4-H Youth Membership/Age Requirements

  •  Any youth who is 5 years old on Oct. 1 may join a 4-H Cloverbud group.
  • Cloverbuds is a non-competitive educational program for youth ages 5 to 8 years of age and is the ONLY project they can enroll in.
  • Youth age 8 on Oct. 1 may join a regular 4-H club as a full member who can enroll in several different projects. Given the differing maturity and ability of youth this age, a family may choose to have their child continue in a Cloverbud group even though s/he will turn 8 during the coming year. If a youth turns 19 years of age prior to the beginning of the program year (Oct. 1), s/he is not eligible to re-enroll in 4-H unless still in high school.
  • Individuals older than 18 years of age who have special needs are eligible to participate in 4-H provided they are still enrolled in high school.
  • 4-H membership is open to all eligible youth. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Montana State University and Montana State University Extension prohibit discrimination in all of their programs and activities on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, and marital and family status.
  • In recognition of the educational and developmental needs of youth, a general guideline is listed below to help determine which level of projects a youth might be enrolled in based on age.

Classifications                Age Range
Cloverbuds                       5 to 7 years old
Junior                                8 to 13 years old
Senior                              14 to 19 years old

Youth who are 19 must be enrolled in high school to participate in 4-H.

 

All enrollment forms can picked up from the Extension office.  We can also assist you through enrollment online in ZSuite.

Please use the Clover when selecting projects to enroll in for the year.  The Clover is jam-packed with important and useful information about the 4-H program, along with complete project descriptions and requirements. Remember that project levels and years in a project are not the same thing.  Many projects are designed to take up to three years to complete each level, and therefore one might be in their 3rd year in the project, but only in level 1.

As you are enrolling in 4-H projects, please keep in mind that there are age restrictions (as of October 1st of the current project year) in the following projects in Blaine County:

  • Cloverbuds: 5-8 years old 
  • Market Beef: 12 years old or older as of October 1st
  • Horse:
    • Colt-to-Maturity and Green Horse- must be at least 11 years old and completed horsemanship level requirements to enroll.
  • Shooting Sports: must be 9 years old.  The only exceptions are the BB Gun Safety course (which is open to youth 8 years old) and the Western Heritage Project (which requires members to be at least 10 years old).
    • Western Heritage Project: 10-11 year olds may only shoot .22 rifle only; members 12-13 may shoot .22 rifle, .22 pistol, and shotgun; members 14 and older may shoot pistol, rifle, shotgun, and any allowable caliber.
  • Leadership: Must be at least 13 years old.  Blaine County Teen Leaders must enroll in the Leadership project; however, youth may take the Leadership project and not particapate as a Teen Leader.

4-H Member Enrollment Forms:

Enrollment is available through ZSuite. Paper forms must be requested at the Extension office.  

4-H Volunteers:

Adults age 19 and older who complete the volunteer background screening and volunteer application process.  Volunteers guide youth members in project skills, service, and leadership projects. 

All enrollment forms can picked up from the Extension office.  

If you are a new adult volunteer and would like to enroll in the Blaine County 4-H Program, please contact the Extension office and we can assist you with the enrollment process.