4-H Program

Welcome to Butte County 4-H

Butte County is located in the Sacramento Valley in northern California. Oroville is the county seat. Other communities include Chico, Paradise, Durham, Gridley, Richvale/ Biggs and various mountain communities. Butte County 4-H is a program of the University of California Cooperative Extension located in Butte County Government Center in Oroville. The program objective is to serve the youth and the families of Butte County.

Mission Statement:

The mission of the Butte County 4-H Youth Development Program is to empower youth through diverse programs in order to achieve their fullest potential and become responsible citizens within their community.

For more information on the 4-H Program, and how to register, contact the Butte County 4-H office.

The 4-H Emblem is a four-leaf clover with the letter "H" on each leaf. The four "H's" stand for:

"Head-Heart-Hands-Health"

Whether youth participate in clubs, after school programs, day camps, or in other program settings, the 4-H Youth Development Program's mission and goals remain the same... to help youth develop to their full potential!

4-H Youth Development is a non-formal educational youth program, conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension. The purpose of 4-H Youth Development is to help diverse young people discover and develop their potential and grow into competent, contributing, and caring citizens. Learn-by-doing activities, youth-adult partnerships, and research-based educational programs help young people enhance their leadership abilities and develop a wide range of other life skills.

WHY: leadership/citizenship development; life skills education; strengthening youth, families communities; advancing the field of youth development

HOW: experiential education ("learn by doing"); bridging research and practice; building partnerships for programming and funding; cross-age learning and teaching; youth-adult partnerships

WHERE: school enrichment programs; community clubs; special interest projects and programs; school-aged child care; camp experiences; independent study; distance learning

What is 4-H?

4-H is an informal, learn-by-doing educational program for youth, ages K-19 from all racial cultural economic and social background. 4-H is the youth education program of Cooperative Extension Service. The Butte County 4-H Youth Development Program (4-H YDP) consists of about 730 members in 20 local clubs led by 270 leaders. 4-H is designed to help local youth develop into responsible, self-directed, productive world citizens. And also, to improve the well being of youth and society through the use of research based "learn-by-doing" educational experiences.

4-H has such a wide variety of programs and activities available that every youth can do well. There are options from sewing to woodworking; from environmental to entomology projects available to members. In addition to established programs, the option of doing an individual project and creating a 'curriculum' is also possible. Fundraising activities, fairs and educational trips are all a part of the 4-H experience!

How to Enroll in Butte County 4-H

If you live in Butte County and want information on enrollment, call 530-538-7201 or e-mail cebutte@ucdavis.edu.

4-H is a non-profit, non-formal educational youth development program.  At the national level, 4-H is directed by an assistant deputy director and a staff for 4-H and other youth programs in the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  In California the 4-H program is conducted by the University of California Cooperative Extension.  In each county, local Extension staff is authorized to administer the program in accordance with policies set by the University of California System and the Cooperative Extension.

In Butte County, the University of California Cooperative Extension staff includes a 4-H Youth Development Advisor, a 4-H Youth Program Representative and two secretaries.  At the club level, the Community Club Leaders and the project leaders are adult volunteers.  These adults accept the responsibility of being a leader because they enjoy teaching and working with 4-H members.  Junior leaders are members in the sixth through eighth grade who assist leaders in leading projects.  Teen leaders are members in ninth grade or above who lead project groups with a leader present.

The 4-H Motto

To Make the Best Better

The 4-H Slogan

Learn by Doing

The 4-H Pledge

As a true 4-H member, 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.

The 4-H Creed

I believe in 4-H for the opportunity it will give me to become a useful citizen.  I believe in the training of my head for the power it will give me to think, plan, and reason.  I believe in the training of my heart for the nobleness it will give me to become kind, sympathetic, and true.  I believe in the training of my hands for the ability it will give me to become helpful, useful, and skillful.  I believe in the training of my health for the strength it will give me to enjoy life, to resist disease, and to work efficiently.  I believe in my country, my state, my community, and in my responsibility for their development.  In all these things I believe, and I am willing to dedicate my efforts to their fulfillment.

The Goals of the 4-H Program

The goals of the 4-H program are to help young people:

• Develop initiative and assume responsibility
• Develop leadership and be of service to others
• Develop the ability to live and work cooperatively with others
• Acquire knowledge and skills to explore careers
• Acquire satisfaction from work and accomplishments
• Choose from alternatives and plan satisfying lives
• Develop positive self-images