Join 4-H Community Clubs

These links will go live at 12am on Thursday, October 1:

2026-2027 4-H Youth Enrollment Form

2026-2027 4-H Volunteer Enrollment Form

Sign up for our newsletter for current information on new clubs and upcoming 4-H events.

Some benefits of joining 4-H:

• New friends!
• A sense of belonging and greater confidence!
• Skills for life! Problem solving, teamwork, public speaking, planning and organization, and more!
• New interests, discoveries, and adventures!
• Discovering you can make a difference in your community!
• Public Presentations training & participation
• Produced in New York (PINY) youth food science event 
• Eligibility for state and national leadership & educational trips
• Eligible for year-end awards 
• Summer Experience & State Fairs participation
• Weekly reminders of upcoming county events & programs
• Many more!

To enroll, youth must be 5-19 years old in the current calendar year. 

• Cloverbuds are youth who are 5-7 years old. 
• Junior 4-H members are 8-13 years old.
• Senior 4-H members are 14-19 years old.

4-H is open to everyone regardless of race, religion, color, gender, or place of residence.

Monroe County's 4-H club members have varied interests and strengths that make each club unique. Having fun is usually a shared interest! Some clubs focus on one topic or interest while other clubs (general interest clubs) explore a wide variety of interests.

If youth have a hobby or interest that they would like to explore and enjoy being with friends, they can join a 4-H club where members learn something new while having fun, improving communication and leadership skills, and serving their community. If there isn't room in an existing 4-H club that meets your needs, our 4-H staff can help a parent or adult volunteer organize and support a club. Read on for more information about how to  start a 4-H club. Feel free to reach out to us with additional questions!

Do youth have to join a club to participate in 4-H?

No! The club experience can be an amazing part of doing 4-H, but we have many youth and families who have chosen to enroll as "4-H Families" or "Independent Members" for a variety of reasons. They do 4-H projects and participate in 4-H events without belonging to a club. Reach out to us for more information about this option. 

Can youth join more than one club? 

Absolutely! You can join as many clubs as you have time for! We also offer a monthly event run by 4-H staff. To stay up to date on current offerings, enroll in the 4-H Newsletter at the bottom of this page. 

Current clubs accepting new members include: 

• 4-H Friends, general interest club currently focusing on music meeting in Honeoye Falls
• Sewing Club, sewing arts club meeting at Seneca Park
• Spark Club, general interest club meeting in Henrietta
• Teen Council, open to all teens interested in project work, service, fun, and socializing. Meeting currently in Henrietta, at our office, or near our office in Seneca Park
• We would LOVE to start a few more clubs in Monroe County! Contact us today to discuss what's involved and how we can support you.

We have youth interested in the following areas and need volunteers to help us start new clubs:

• Canine activities
• Archery
• Equine care and sports
• Clubs in various parts of Monroe County not currently convenient to current open clubs
• Clubs on any other topic!
• General interest clubs (exploring many topics as determined by club members)

We train and support all new volunteers so reach out today for more info. Most volunteers spend 2-4 hours per month volunteering, so it does not need to be overwhelming!

We are also proud to support the following clubs who are at capacity and no longer accepting new members: 

• Busy Bees, general interest club for students at Mary Cariola
• Mariah Meadows, equine club meeting in Brockport, no longer accepting new members
• Posh Ponies, equine club
• ROC City Enthusiasts, general interest club, no longer accepting new members
• Spring Creek 4-H Club, general agriculture and dairy club meeting in Ogden, no longer accepting new members

Fees:

There is a $20/youth (maximum $50 per family) enrollment fee to join or re-enroll. Enrollment fees may be paid via PayPal on this page, or you may send your payment to our 4-H office at 2449 St Paul Blvd, Rochester, NY 14617. Please do not send cash in the mail. Some clubs may also collect a small dues fee or hold fundraisers to cover supplies for club meetings and activities.

Online enrollment occurs in the fall from October 1 through the end of December. Contact us with questions off-season. 

To enroll your youth:

1. Complete the enrollment form on this page between Oct 1 and Dec 31. The form will take a few minutes to fill out for each child. 
2. Submit payment to our office. Please include your child's name so we can properly credit your payment.
3. Once payment has been processed, your enrollment is officially complete, and you can begin participating with your club!

Schools may enroll classes as 4-H clubs. Contact monroe4H@cornell.edu to enroll a school club.

4-H Projects

4-H Projects are the heart of 4-H work. A project is a self-paced, hands-on educational experience chosen by a young person to explore a specific topic, build life skills, and learn by doing. Younger 4-H members typically engage in project work as a group as their club holds several meetings focused on the same topic. Older 4-H members can gradually transition to more independence in their project work. Projects can cover a wide variety of topics--animal care and handling, robotics, music, gardening. Youth interests should guide topic selection. Key elements of project work are:

• Goal Setting: Youth pick an interest and set specific learning goals for what they want to accomplish during the year.
• Hands-On Learning: Participants engage in a series of progressive learning activities (workshops, clinks, field trips, club activities, or self-study) guided by adult mentors and backed by high-quality curriculum whenever possible.
• Leadership and Service: Members often share what they learn by teaching others, leading group activities, or completing a community service project tied to their topic. 
• Record Keeping and Exhibition: Youth keep records of their progress and showcase their work. They may give a public presentation or exhibit an item or animal at a local fair or county event. 

Club leaders can contact our office for project planning and record keeping forms as well as high quality 4-H curriculum materials covering a wide variety of topics. Each county handles projects a little differently, so check with our office if you have any questions.

CALS 4-H Animal Events: 4-H clubs and members participating in animal activities, projects, and events, can consult this calendar for all upcoming Cornell CALS-sponsored 4-H animal events. 

If you have any questions regarding enrolling or re-enrolling, please contact the 4-H Office. 

Last updated November 9, 2026