Join Cayuga County 4-H

Join the fun of 4-H in Cayuga County. New members are always welcome.

4-H members get together to learn about projects in lots of areas. Some members learn about animals while others explore food and nutrition, clothing construction, heritage crafts, gardening or woodworking to name a few. Many 4-H members do projects in more than one project area.

The New York State 4-H Membership year runs from October 1st to September 30th. Enrollment is open to all youth ages 5-18 (as of January 1st of the current 4-H year). Persons with an intellectual disability may participate fully in 4-H programs as long as their developmental age is considered to fall between five and nineteen years of age.

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Cloverbud Members

The youngest members of 4-H are called Cloverbuds. These members, age 5-8, participate in club activities and are discovering 4-H during this time.

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4-H Club Members

Traditional 4-H Club members are ages 8-19. 4-H clubs are a wonderful opportunity for youth to learn to work together learning life skills. A traditional club is a group of 5 or more youth from 2 different families who meet on a regular basis to pursue common interests. Each club is run independently with guidance from the Cayuga County 4-H office by approved volunteer leaders. These adults plan activities that meet the needs and desires of its members. Each club is set up differently and the volunteer leaders have the discretion to limit membership based on geographic area, age of members, maximum number of members or project areas.

Existing clubs may not be accepting new members every year. In such instances, new members may join as independent members or families can unite to join new 4-H Clubs.

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Independent 4-H Members

Youth opt to be independent members for a number of reasons. Enrolling as an independent member allows you the freedom and flexibility to set your own goals and pursuits. Work is self-directed with the guidance and support of parents or mentors. Self-study, home study, mentoring or shadowing, and whole families learning together, are examples of 4-H independent membership. Joining as an independent member is also an option when a suitable club cannot be found. Independent members have the same access to 4-H resources and can participate in all the same county events, activities, and workshops as club members.

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How Much Does It Cost?

4-H enrollment is $20 per youth with a maximum of $50 per family.

We want to keep enrollment costs as low as possible to ensure that 4-H participation is affordable. To do this, we require each 4-H member to participate in AT LEAST ONE Cornell Cooperative Extension Cayuga County fundraiser per year. You will be notified well in advance of fundraiser opportunities.

4-H families can choose not to participate in fundraising events by adding a donation of $30 per enrolled youth to their enrollment fees.

Payment can be made by:

• Cash or check in person at the 4-H Office
• Check by mail (please do not send cash in the mail)
• Credit/Debit/PayPal via the link in the sidebar

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Enrollment Instructions 

Enrollment for the new members begins October 1st and runs until September 30th.  You may enter your payment online at  https://reg.cce.cornell.edu/2023-2024_4H_Enrollment_Fee-2_205 .

Returning Members:

We recommend returning families re-enroll members online via  4-H Online. A Consent Form Packet must be downloaded and completed for each enrolled member. You will be asked to upload these documents during the enrollment process. Re-enrollment instructions can be found HERE.

Alternately, families can elect to complete paper enrollment forms and mail/drop off at the 4-H office. Paper forms will not be automatically mailed to current families. Forms may be downloaded below, picked up in person at the 4-H office or you may request forms be mailed to you.

All current members must be re-enrolled by January 8th. 2024 in order to participate in the Cayuga County 4-H Youth Fair.

New Members:

New 4-H members, leaders and clubs are always welcome. 

Families are encouraged to use the online enrollment system,  4-H Online. A Consent Form Packet must be downloaded and completed for each enrolled member. You will be asked to upload these documents during the enrollment process. Instructions can be found below.

Alternately, families can elect to complete paper enrollment forms and mail/drop off at the 4-H office. Forms may be downloaded below, picked up in person at the 4-H office or you may request forms be mailed to you.

All new members must be enrolled by March 1st. 2024 in order to participate in the Cayuga County 4-H Youth Fair. New enrollments will not be accepted after this date.

• New Member 4-H Online Enrollment Instructions

• 2023-2024 Enrollment Forms

Last updated March 15, 2024