4-H Club and Leader Information

Do you have a hobby, or an interest that you would like to learn about? Learn by doing with your friends in a fun and safe setting. 4-H Clubs bring youth (ages 5 to 19) and adults together to learn everyday life skills with hands-on learning. 4-H clubs can be general in nature where 4-H members learn about many different topics, or they can offer a specific topic of interest such as rabbits, sewing, robotics, gardening, or many others. The limit is your imagination!

A 4-H Club and its members will:

• Build Youth and Adult Partnerships
• Set annual club goals and evaluate progress toward these goals
• Plan a fun educational and experiential-based program where youth learn skills such as leadership, citizenship, communication, personal life management, and many other life skills through project work
• Be involved in community service activities
• Keep records of their activities

More than 200 youth are enrolled in our Madison County 4-H Club program, in groups that explore a variety of topics. Members of 4-H clubs are learning sewing skills, robotics, public speaking skills, environmental issues, science, engineering, technology and math (STEM), how to care for and show an animal, healthy lifestyles, and having fun in the process! 4-H activities teach youth problem-solving skills that make a positive impact upon their community. 4-H helps youth meet the diverse challenges of today's world, build self-confidence, learn responsibility, and make positive decisions.

Contact the 4-H Office to find out about clubs in Madison County. If there isn't already a 4-H club that meets your needs, our 4-H staff can help a parent or adult volunteer organize and support a club.

Active Madison County 4-H Clubs:

• Belts, Boots, and Bovines out of Canastota, NY. Leaders are Jenny Mills and Dakota Kelsey. 
• Cazenovia 4-H out of Cazenovia, NY. Leader is Elizabeth Blackburn
• Caz, Cows, and Clovers out of Cazenovia, NY. Leader is Diana Curtis.
• Cazenovia Cloverbuds & 4-H out of Cazenovia, NY. Leader is Colleen Fox.
• Madison County Explorers Club out of CCE Madison, Morrisville, NY. Leaders rotate.
• Madison County 4-H Horse Club out of CCE Madison, Morrisville, NY. Leaders rotate.

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What 4-H Means to Our Members:

"Have you ever visited a fair, perplexed as to why there's a barn crowded with bovines? Dairy 4-H has taught me first-hand that their purpose is to be shown and exactly what that entails.

First, I select the perfect heifer and work with her for months until we move as one. The morning of the exhibition, I arise early in the bitter cold, and become drenched while washing and clipping my heifer to perfection. Finally, as my Holstein and I enter the show ring, it's our time to shine.

Taking part and earning awards in a grueling process in 4-H for six years has taught me a multitude of life lessons. It's taught me what hard work truly means, how to stay friendly, despite working since 4am, and how to have fun in the mud. Finally, 4-H has taught me how to be humble in victory and gracious in defeat.

However, we do more in 4-H than just show cows. My leader has also taught me how to decorate, sew, cook, publicly speak, and camp. 4-H is something every kid should take part in, as it has truly changed my life for the better."

- Jennie McIntosh, Clever Clovers 4-H Club

Last updated September 15, 2022