Grant County 4-H
Welcome to the Grant County 4-H Information page!
This page contains links to the web pages containing 4-H club, project, leader / volunteer, and fair information. Let us know if we need to add or update any information by sending an email to goffk@purdue.edu.
Contact Us
4-H Enrollment Opens October 1
The 2023-2024 4-H Program Year starts on October 1! Traditional 4-H members, Mini 4-H members, and Adult Volunteers must enroll each year to participate in the program.
Register Today for 4-H4-H Plant Sale
Help support Grant County and 4-H buy purchasing plants today! Clink the link below for details.
Plant Sale Flyer4-H Enrollment Questions
Enrollment in Indiana 4-H is open to youth grades K-12 and will run Oct. 1, 2023– Jan. 15, 2024.
Mini 4-H is available to youth grades K-2 is FREE!
Regular 4-H is available to youth grades 3-12 and has a $20 enrollment fee per member.
Members have the opportunity to learn more about a subject matter that they choose to study through completing hands on activities. We refer to these as projects. In order to enroll in a project, members must sign up for them at the time of enrolling in 4-H. Each project has a manual that guides the youth through the learning process as well as a set of guidelines that helps them meet the project requirements. We provide adult volunteers and staff who are knowledgeable on that particular subject who will often times provide workshops to allow the youth to learn about that topic in a social environment. Each project has a beginner, intermediate, and advanced level-this allows youth to build on their knowledge each year and continue to challenge their skills. Projects are meant to be worked on over time, providing an educational opportunity for youth outside of the classroom setting. Often times, youth will exhibit and display their project at a local county fair in order to show the community what they have learned.
The Grant County 4-H program offers more than 60 projects for area youth. Check out our 4-H Handbook to learn about all the opportunities to dive into topics you enjoy.
It is $20 per youth to enroll in 4-H for the year (this is for grades 3-12 only). These fees not only cover all the manuals and educational materials needed for your projects, but it also supports the local program and enables the county program to fund further educational activities. Contact our office for details on the family discount.
- Online Enrollment opens October 1st - https://v2.4honline.com
No access to an email? We have paper forms avaiable.
Your 4-H club in Grant County serves as your home base and there are lots of clubs to pick from. Your club leader will pass out your manuals and other relevant paperwork to you throughout the year, and they're a great resource to ask any questions you may have throughout the year. There is a club in every township, so you're sure to find one close by. However, you can attend any club meeting that you'd like, so you can choose a club outside of your township, if their meeting schedule is more convenient for you.
Purdue Extension-Grant County is located at 401 S Adams Street, Suite 422, Marion, IN 46953. We are open Monday- Friday from 8:00am to 4:00pm. We are closed during County Government Holidays and voicemail is available during non-business hours. Visit the Extension Office web site at www.extension.purdue.edu/grant for the most up-to-date information about Grant County 4-H. Our phone number is 765.651.2413
4-H PLEDGE:
I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking
My HEART to greater loyalty
My HANDS to larger service
My HEALTH to better living for my Club, my Community, my Country, and my World.
4-H MOTTO: "To Make the Best Better"
4-H COLORS: Green and White
4-H SLOGAN: "Learn by Doing"
THE 4 H's:
- HEAD: Learning to think, making decisions, understanding the "whys", and gaining new and valuable
- HEART: Being concerned with the welfare of others, accepting the responsibilities of citizenship, determining the values and attitudes by which to live, and learning how to work with others.
- HANDS: Learning new skills, perfecting skills already known, and developing pride in work and respect for
- HEALTH: Practicing healthful living, protecting the well-being of self and others, and making constructive use of leisure time.
4-H Volunteer Information
We have a variety of involvement opportunities available. We rely heavily on adults who care about the development of youth in order to deliver positive youth development experiences to our youth. All volunteers must pass a background check and participate in training provided by the County 4-H Educator.
TYPES OF VOLUNTEERS
4-h club LEADER
Provide support and leadership to a "club" of 4-H members. Share information with members and help individuals achieve their desired results. Recruit parents and other volunteers to assist with programs and projects and serve as the linkage between the County Extension office and your club. Time commitment varies, but most clubs meet on a monthly basis throughout the year and conduct community service activities.
PROJECT superintendent
This is a very defined role to assist members with knowledge and subject matter information related to a single project. Most project leaders have some previous experience in a specific area, but if you are willing to learn and be a teacher, plenty of educational opportunities exist. Time commitment varies, depending on the project.
SPECIAL INTEREST LEADER
This is a short term position that brings together the interests of the volunteer with the interest of the youth. Special interests are usually short term with a definite beginning and ending. If you have a special skill, talent or hobby you would like to share, chances are there are young people who would like to learn from you.
"I love helping the kids get the full benefits from the 4-H program. 4-H has influenced my life in so many ways including watching the children grow in their understanding of their role in the community and their role as an individual and friend. It also helps remind myself of the responsibility I carry as an individual even as an adult."
- Indiana 4-H Volunteer
Step 1. Contact our Office for an Application, once you've been approved, you can click here for instructions on how to enroll as a NEW volunteer
If you are a returning volunteer... you can click here.
Resources for Current 4-H Members
The 2024 Grant County 4-H Fair is June 16-22.
Some projects are available on a county level only. Others are regulated by the Indiana 4-H State office and are eligible to move onto participating at the Indiana State Fair if they are selected to be promoted during county fair judging! Below is links to the project information available through the State Office. Please be sure you are also reading the Grant County 4-H Handbook before bringing your projects to the Grant County Fair!
Some projects are available on a county level only. Here is the County Project Information
Posters are displayed horizontally; 22"x28" and mounted on a firm backing and covered in clear plastic or other transparent material for members in grade 3-12. (Please note mini 4-H has different requirements) Be sure to include your exhibit identification label with your name, grade, club, and project on a 2”x4” label (may be computer generated on your own). Please check your project guidelines for more specific instructions because some projects require more information on the identification label. The 22”x28” foam core poster board is available in the Extension Office on a first come, first served basis at minimal charge.
**All posters, notebooks, and display boards must include a reference list indicating where information was obtained, giving credit to the original author, to complete the 4-H member’s exhibit. This reference list should/might include web site links, people and professionals interviewed, books, magazines, etc. It is recommended this reference list be attached to the back of a poster or display board, be the last page of a notebook, or included as part of the display visible to the public. A judge is not to discredit an exhibit for the manner in which references are listed.
A Good Poster: Attracts attention, is simple and clear, and interests someone in your project.
When forming ideas for a poster: Know the project requirements, read the manual (look for ideas), brainstorm ideas and make a list, think of a title with alliterations (repeating a sound in each word), look at other posters for ideas (but don’t copy!).
Tips to Remember:
- Don’t use too many words.
- Use a combination of illustrations and words.
- Be as neat as you can.
- Cut evenly, apply adhesive carefully.
- Leave white space on the poster.
- Make sure the poster is balanced.
- You can obtain clear plastic poster sleeves at the Extension Office for a nominal cost or by the yard in the fabric stores or you can use window shrink plastic available in many hardware stores.
- For hard backing you may use foam core board that is also available at the Extension Office or thick cardboard, or lightweight wood (check the size – should measure 22” x 28”).
- Choose colors carefully. Note the following general guidelines:
- Black tends to be more formal, neat, rich, and strong.
- Blue is cool, melancholy, or depressed.
- Purple is considered royal, imperial.
- Red stands for love as well as anger.
- Orange is festive.
- Yellow tends to be warm, light, or ripe.
- Green is fresh, young, or growing.
- White means pure, clean, and neat.
Things you should never do:
- Make a vertical poster.
- Use plastic food wrap to cover.
- Use staples, tacks, or tape.
- Use fluorescent posters.
- Create a poster that is all words or all pictures.
Steps to follow when making a poster:
- Read your project manual.
- Read your county project requirements.
- Decide on information to include on the poster.
- Sketch out your idea.
- Collect supplies.
- Mark guidelines for lettering and pictures (lightly).
- Layout letters, pictures, etc. on the poster.
- Glue items down.
- Clean up the poster so it is neat. Erase any guidelines that are showing. Remove excess glue.
- Label size should be 2x4".
- Glue poster to backing.
- Cover poster with plastic.
- Take your poster to the fair on the right day and time.
You can view an informational video below!
You will enroll them at v2.4honline.com. See more information below in the animal enrollment section.
The Indiana 4-H Youth Development Program annually awards more than $125,000.00 in scholarships to 4-H members to pursue post-secondary education. Scholarships are awarded to recognize youth participating in Indiana’s 4-H Youth Development Program on their achievements and life skill development resulting from their participation in a variety of 4-H experiences. You can view the information and applications for these scholarships by clicking here.
We also have Grant County 4-H Scholarships available- more information will be posted soon for the 2022 applications.
To exhibit beef cattle, dairy cattle, swine, sheep, meat goats, dairy goats, poultry and rabbits, 4-H members must be certified through the Youth for the Quality Care of Animals. This is an annual program that can be completed via online modules or in-person trainings. More information about YQCA is available at https://yqcaprogram.org. While this is a new requirement, it should not be viewed as just another rule but rather as an important educational opportunity for 4-H livestock members. Making this an exhibition rule is how we are ensuring that 4-H members learn about quality assurance, but it really has nothing to do with animal exhibition. This is required so youth learn best management practices with their animals. The goals of having 4-H members complete the YQCA program include ensuring that:
- Youth will be more prepared to be ambassadors for animal agriculture in their role as youth livestock exhibitors.
- Animals from youth livestock programs are treated with the utmost care.
- 4-H members are contributing to a safe, wholesome food supply.
This will provide quality assurance education on all species not just swine, as we have used the Pork Quality Assurance Program in the past. The PQA program will be phasing out effective 12/31/2017 and the new YQCA will replace the current PQA program. Several of the national shows are already utilizing this program. If your PQA certification is still valid in 2021, you will be grandfathered in and will not need to take the YQCA course this year. The PQA certification will cover all species you are showing for this year. If you need to know if you are still certified under PQA, please contact our office by calling 317-462-1113.
Each 4-H member must register for instructor-led trainings prior to arriving at the session. To register you need to go to https://yqca.learngrow.io/. You will use your 4-H Online account information to login using the 4-H Online portion on the left side of the screen. Once you have logged into the system you will have to register each youth member that needs this certification. Step-by-step instructions can be found attached below.
Each 4-H member will then come to a screen that shows different courses based on their age level. Select the course appropriate for their age. You will select the age you turned in the previous calendar year. Once you have selected the course you will see a different screen that shows two option: web-based ($12) or instructor –led ($3). If you want to register to take the training in person through Purdue Extension-Grant County, you must select the $3.00 option and pay via credit card. The only way to pay for this training is by credit card online. We cannot accept cash or check for this. Financial assistance from our office can be provided upon request.
Each 4-H member will also have the option of taking the web-based option for $12.00. If you decide to go this route, you do not have to attend a training session in person. You will take the course online at home, on your own time. However, the difference between the web-based program and instructor led program is with the web-based program you will have to take a test at the end. If you do not pass the test you will be locked out of the system for 1 hour and then have to retake the test until you pass it.
Those that attend the instructor– led training do not have to take a test, just coming and participating in the training will certify you that evening. You must register for the instructor – led training prior to coming the class. A step-by-step guide on how to register can be found below.
ONLINE TEST OUT OPTION
The newest change comes in the form of the online test out option for youth in the intermediate, senior, and young adult categories. This will be an accepted form of certification for Indiana 4-H members. Those individuals wishing to test out must meet the following criteria:
- This is only available to youth in the first year of intermediate (age 12), senior (age 15) and young adult (age 19). There is no test-out option for juniors. At the bottom of the “Course List” page are the test-out options for these age levels.
- The test consists of 50 questions and requires a pass rate of 80% or better for certification.
- If passed, the certification will last through the end of a user’s age level (intermediate – ages 12, 13 and 14; senior – ages 15, 16, 17 and 18; and young adult – ages 19, 20 and 21.)
- The intermediate and young adult test-out course will cost $36 ($12 x 3 years of certification) and the senior test-out course will cost $48 ($12 x 4 years of certification.) If passed, users will receive access to online modules that correspond with the age levels indicated above, found on the user’s “My Library” page.
- Users will have one chance to take the test-out option. If they fail, they will not be provided another opportunity for that level of certification. If the youth passes, payment for the completed test out course will be required after the completion of the test. No payment is required to attempt the test.
- Participants attempting and not passing will be prompted to take the instructor-led training or web-based training annually.
- It is the user’s responsibility to ask if their state recognizes YQCA certification via the test-out option.
If you have trouble with your YQCA profile, you can contact help@yqcaprogram.org.
More information about this program can be found here:
https://extension.purdue.edu/4-H/volunteer/resources-and-development/animal-ethics.html
Check out this quick video made by Harrison County on how to sign-up for a workshop: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8MKDooXt4k&feature=youtu.be
Save the date
Thursday, February 18th (6:30-8:00 pm)
Monday, March 1st (5:00-6:30 pm)
Sunday, March 14th (1:00-2:30 pm)
Monday, April 19th (7:00-8:30 pm)
Thursday, April 29th (7:00-8:30 pm)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
- What if I show multiple animal species?: You only need to complete the certification once per year, and that will apply to each of your animals.
- How long does the in-person class take?: It is approximately one hour but please come early to sign up before the class starts.
- What if I still have a valid PQA Certification?: Currently, if you have a valid PQA Certification, it will be honored until it expires, even if you show multiple species.
- When should I register for a class?: As soon as possible! Space is limited in each class, and we recommend registering at least a week prior to the class being offered.
- What if I do not remember my 4HOnline email address?: Contact our office, and we can tell you what it is. If you do not sign in with 4HOnline, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to gain access to your completion information. If you do not remember your password, you can reset that yourself using the "Forgot Password" option at https://in.4honline.com
- How long is my certification valid?: The in-person trainings are only valid for 1 year. There is an online test out option now outlined above.
- What if I am not selling my animal in the Auction?: This is not an auction requirement, it is an exhibit requirement, so to show your animal, you must complete the certification.
- Do Mini 4-H Members need a YQCA Certification?: No, this is for 4-H members in grades 3-12.
- Can I attend a YQCA In-Person Training in another county?: Yes, if our schedule does not work for you, you can attend a class in any other county. You can find all classes listed at yqcaprogram.org when signing up.
- When should I register for a class?: As soon as possible! Space is limited in each class. You MUST register for a class before attending.
RELATED FILES
Junior Leaders is designed for 4-H members in grades 7-12th the opportunity to develop their leadership skills. Junior Leaders provide guidance to younger 4-H members, assist with local and county 4-H activities, complete community service projects, meet new friends, and have FUN! While our youth may be most well known for their walking tacos that they sell at the fair the money they raise from this fundraiser allows them to give back to the community and provide additional learning opportunities.
Meetings are held on the first Monday of every month. If you are in grades 7 through 12 and want to participate, add the Jr. Leader project to your 4-HOnline profile and you will begin receiving project information and notifications about opportunities for the group!
Questions? Email Kris at goffk@purdue.edu
There are a few documents that are need for the fair season.
2023 handbook
General Record Sheet
-building projects & LIVE ANIMALS
OTHER
Mini 4-H Information
The Mini 4-H Program is designed to supplement and introduce Kindergarten, First and Second graders to the 4-H Program. Mini 4-H is open to any boy or girl who is in kindergarten, first or second grade by the spring of the current year.
Project manuals can be downloaded from the links below. Free hard copies of these booklets are available in our office if you would like to pick up your copies!