4-H Youth Programs

Bay County Building
Suite 301
515 Center Avenue
Bay City, Michigan 48708-5124

Jodi Schulz
Extension 4-H Youth Educator

Jodi Wrzesinski
4-H Program Assistant

Voice (989) 895-4026
Fax (989) 895-4217
TDD/TTY (989) 895-4049
msuextension@baycounty.net
Office Hours: Monday-Friday
8 a.m to Noon - 1 to 5 p.m.


Picture: The 4-H Clover.4-H works with young people throughout Bay County helping them become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of society.  Educational programs are provided by trained, dedicated adult volunteers interacting with young in a community setting. 4-H clubs, community service, environmental programs, community youth development, citizenship programs, leadership training, and school programs connect Bay County youth with the wider world through Michigan State University and the national and international programs it supports.

Hot Topics for 4-H Youth Programs in Bay County

MSU Extension - Bay County Event Calendar
Want to know about our upcoming events?  Click onto our MSU Extension - Bay County Portal calendar page here.

Clubs and Programs

Councils and Associations

Newsletters
The Clover Chatter newsletter is published six times annually, in odd-numbered months, for 4-H families. The Clover Quickie is also published six times annually, in even numbered months, for Bay County 4-H leaders.

January/February 2011 Clover Chatter
February 2011 Clover Quickie
March/April 2011 Clover Chatter
April 2011 Clover Quickie
May 2011 Clover Chatter
June 2011
July - August 2011
Fair Edition

September 2011
October 2011
November 2011
December 2011

Bulletins and Form Downloads
If your 4-H club is looking for frequently requested Extension bulletins and/or 4-H Bay County Youth Programs club forms or policies, they are made available for download at our Bulletins and Downloads page.  If you have trouble opening anything posted to our Bulletin and Downloads section, please contact our office.

Bay County Fair and Youth Exposition
This year's Bay County Fair and Youth Exposition was held Tuesday, August 9, through Saturday, August 13, 2011, at the Bay County Fairgrounds, 800 Livingston Street, Bay City. 

Congratulations to all Bay County 4-H youth participated in the 2011 Fair and thank you to all the superintendents, leaders, and family members who volunteered so much of their valuable time to make fair a success.  The Bay County Fair award winners for 2011 can be seen here. 

The Bay County 4-H Livestock Association would like to thank the buyers for purchasing animals at the 2011 4-H Livestock Auction.  Your continued support is greatly appreciated!

Each year the fair edition of the 4-H Clover Chatter newsletter details 4-H youth event information.  But for all other information, including derbies, entertainment scheduled, and vendor registration, visit the Bay County Fairboard Website.  If you are interested in being a vendor at fair, an application is available by clicking here.

Frequently Asked Questions

Picture: The 4-H PledgeWhat do the four "H's" stand for?
Glad you asked! "4-H" stands for
Head (because 4-H gets adults and kids thinking and learning together), Heart (because 4-H fosters caring, important relationships between youth, their peers, and adults), Hands (because the focus of 4-H is on hands-on learning), and Health (because 4-H activities promote a healthy balance of young people's obligations to school, family, and community, and help kids learn to make healthy lifestyle choices.)

Don't I have to be involved with farming to enroll my child in 4-H?
No! 4-H programs are designed to benefit both youth and adults from all walks of life, regardless of whether they come from rural, urban, or suburban backgrounds.

How old must by child be to participate in 4-H?
Children between the ages of five and eight are considered to be "Cloverbuds" and have specialized programming in 4-H.  Children between the ages of nine and 19 are standard 4-H members.  "4-H Age" is determined by the age of the child as of January 1 of the current calendar year. In other words, a child who was 11 years old on January 1 is considered to have the "4-H Age" of 11 years for the entire year.

What does it cost to be enrolled in 4-H?
A ten dollar ($10.00) participation fee is collected once each year from each 4-H youth participant.  Families with three or more children participating in 4-H pay a maximum of $30 per year.  No child is ever turned away from 4-H due to an inability to pay the participation fee. Money collected from participation fees is used exclusively to develop, purchase, implement, and update 4-H programming.

When must my child be enrolled in 4-H to show at the Fair?
Any 4-H Member who plans to show projects or animals at the Bay County Fair and Youth Exposition must be enrolled in an active 4-H Club by April 1, and attend three (3) regular club meetings before the Fair begins in early August.

How long is my enrollment good?
Any youth or volunteer involved in 4-H programs must re-enroll on an annual basis.  The 4-H program year runs from October through September.  Re-enrollment for the new program year must generally be completed by December 1.

Can I start my own 4-H club?
Absolutely! You must have at least five youth from at least two different families, and conduct at least six meetings per program year.  Also, each club must have at least one adult who accepts responsibility as the organizational leader.

What do I have to do to become a 4-H leader/volunteer?
All adults who work with 4-H youth must complete the Volunteer Selection Process, including a criminal history check.  Contact MSU Extension - Bay County for more information on completing this requirement.

How does my child get to sell an animal at the 4-H Livestock Auction?
Any 4-H member who intends to sell an animal at the Livestock Auction must be a member of the Bay County 4-H Livestock Association and attend at least three regular association meets during the program year.  Steer to be sold in the auction must be in the youth's possession by February 1. Swine, lambs, and goats must be in the youth's possession by May 1. Water fowl, poultry, and rabbits must be in the youth's possession by June 15.

Web Links
Note that each of these links opens in a new browser window.

 

Search:
Change Font Size By Clicking Here
Normal Text Larger Text Largest Text