now need to have 2 adults present at all times).

• Be sure to pick up your children at the stated time.

• All leaders started at some point helping with a project their children wanted to learn. Parents are NOT required to be project leaders, but we can only offer projects that we have volunteers certified to lead.

• Help your child stay informed of coming events and deadlines. Be sure to read the Club Newsletter and ask to see the flyers from the family files at every meeting.

Citizenship: A portion of each Community Club meeting should have a community service or service learning component. Individual projects are working to incorporate service learning.

Leadership: Teens are encouraged to take on a leadership role in their chosen project. Younger teens can lead a portion of a meeting, older ones can work with the project leader to plan the entire year’s project. Interested youth should work with their project leaders.

Life Skills: Presentations and Record Keeping are a big part of 4H and are required to advance. Star rankings are used to keep track of youth’s progress.

 
Redwood 4H

Redwood Community Club Meetings

Monthly, September through June, Second Thursday of the month. December at Canyon Middle School, June at an alternate picnic site, remainder at Proctor School

• Officers plan a program, an activity and a community service for each meeting.

• Chance to share information on projects and coming events

• Family File with flyers and updates for each Redwood family

• Parents are not required to attend, but  is valuable for staying informed

Projects traditionally available:

• Market Animals: Swine, Beef, Sheep

• Small Animals: Rabbit, Poultry, Cats, Dog Care

• Horse (May not need a horse to participate, check with leader)

• Non-Animal: Photo, Gingerbread Houses, Gardening, Table Setting, Drama, Rockets and Primary 4H

Club Events

• Club Registration: September and October Community Club Meetings

• 4H Week Outreach, Early October

• December Holiday Auction/Potluck

• Earth Day Booth at Castro Valley Earth Day Festival

• June Picnic. Annual Record Books Due for County Fair Entry

          County Events

• Achievement Night: Late September or early October. Record Book Awards, Project Awards and Stars presented in formal dress occasion

• Skate Night: Last Monday in October. Partially subsidized by County, Recreational only

• Presentation Day: Usually mid-February. Members encouraged to present a skill they have learned in their project

• Skit Night: Often March. County Clubs invited to come present a skit about or related to 4H. Very Fun Night, usually at Canyon Middle School

• Small Animal Events, numerous County Field or Fun Days in Spring

• Poultry Fun Day

• Cat Field Day: Cats are judged

• Small Animal Field Day: Very big county-wide field day. Lots of opportunities (presentations, displays, rabbit medalist program, animal dress up and photo contest, etc)

• Dog Fun Day: Fun as well as serious activities

• Alameda County Fair: All members are encouraged to enter something they made, grew or learned in their project(s). Entry Date usually closes in mid-May. ACF usually last of June into early July (2 weeks plus a weekend)

• Alameda County 4H Camp, Las Posadas: All of Alameda County youth 9-13 are invited to attend. Usually late July or early August. Five days at Sectional 4H camp in Napa County. Transportation, food and sleeping accommodations provided. Cost for 2007 was $210.
   

Teen Opportunities

• Citizenship: County-wide project open to teens in 7th grade through High School. Meets on the 3rd Tuesday at the Farm Bureau in Livermore. Opportunity for Sectional, State and National Conferences

• Camp Academy: Open to all 4H teens in the county in 8th grade through high school. Year-long project preparing for staffing the summer camp in the summer. Learn leadership skills and team work. Project meets monthly at the Farm Bureau in Livermore. Leaders’ Council subsidizes half of the cost of teen staff to attend the summer 4H Camp.

• Teen Leader Positions: Check with Project Leaders

• State Leadership Conference: Early August, open to teens in 8th grade through high school. 3-4 day conference on a state college campus, next year UC Davis. Half of tuition cost is subsidized by Alameda County Leaders’ Council.

• Sectional and State Committee membership opportunities

• State Ambassador and State Computer Corp