About 4-H

Head • Heart • Hands • Health

4-H is a place where Oregon kids can meet friends, experience belonging, explore new passions and interests, and gain valuable life skills for a thriving future! Backed by research-based experiential learning, 4-H focuses on lifelong learning (Head), positive relationships (Heart), community service (Hands), and healthy living (Health).

Started over 120 years ago and now supported by the US Dept of Agriculture, 4-H is the largest out-of-school youth program in the United States. With over 6 million members, 4-Hers are everywhere! You probably know more 4-H'ers and 4-H alumni than you think.

In each state, 4-H is run by a land-grant university as part of that university's mission to share learning, education, and opportunities with everyone in their state. Oregon State University is Oregon's land-grant university, and the 4-H Youth Development Program at OSU Extension has a long history of supporting Oregonians.