To join a 4-H club in San Diego County, please call the County 4-H Office at (858) 694-2861. You will most likely speak with Quang "Hogan" Tong, who can provide contact names and numbers for Community Leaders at 4-H clubs near you. These Community Leaders, in turn, can provide information about meeting schedules and locations, describe the projects offered by the volunteer leaders in their club, and help you complete an enrollment packet.
Age Eligibility
Youth are eligible to participate in 4-H clubs as primary members if they are five years old or in kindergarten as of January 1 of the program year. Youth enroll as regular members once they are nine years old or entering 4th grade by January 1 of the program year. (For home schooled kids, go by age.) The San Diego County program year runs from September 1 through August 31. Youth remain eligible for membership until December 31 of the year in which they turn 19 years old.
Cost
There is a minimal insurance fee for the 4-H program. In San Diego County, it is $12.50 for youth and $5.00 for adult leaders/volunteers. This annual statewide insurance fee is utilized cover the cost of insurance so that 4-H can train volunteers, support the development of new educational materials, and cover any accidents that occur during 4-H activities.
It is rare that a group or club can do anything without funds. Money may be collected from members to cover the costs of project materials and 4-H events. The 4-H member must receive fair value in goods and/or services for any money collected. To prevent misunderstandings, it is a good idea for a parent/guardian to stay informed about any 4-H work that requires funds from a member. Local clubs raise money in various ways, but 4-H policy forbids gambling, wagering, or raffles of any kind.
Insurance
4-H accident and illness insurance is mandatory and included in the cost of enrollment. The Community Leader in your club can tell you about this insurance and provide an informational leaflet. The leaflet explains what medical costs are covered in case of an accident or illness that occurs during any 4-H work or while traveling to or from official 4-H meetings and events.
San Diego County 4-H Policy for Exhibiting at Fairs
Recent issues have forced the San Diego County 4-H Office to implement a new policy regarding eligibility of 4-H members and leaders participating in fairs and shows.
For youth: All individuals wishing to enter any fair as a 4-H member must be formally enrolled in the project they wish to show in by January 1 of the program year. This is done by submitting an enrollment form with that project(s) identified to their Community Club Leader by their 4-H Club's enrollment deadline. If they are adding the project after they have turned in an enrollment form they must submit it to their 4-H Community Club Leader in writing before the January 1st deadline. Individual Clubs and Project groups may also have additional requirements members need to meet in order to be eligible to show their project at the fair. Project Leaders should identify those expectations and requirements at the beginning of the project year with the members and their families. The 4-H office must verify member and leader enrollment, in specific projects, for liability and eligibility to enter fairs and shows. When members join late in the year or change projects, the 4-H Office does not always have that information for verification, resulting in members and leaders erroneously thinking they were enrolled but were not according to the official records in the 4-H office. This policy does not prevent a youth from joining 4-H after January 1st in a project to learn and be part of the 4-H experience.
For Volunteer 4-H adult leaders: Adults must submit an enrollment form, with the project they are leading, to the 4-H Community Club Leader, and complete the requirements to be a Certified Volunteer 4-H Leader by January 1 of the program year to be verified by the 4-H Office to be badged or verified for any fair in that calendar year. The only exception is when a new project leader is replacing a current project leader in that club. Last minute requests for individuals to be certified as 4-H leaders so they can be badged, creates a hardship on the local 4-H Club Leadership, 4-H Office staff and Fair Entry staff due to the chaos that ensues. Adults also need to recognize that applying to be a 4-H leader is a commitment to working with and assisting youth well in advance of any show not as a method to receive a badge to enter the Fair.