4-H Youth Development
Franklin County 4-H is a positive youth development organization that offers educational programs to ages 9-19. The mission of 4-H is to assist youth in acquiring knowledge, developing life skills, and forming attitudes that will enable them to become self-directing, productive, and contributing members of society.
There are over 500 youth enrolled in Franklin County 4-H and many volunteers. There is no cost to be a member, though some optional activities and trips may have a small fee. 4‐H members meet monthly, either during classtime (5th grade) or during club day. The only required time is approximately one hour a month for club meetings; you can then pick and choose the extra activities you want to join. The time commitment is entirely up to you, but like most things, you get out of 4‐H what you put into it. Programs offered through Franklin County 4-H include:
Clubs
- County Council - leadership group that meets as needed
- In-School Club Meetings
- Homeschool Club
- Club meeting schedules
Agriculture and Natural Resources
- Judging Teams - making a decision and telling why that decision was made
- Livestock Show Teams and Record Books - Beef Cattle, Goats, Sheep and Swine
- SAFE (Shooting Awareness, Fun and Education) Program
Communication and the Arts
- Project Achievement - a self-directed individual presentation on a student’s topic of choice that gives students the opportunity to explore an area of interest and share their knowledge through a competitive process. Projects are offered in 50+ topic areas.
- Fairs/Festivals - Elbert County Fair
- Arts Contests - Photography, etc.
- Clovers and Company - traveling music performance group of Georgia 4-H
Family and Consumer Sciences
- Cotton Boll and Consumer Judging - Learn about consumer goods and services and rank them on how well they satisfy a particular consumer’s need in a given scenario. Also understand the importance of cotton.
- Food and Nutrition Contests - MilkMake
Citizenship and Leadership
- Summer Camp - 5 camping facilities across the state, from the beaches and the city to the mountains and the heart of Georgia country.
- Conferences/Rallies - Junior Conference, Fall Forum, Junior Rally, Senior Conference, State Council, etc.
- 4-H Day at the Capitol - Tour the State Capitol while the General Assembly is in session, meet and page for legislators.
- Certified Teen Leader Program
- Community Service Activities - pop tabs, visiting nursing homes, etc.
- Ways to give back
Awards and Recognition
- Fantastic 4-H'er - featured on the Georgia 4-H homepage
- Leadership in Action - for 4-H'ers to be recognized as leaders in their community, choose an issue and execute an action plan.
- Dean's Award - based on a cumulative portfolio of 4-H career in one of five project areas.
- Key Award - based on overall participation in 4-H from 7th grade forward
- Scholarships for Graduating Seniors
