Michigan 4-H Youth Development

Michigan 4-H Youth Development is the youth educational program of Michigan State University Extension serving more than 135,000 Michigan youth aged 5 to 19 each year. 4-H staff members work at Michigan State University (MSU) and in every Michigan county with local volunteers to bring the knowledge of the state’s land-grant university to the citizens of Michigan.

Over 10,000 Michigan adult and teen 4-H volunteers work at the local and state level to support experiential learning activities for youth. 4-H volunteers are club, group or resource leaders; middle management leaders; advisory council members and Michigan 4-H Foundation trustees.

Michigan 4-H Youth Development provides educational opportunities that:

• Target age appropriate life skill development.
• Emphasize research-based experiential learning.
• Involve volunteers.
• Engage a variety of partners.
• Include families.
• Reach both diverse and underserved audiences.
• Are accessible.
• Promote a multicultural perspective and appreciation.
• Are fun.

4-H provides learning materials and educational opportunities in these and other areas:

• Animal Science
• Arts
• Careers & Entrepreneurship
• Environmental & Outdoor Education
• Global and Cultural Education
• Healthy Youth
• Leadership, Citizenship & Service
• Life Skills
• Science and Technology
• Volunteering & Mentoring

Learn more:

• Visit the Michigan 4-H Youth Development Web site.
• Michigan 4-H statistics

About MSU Extension

Michigan State University Extension is part of the national Cooperative Extension System which is a partnership of the nation’s land-grant universities, state and county governments and the United States Department of Agriculture.