Club Leader Information

Follow this link to informational materials for volunteers.

4-H Volunteer Resources and Development page

AI (artificial intelligence) is showing up everywhere, from search engines to photo apps to tools that can help write or summarize. As volunteers, you’re in a great position to help members use these tools in ways that build skills (not shortcuts) and match 4-H values.

In 4-H, our goal is learning by doing. AI can help members get unstuck and build confidence—but it shouldn’t do the thinking for them. Setting clear expectations in your club about when AI is okay (and when it isn’t) can prevent confusion later.

When AI is used the right way, it can help with things like brainstorming project ideas, making an outline for a talk, practicing interview questions, or turning a big topic into simpler steps. It can also support accessibility (like speech-to-text) and organization.

AI isn’t perfect. It can be wrong, biased, or pull ideas from other people’s work. It can also tempt us to share information that should stay private. That’s why we want youth to pause and ask: “Is this helping me learn—and is it respectful and safe?”

• Model transparency: encourage members to say when they used AI (ideas, drafting, editing, etc.).
• Keep personal info private (no full names, addresses, schools, photos of others, etc.).
• Double-check facts with trusted sources, especially for health, science, and safety.
• Make sure the work is still your learning, you should understand it and be able to explain it.
• If something feels unsafe, unkind, or “too good to be true,” stop and check in with a volunteer or parent.
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To help with those “gray areas,” Purdue Extension 4-H created a quick resource called AI or Me?: It’s a simple tool you can use with your club to talk through common AI dilemmas and decide what responsible use looks like.

Consider sharing it during a meeting, using it as a quick discussion prompt, and reminding members to think it through before big projects, presentations, or contest entries.

If your 4-H’ers are interested in learning more about AI and would like to try CLOVER by 4-H, this site has over 300 Beyond Ready lessons covering many different topics, not just AI.

The Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) has developed a dedicated For 4-H Leaders page, featuring informatics, educational videos, interactive tools, and practical learning materials that can be incorporated into club meetings, project work, and leadership development activities. The BCRC also hosts a valuable collection of resource to support the next generation of beef cattle producers.

The Purdue Collegiate 4‑H chapter is excited to continue offering officer trainings this spring. Sessions can be tailored for club, county, or area needs and cover officer roles, parliamentary procedure, making motions, agenda planning, and any additional topics you request. Their preferred format is virtual via Zoom to accommodate student schedules. Limited in‑person trainings are available for counties surrounding Tippecanoe (Tippecanoe, White, Carroll, Clinton, Montgomery, Fountain, Warren, and Benton). In‑person sessions include a $50 flat fee + $0.60/mile past 50 miles. Interested or have questions? Please email our Service Directors: Paige Jacobs at jacob256@purdue.edu and Josh Roderick at jroderi@purdue.edu.