MSU Extension Hillsdale County

How to Join 4-H

• Join 4-H
• Join 4-H as a Volunteer

Shop 4-H Online and Support Michigan 4-H!

Hillsdale County 4-H Clubs 

We are excited to see that you are exploring 4-H!  Our clubs offer youth an opportunity to belong and thrive in a complex and changing world.  4-H programs are open to youth ages 5- 19 and cover a wide variety of interests.  Cloverbuds are our 5 to 7-year-old members and focus more on exploration of various projects while other youth can participate and complete a whole selection of projects offered. 

The 4-H journey begins by becoming a member of a local 4-H club here in Hillsdale County.  Please feel free to reach out to any of our club leaders or our 4-H Staff.  We want to help you navigate this journey.  We can help guide you through the process of getting connected.  4-H is a great place to belong.  

Steps for joining:

1) Look through the Hillsdale County 4-H Club Directory and find a club or two that fit your needs (think about project interests and location).

2) Contact the club leader(s) to inquire about how to join and to get club-specific information such as meeting schedule and location, member expectations and club fees.

3) Once you have spoken to the club leader(s) and identified a club to join, enroll in 4HOnline (see step-by-step guide below).

 Need assistance with this process? Feel free to contact us  at (517) 439-9301 or msue.hillsdale@county.msu.edu. 

Enrolling in 4-H

• 4-H Online
• 4-H Online Help Resources

Become a Hillsdale County 4-H Volunteer

Yes, you can make a difference.  You can decide the level of involvement that fits your skills and schedule. 

4-H Club Leader

Administrative club volunteers help 4-H club members grow and reach their fullest potential by supporting them to conduct meaningful, educational experiences.  They provide overall leadership to the club, overseeing the structure and operation and serving as the club’s contact with Extension staff and other 4-H volunteers.  The community club leaders are key to the success of each 4-H club.   

Project Leader

Project volunteers share their skills, talents, or special interests.  These leaders provide on-going leadership to a project within a club or group and promote positive youth development activities.  It is possible for a club to have more than one project leader for a project. These volunteer leaders provide support to members enrolled in specific projects.

Cloverbud Volunteer

The youngest 4-H’ers aren’t quite ready to participate in many of the project areas and/or activities that older children can, but there’s still plenty for them to do in 4-H.  Cloverbud volunteers provide opportunities for youth ages 5- 7 years old with an emphasis on participation, learning and teamwork, not competition.

Activity Volunteer

The activity volunteer provides leadership or assist with an activity or variety of activities in the 4-H Program. They may work independently or with a club, council, group, or committee to carry out an activity.   These volunteers add depth and breadth to the club program.  For example, Hillsdale County has numerous volunteers who serve as Shooting Sports Instructors. 

Resource Volunteer

This leader serves as a resource for the 4-H program. They may provide leadership for a single learning experience, short term program or be utilized as needed for their expertise.  They may assist with more than one club or on the county level.    

County 4-H Volunteer

There are many ways to support the 4-H program at the county level. Volunteers are needed to give guidance to policy and priority setting and to conduct county and regional programs and activities.   The Hilldale County 4-H Council and numerous other committees support 4-H clubs and groups as volunteers. 

SPIN Club Volunteer

A 4-H SPIN club volunteer leads a special interest club where five or more young people from at least two different families get together to learn about a topic of interest. The topics covered can be anything of interest to the youth: nature, heritage arts, science, engineering, gardening, technology, and more!   SPIN clubs are led volunteers who have a passion and want to share their knowledge with young people.   Each club meets a minimum of six times but not more than eight times within an eight-week period.

Join 4-H as a Volunteer

If you are interested in serving as a volunteer, please reach out to the MSU Extension 4-H program coordinator for Hillsdale County at (517) 439-9301. They will follow up with you about volunteering and the application process found on MSU Extension Volunteer Central.