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Colorado State University Extension operates in partnership with the El Paso County Community Services Division to provide non-credit programming to local citizens.

4-H Leader Toolbox   arrow

Overview

4-H Volunteer-Leader membership

Photo Courtesy of National 4-H.

4-H volunteer leaders are the heart of the 4-H Program

A volunteer-leader serves in a multitude of roles ranging from the club-level to supervising other volunteer-leaders at the county-, regional- or state-level(s).

4-H volunteer-leader roles include Organizational Club Leader, Project Leader, Activity Leader, Advisory Council Leader, Chaperone, Cloverbud Leader, Advisory Council or Committee Member, etc.

Please see the El Paso County Policies for Success for instructions and requirements for becoming a 4-H Volunteer leader. Club leaders and the CSU Extension Office can guide you through this process. We’re happy to have you!

Enrollment

Club Leader Responsibilities

Organizational Club Leaders are responsible for submitting the following enrollment materials to the El Paso County Extension Office once 4-H members have self-enrolled. Club enrollments must be submitted together at one time.

For enrollment deadlines, details and policies please refer to the El Paso County Policies for Success

NOTE: If you would like to sign required forms electronically they must be downloaded and opened in Adobe


Event Planning

Event Policies

  • 4-H volunteer-leaders should NOT sign contracts for any engagement, including the use of facilities. If a volunteer-leader needs to have a contract signed, the El Paso County Extension Office must be contacted. Please allow at least 3 weeks for this process.
  • Additional Insurance: Special event or activity (tours, day trips, travelling outside of the state, one-day camps, events which are open to the children outside of 4-H, etc.) insurance is also available on a per-day basis. Please fill out the special event insurance form online. Volunteer-leaders are responsible for completing insurance forms and paying necessary fees.

Other Forms

NOTE: If you would like to sign required forms electronically they must be downloaded and opened in Adobe

  • Informed Consent Form This form needs to be filled out for any non-4-H youth attending a 4-H event or activity. Parent/Guardian permission to participate in attained via parent signature.
  • Informed Consent Form – Outdoor Activities  This form needs to be filled out for any youth, 4-H members and non-4-H members, is participating in an outdoor activity such as rafting, hiking, or camping under the 4-H program umbrella.
  • 4-H Youth Development Incident Report-It is recommended that you always have this form on hand in case of emergency
  • Equipment Supply Request Form: the CSU Extension, El Paso County Office has supplies that you can rent. Complete and return this form at least a week before your event and we will try to have everything ready

Record Books

Record Books

Policies

  • Club organizational leaders are responsible for collecting  and ensuring the following record books are graded by the deadline set by the El Paso CSU Extension office:
    • Animal record books
    • General/Family and Consumer Science/Shooting sports record books that were not submitted for grading at El Paso County Fair
  • Organizational leaders can delegate the grading of the record books to project leaders or other knowledgeable 4-H Volunteers
  • The official rubrics and score sheet should be used when grading E-Records. If a record book is graded using the wrong rubric or does not follow outlined policies than it will not move onto further outside grading.
  • If a 4-H member turns in an unsatisfactory E-Record, they should be given one week to revise the E-Record to reach a score of 70% or higher. If E-Record revisions are required and completed, the 4-H member will not be eligible for end-of-year E-Record awards, but the satisfactory revisions will meet the completion requirement.

Please refer to the El Paso County Policies for Success for additional details regarding requirements for animal and General Project record books

Project Rubrics/ Score Sheets

Officer Book Score Sheets

E-Record Book Templates

  • General Projects – STEM, Shooting Sports, Creative & Family & Consumer Science Projects
    • Click HERE for E-Record Book Templates from the state website
  • Animal Projects
    • Click HERE for E-Record Book Templates from the state website
  • Officer Books

Club Chartering

Club Chartering

Click HERE for Club Chartering information

If you are interested in creating a club please contact:

Emily Green – 4-H County Specialist- Senior Instructor
Emily.Green@colostate.edu

Jen Loewen – 4-H Youth Development Specialist
Jennifer.Loewen@colostate.edu

Resources

Resources

Ordering Curriculum for Projects

Please contact our office regarding curriculum for projects. We have some project manuals on hand here at the Extension Office. Bulk orders can be placed through club leaders, or individual project manuals can be purchases via third party entities. Please reach out and we can help you find the manuals you are looking for.

County 4-H Policies

State 4-H Policies


Club Resources

Other Resources


Keeping ahead of COVID-19

This rapidly evolving coronavirus (COVID-19) has imposed an unsettling, fluid situation upon our community and its businesses. While the team here still aims to maintain a “business as usual” approach, we are making a number of significant changes to our operations to account for a situation that is far from normal.