What is 4-H?

4-H is a community of young people across America who are learning leadership, citizenship, and life skills.  4-H is a non-formal educational program which gives youth the opportunity to develop to their fullest through hands-on activity - learning by doing.  Our program is project oriented; members select specialized projects in which they want to participate for the year. 

What's special about Belmont 4-H?

Our club has about 30 members from about 20 families in the Belmont-San Mateo area.  Our general meetings are held the second Tuesday of the month, September through June, at 7:00 p.m. in Belmont ’s Central Elementary School multiuse room. 

4-H builds the leaders of tomorrow.

Our clubs welcome all youth ages 5-19, from all backgrounds.  We are a blend of boys and girls, parents and volunteers, who plan, work, and play together.  Because families participate together, our children learn the values of family teamwork, mutual support, cooperation, and community service.  

Younger members learn from older members, who in turn develop leadership and mentoring skills from their positions as role models. Our club offers lots of opportunities for leadership, from the youngest “Games Officer” to the Club President and All-Stars.   

Because members only enroll in projects they are interested in, we maintain a lot more interest and enthusiasm throughout the year.  Members master skills though hands-on learning, and by the end of the year they have a skill, and often a product, of which they can be proud.  With competence comes self-confidence.  

The program offers lots of opportunities for exhibition and recognition, with the focus on participation, not competition.  Judging, when it’s used, is based on the Danish system – standards are based on age/experience expectations.  Kids learn that a winner is one that gives their best effort.

Activities of Belmont 4-H include:

• Monthly Club 4-H Meetings
• Club parties and events: Halloween, Wearing-o-the-Green, Spring Barbecue, Winter pot-luck,.
• County 4-H Events: Favorite Foods Day, Presentation Day, Fashion Review
• 4-H Camp at Jones Gulch
• Community Service events: Tree planting, Environmental Service, Senior Visits, Barn Clean-up’s
• County Fair: the 2^nd-3^rd week of August at County EXPO
• State Leadership Conference and field days
• County Committees : Ag-Steering, Life-skills, County Council

It’s never too late to join – though we meet formally during the school year, our activities continue throughout the summer.  Please feel free to contact us for enrollment information, or attend a meeting to see what it’s like.  If you come to County Fair in August, visit the youth exhibits: livestock in the barn and the Home and Industrial projects in Sequoia Hall.  

Answers to more questions at the FAQ page.