The 4-H Youth Development Program matches young people with adults who share common interests. Whether it be animals, technology, plants or the arts, we work to find adults who are willing to work with youth to learn new skills as they develop. WSU Extension provides a base of educational and research knowledge to draw upon as we implement our many projects.
In Snohomish County, we sponsor 6 main program areas:
- Animal Science (website)
- Engineering & Technology (website)
- Expressive Arts (website)
- Family and Plant Sciences (website)
- Environmental Stewardship & Exploration (website)
- Shooting Sports (website)
Youth from all programs are invited to participate in Teen Programs and Events (website).
Youth learn related skills and knowledge in each program area. Additionally, all youth have the opportunity to participate in Public Presentations (pdf) (learning to speak and present information in a public forum), Record Keeping (maintaining written, creative or digital records of goals and progress) and Reasons/Judging (learning how to use critical thinking to make appropriate decisions). These activities focus on life skills attainment. Through practicing and planning, youth develop decision-making, responsibility, self-confidence and goal-setting skills.