UGA Cooperative Extension
Grady County Extension Office:
4-H & Youth Development
General Info
4-H is an educational program teaching leadership, citizenship, and practical life skills. As the youth phase of the University of Georgia Cooperative Extension, its goal is to make learning FUN! Over 400 youth participate in 4-H activities, such as the national livestock show and our project achievement programs. As well as being a part of Grady County Schools' on-campus programs, there are also many activities that take place after school and on weekends.
Take a look at this Georgia 4H Promotional Video to see what some of Georgia's 4-H'ers have to say about why YOU should join Grady County 4-H!
Grady County 4-H is open to all children ages 9-19. 
- Cloverleaf 4-H Club is made up of students 9 years old-6th grade who meet monthly during school hours.
- Junior 4-H Club is made up of 7th and 8th grade students who also meet monthly during school hours.
- Senior 4-H Club is made up of 9th-12th grade students who meet monthly AFTER school where they plan activities and community service projects for Grady County 4-H.
- *PRE-4-H CLUB is made up of students in the 1st grade through students 8 years of age. Pre-Club members may participate in the Market Lamb & Goat Show Programs.
4-H Mission
4-H empowers youth to reach their full potential, working and learning in partnership with caring adults.
4-H Motto
"To Make The Best Better"
4-H Vision
A world in which youth and adults learn, grow and work together as catalysts for positive change.
4-H Pledge
I pledge my HEAD to clearer thinking
My HEART to greater loyality,
My HANDS to larger service, and
My HEALTH to better living,
for my club, my community, my county and my world.
Opportunities for 4-H Volunteers
All 4-H Volunteers working directly with 4-H'ers must be screened and if serving as a chaperone for an overnight activity, you must be "overnight" chaperone trained. If you are interested in becoming a 4-H volunteer you can review the UGA Volunteer Screening Policy and contact the 4-H office for more specific information. The forms must be submitted by the 4-H staff. Below is a list of events that we would welcome volunteers for. If you would like to get involved please let us know.
- SAFE Coaches Training - If you would like to Become a Certified Coach for our Archery and/or Shotgun Team, please read the information from the above link and contact us so we can get you registered.
- Cloverleaf Summer Camp - Please let us know by April 1, 2012 if you would like to be a volunteer for our Summer Camp which will be June 4-8, 2012 at Rock Eagle. For more information about our camp locations see the links below.
4-H Summer Camps
Cloverleaf Camp is for 4-H'ers 9 years old through 6th grade.
- 2012 Cloverleaf Camp is set for June 4-8 at Rock Eagle.
- Total cost of camp is $275 and may divided into three payments.
- Non-refundable registration fee of $75 is due by March 6th.
- April 10th - $100.00
- May 8th - $100.00
Junior Camp is for our 7th and 8th grade 4-H'ers.
- 2012 Junior Camp is set for June 18-22 and will be held at Burton 4-H Center on Tybee Island.
- Total cost of camp is $295.00 and may be divided into three payments.
- Non-refundable registration fee of $75 is due by March 16th.
- April 10th - $100.00
- May 18th - $125.00
Senior Camp is for 4-H'ers in the 9th-12th grades.
- 2012 Senior Camp is set for July 2-6 at Rock Eagle 4-H Center
- Total cost of camp is $275 and may divided into three payments.
- Non-refundable registration fee of $75 is due by March 6th.
- April 10th - $110.00
- May 8th - $110.00
More information on each of our 4-H Camps will be posted closer to camp dates.
Selling Onions to Pay for Camp: Once you have paid your $75.00 Non-Refundable Deposit, you can use the profits from your Vidalia Onion Fundraiser Sales to pay the balance of your camp fee.
Georgia 4-H Centers
The University of Georgia 4-H program has five centers for education located in different areas of the state. Each center offers 4-H Environmental Education and Summer Camp.
| Center | Location |
| Rock Eagle | Eatonton, Georgia |
| Jekyll Island | Jekyll Island, Georgia |
| Fortson | Hampton, Georgia |
| Wahsega | Dahlonega, Georgia |
| Burton | Tybee Island, Georgia |
"Summer Fun" Program 
In order to stay in touch with our 4-H'ers during the summer months, Grady County 4-H offers a variety of summer fun classes, tours and workshops. Click on the links below for summer fun:
Grady County 4-H Clover Connection Newsletters
Each month Grady County 4-H produces a newsletter with important information on upcoming events that 4-H'ers can get involved in. The newsletters are distributed each month at the school club meetings. We will add each month's newsletter to this website for you to view in case you missed one. To view the newsletters, click on the links below:
- 2011 September Newsletter
- 2011 October Newsletter
- 2011 November Newsletter
- 2011 December Newsletter
- 2012 February Newsletter
- 2012 March Newsletter
- 2012 April Newsletter
There is always something going on for everyone with Grady County 4-H! Stay updated with what's happening by clicking on the calendar link below or by contacting our office at (229) 377-1312.
4-H'er of the Year Awards
Each year at our Annual 4-H Awards Banquet, Grady County 4-H recognizes its most outstanding Cloverleaf, Junior & Senior 4-H'ers. This recognition is based on how active a 4-H'er has been during the past year. Points are assigned to each activity a 4-H'er can participate in and the 4-H'er who is the most active in their respective category is recognized with the "4-H'er of the Year" award.
For a list of activities offered by the Grady County 4-H Program and the points associated with that activity, please click on the link below.
District Project Achievement
Project Achievement is 4-H's public speaking program. In this program you will learn how to research a topic of your interest and organize a speech. You will then present your speech to an audience using proper speaking skills and supporting materials that you have to aid in your presentation. 4-H'ers who participate in Project Achievement will be invited to our Annual 4-H Awards Banquet for recognition and also to a special reward trip that only Project Achievement participants can attend!
For more information on Project Achievement, call our office at 377-1312 or click on our Newsletter above and look for the section on Project Achievement. There is a wide variety of topics that you can choose from for your project. Click on the link below (Georgia 4-H Project Achievement Offerings) to view a full list of topics. Be sure to notice whether you are a Cloverleaf, Junior or Senior, some topics are only available for certain age groups.
Georgia 4-H Project Achievement Offerings
To learn more about the objectives for Cloverleaf, Junior & Senior Project Achievement click on the links below.
- Cloverleaf Project Achievement Objectives
- Junior Project Achievement Objectives
- Senior Project Achievement Objectives
Fundraisers
Grady County 4-H conducts two fundraisers on an annual basis to help fund all of our educational programs suc
h as Project Achievement, Livestock Judging, Forestry Field Day and pay for our Annual Spring Awards Banquet. We conduct our Peanut Fundraiser in the Fall and follow it with our Vidalia Onion Fundraiser in the Spring.
Vidalia Onion
You will have the oppotunity to sale or buy Vidalia Onions to help generate funds for the Grady County 4-H Program as well as to earn scholarship money to help pay your way to 4-H Summer Camp.
4-H'ers are responsible for delivering the onions they sell
Grady County 4-H is also selling the UGA/4-H Car Tag pictured bel
ow to raise money for camp scholarships for 4-H'ers. The tags are $10.00 each. If you are out of town please click on the form below for more information on ordering this tag. If you are local, we have the tags on hand at the 4-H Office so just stop by and pick up your tag. This is a great way to show your support for UGA and 4-H!
Community Service Projects
Operation Christmas Child is a project that 4-H'ers take part in every year in November. You fill as many shoeboxes as you like with a variety of gifts that would bring a smile to a child's face, which in turn makes you smile knowing you had a part in helping make a child's day. 3 shoeboxes count as 1 activity for 4-H'ers, but you can do as many as you like.
For instructions on packing your shoeboxes & suggested gift items, please visit the Samaritan's Purse Website.
United Way for Grady County sponsors 11 organizations throughout our County including Grady County 4-H, so this is an excellent way for us to support them like they have supported the 4-H Club! We hope to see all of our 4-H'ers getting involved in this great event.
Pop-Tabs
For years now, Georgia 4-H'ers have collected pop-tabs as a statewide community service 
project. The tabs are collected annually during Junior 4-H Conference which is held the first weekend in November at Rock Eagle 4-H Center. The tabs are sold and each year Georgia 4-H selects a different Ronald McDonald House in Georgia to be the recipient of the funds raised from selling the pop-tabs. If you would like to collect pop-tabs for 4-H, simply keep your tabs in a plastic Ziplock bag and bring them by the 4-H Office prior to the first of November each year. Thank you so much for your support!
GA 4-H Cans Hunger!
Georgia 4-H is working hard to "CAN" hunger across the state. 4-H'ers all across the state are collecting non-perishable food items and bringing them to their local 4-H office. The food items are then donated to a local food bank or charity for distribution within their own county. To participate, bring any non-perishable food item by the 4-H office located at the Agri Center. Food items will be collected until the end of the school year. Our total food itms collected will be reported at the final data collection event during State 4-H Council this June.
Project S.A.F.E (Shooting Sports Program)
Grady County 4-H offers three shooting sports programs 
that 4-H'ers can participate in:
Modified Trap Program and Skeet & Trap Program
Any 4-H'er in the 7th-12th grade can participate.
The 2012 State Modified Trap Match will be held on May 12th at Rock Eagle.
The 2012 Skeet & Trap Match will be held on May 26 in Savannah.
Archery Program - Any 4-H'er 9 years old -12th grade can participate. The 2012 State Archery Match will be held on May 5th at Rock Eagle.
We will be starting (Non-Mandatory) Off-Season Archery Practices in the Fall of 2012. Please check back for dates and times.
We also have several used bows that are for sale. If you are interested in purchasing a used bow check out the list of bows we have here Used Bows for Sale.
***If you would like to participate in any of the shooting sports you must complete 2 other 4-H activities. For a list of activities you can participate in click on the link below.
Any 4-H'er wishing to participate in the Shotgun Program must have completed the Georgia Hunters Safety Program. For more information on Hunter Education Classes and the Shooting Sports Program Membership Requirements please click on the following links:
If you are interested in becoming a Certified Coach for Archery and/or Shotgun you will have 3 opportunities to get certified. Training will be offered at Rock Eagle 4-H Center February 24-26, 2012 (Friday Evening-Sunday Morning). Grady County 4-H will pay for your registration fees. If you would like to register for any of these trainings please call the 4-H Office so we can get you registered. You can view the following link for more information about becoming a Certified Coach.
Judging Team Programs
Forestry Field Day
The Forestry Field Day program teaches 4-Her's the following: how to identify different types of trees, insects, & disease identification, compass & pacing and how to estimate saw timber. It is a great hands-on learning experience for those of you who enjoy the outdoors.
The team is coached by 4-H Volunteers Russell Fowler & Kraig Vickers. Both have an extensive knowledge of forestry and do an outstanding job coaching the team.
For more details, take a look at the Forestry Field Day Manual. You can also visit the Georgia 4-H Forestry Judging website for more information.
Livestock Judging Team
If you have an interest in learning how to evaluate hogs, cattle, sheep and goats, then the Livestock Judging Program is something you may want to take a look at.
This program helps you develop skills needed in selecting good, quality livestock. You learn how to identify different breeds with in a given specie, how to interpret performance data, evaluation criteria and how to back up your decisions with sound reasoning.
4-H Livestock Show Program
The Grady County Livestock Show Program offers 4-H'ers the opportunity to exhibit market hogs, breeding gilts, market steers, breeding heifers, market goats and market lambs. 4-H'ers have the option of showing their animals at various regional and state level shows, as well as, the local show held here in Cairo.
Market Goat & Lamb Show Program
4-H'ers 9 years old through 12th grade are eligible to participate, as well as pre-club members ingrades 1-3. Goats and lambs shown need to be born between January and early April of the current show year and need to be purchased between May and mid July. The show season runs from August through mid November.
Market Hog Show
4-H'ers 9 years old through 12th grade are eligible to participate. Hogs are purchased from September through early November, w
ith an official weigh-in date the first full week in November. The county show is always the 3rd Monday in January.
Please view the links below for buying tips for the upcoming show season. You can also view the Show Rules and print off the Recordbooks that you need.
- 2012 Market Hog Show Buying Tips
- 2012 Hog Show Rules
- CL 2012 Hog Show Recordbook
- Jr 2012 Hog Show Recordbook
- Sr 2012 Hog Show Recordbook
Market Steer & Breeding Heifer Show
4-H'ers 9 years oldthrough 12t
h grade are eligible to participate. Steers and heifers must be born after September 1st of the year prior to the next show season. Steers show by weight and it is recommended they are born between September 1st and December 31st to ensure they meet the minimum show weight requirement of 900 pounds by show day. Commercial heifers and Purebred heifers are shown by age and it is recommended they be born between Septemeber 1st and March 31st. Registration for the show takes place in early September, but the show season runs from July to late February. The Steer and Heifer Show Rules are available below.
State Livestock Shows
Georgia 4-H and FFA offers State Level shows for all species. Please click on the following link for more specific information.
Fall Fair Shows
Livestock show exhibitors have the opportunity to show their animals in several regional and state level fairs. The three shows Grady County exhibitors currently participate in are the Georgia National Fair in Perry, the Flint River Fair in Bainbridge and the Exchange Club Fair in Albany. These shows are traditionally held in October and early November.
Links
4-H Forms
Contact Us
For more information about Grady County 4-H Youth Development Programs, please call (229) 377-1312.
Visit the Georgia 4-H website at www.georgia4h.org.
