How to Join

New members are welcomed and encouraged to join 4-H at any time, however there are certain privileges and opportunities that come with registering by certain dates. See Key 2020-2021 Enrollment Dates

Steps to Joining 4-H

1. Watch for the 2020-2021 Enrollment Guide & Family Handbook coming soon!! You can use it as a resource throughout the year. It contains general information about 4-H, activities and events at the county, state, and national level, general enrollment, and project enrollment. Additional resources for review:

2. Select a club that works for your family.

  • Review our Clubs at a Glance to identify a club that you’re interested in.
  • Contact one of the club’s leaders to let them know you are interested in joining the club and confirm the meeting day, time, and location.

3. Select the project(s) that you are interested in for the year.

  • In addition to club meetings, 4-H members can also enroll in a variety of projects. A project is an area of interest youth select to explore through the year. Our top five most popular projects are Shooting Sports, Cake Decorating, Arts, Rabbits, and Photography. You should select a project you are interested in and would like to learn about. A complete listing of all our projects will be available soon  — be sure to check back! Don’t be afraid to pick projects you don’t know much about, because the whole point of participating in a 4-H project is to learn about it!
  • You may enroll in the same project each year or try a different project every year, and you can enroll in as many projects as you have time for. If you are a new 4-H member it might be a good idea to start with one or two projects your first year. Projects are organized at the club level, county-wide level or through independent study.How to Select Projects
    • Make a list of the things you like to do or want to learn more about.
    • Talk over your list with your parents, leaders, and friends. They may recognize some things you might be interested in that you haven’t considered. 
    • Ask yourself if you have the equipment, money, and time to do the projects that sound interesting. 
    • Decide which projects you will enroll in. 
      • We recommend that first year members take only 1 or 2 projects.
  • For more details on projects, please visit Wisconsin 4-H Projects

4. Enroll in 4-H Youth Development using 4-H Online, the online enrollment and registration system for Wisconsin 4-H. This is where you enter family and individual information that is used by your county and the state 4-H offices to manage and record your participation in the 4-H Youth Development program.

  • To enroll in Wisconsin 4-H Online, you need internet access, a valid e-mail address, and a web browser. You can enroll from a home computer/tablet/phone, or from a public access computer such as those available at your local library. If you cannot arrange for internet access, please call the Extension office, and we can help you set up an account.
  • Go to http://wi.4honline.com (notice there’s no “www” in that address).  After carefully reading the instructions at the top of the page, you are ready to begin entering your family information.

5. Submit the following to your community club’s leaders.

  • Club dues (if your club collects dues)
    • Dues are usually $5.00 to $15.00 per person per year

6. Watch your email for the bi-monthly 4-H newsletter called the “Cloverline” for information on events and activities and other opportunities going on in the 4-H program.

7. Have fun!

If you have any questions, please contact the Extension Office at 262-335-4478

Requests for reasonable accommodations for disabilities or limitations should be made prior to the date of the program or activity for which it is needed. Please make such requests as early as possible by contacting the Extension Washington County Office (262-335-4478) so proper arrangements can be made. An AA/EEO employer, UW-Madison Division of Extension provides equal opportunities in employment and programming, including Title VI, Title IX and ADA requirements.

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