Youth Officer Overview
Successful youth officers take on these club responsibilities with enthusiasm. They want to see their club thrive and they want to lead their peers in creating the welcoming environment that will make that possible. They encourage all club members to contribute their ideas when planning and to bring their voices and perspectives to the table. They find ways to draw in club members who aren’t ready to talk and make sure that they are always working toward the 4-H motto: Making the Best Better!
What Officers Do
Core club officers include the President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. Clubs may also choose to elect other officers for specialty jobs or events, depending on the size and needs of the club. These may include, but are not limited to, the Reporter, Recreation Leader, Historian, Photographer, Safety Officer, and Parliamentarian.
Core Officer Positions
- President
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President
The president helps everyone in the club work together at meetings and during projects. They facilitate discussion and help everyone take part in discussions, asking questions for the group to consider and giving everyone the opportunity to contribute their thoughts and ideas. When the club is making plans, the president may observe where more discussion is needed and bring that to the group’s attention or they might guide discussion to a close when it seems like the group has reached consensus. Members will not feel like they have been overruled by the president’s voice when club members have to compromise.
- Vice President
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Vice President
The vice president assists the president and presides at meetings in the absence of the president. They use basic parliamentary procedure to conduct effective meetings while working collaboratively with club volunteers and the officer team to develop the yearly club plan for club meetings. The vice president coordinates communication between officers, members, volunteers, and parents about assignments and duties for meetings and helps with setup for meetings and programs.
- Secretary
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Secretary
The club secretary keeps an accurate, current roll of all club members and checks attendance at each meeting. They keep accurate records of each meeting and read the previous meeting minutes when the club convenes. The club secretary uses basic parliamentary procedure to conduct effective meetings. They work with the other officers and club volunteers to develop the yearly club plan for club meetings. Along with the other officers, they communicate with officers, members, volunteers, and parents about assignments and duties for meetings and they help set up for meetings and programs.
- Treasurer
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Treasurer
The treasurer maintains the financial records of the club, including keeping track of invoices, bills, and deposits related to the funds and property of the club. Working with club volunteers, the treasurer will develop the club budget for the year. They are expected to save receipts and keep accurate, up-to-date records of all club funds, tracking expenses, income, and the balance in the accounts. The treasurer pays bills as approved by the club and reports the club’s financial condition at each meeting. Like other officers, the treasurer will use basic parliamentary procedure to conduct effective meetings. They will work collaboratively with club volunteers and the officer team to develop the yearly club plan for club meetings and will arrive early to help set up meeting.
- Reporter
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Reporter
The club reporter communicates the club activities to community members and stakeholders outside of the club. They submit interesting reports and photographs of club activities to local media outlets, including newspaper, radio, television, and online outlets. The reporter will send club news to the county Extension office for the county’s 4-H newsletter, website, and social media presences. They will work with the club secretary to make sure they have a current club roster that includes the names of all volunteers, officers, and members to ensure the information shared is accurate and spelled correctly. The reporter will also have knowledge of county policy with regards to publishing youth names to media outlets. They will work with the other officers to use parliamentary procedure to conduct effective meetings and will assist the officer team and club volunteers to create the yearly club plan for meetings. The reporter will arrive early to assist with meeting setup and support the rest of the officer team.
Other Potential Officer Positions
Recreation Leader
Historian
Photographer
Healthy Living
Community Service
Parliamentarian
Officer Handbooks
Published by Washington State University Extension
Published by Other State 4-H Programs
So You Are an Officer in Your 4-H Club Series - Michigan 4-H So You Are a Club Officer... - Missouri 4-H (PDF)What Does it Take to be…?
PDF one-sheet overviews of 4-H Club officer positions from Ohio State University Extension. These overviews have not yet been published for Photographer and Parliamentarian.
Holding an Election for Officer Positions
These helpful documents from Ohio 4-H will help you get started electing officers. From instructions on how to hold the election to tips on running a campaign for office and the importance of voting on these roles, they cover information that will get you started off on the right foot. And if you need help, don’t forget that your county 4-H staff is an excellent source of help, too!
Why Are 4-H Club Elections Important? (2020) – Ohio 4-H (PDF)
Campaigning for a 4-H Club Officer Position (2020) – Ohio 4-H (PDF)
Election of Officers (2021) – Ohio 4-H (PDF)
A how-to guide to holding youth officer position elections.
Finding Your Club’s Direction
Curriculum and tools to help your fellow club members discover their sparks, explore new interests, and come together as a team to serve your community.
Let’s Spark Something – Digital Download
4-H is the place you belong, lead, learn, and serve in the community where you live! Let’s Spark Something is an Everything 4-H guide for pre-teens and teens. This guide will help youth learn about all that 4-H has to offer! From projects to events to opportunities to serve and lead, 4-H allows youth to grow and learn throughout the process. Learn about different careers and life skills youth develop while working in different project areas, and how to have fun while learning and exploring the wonders of 4-H.
This guide was designed by Illinois 4-H, so some activities, projects, and events mentioned may be specific to Illinois, but many of them are found nation-wide, and even in your backyard! Contact your local extension office to find similar programs!
Exploring The Treasures of 4-H: Fun, Friends & Learning Youth Guide
This youth activity guide provides a treasure hunt for youth to explore the joys of 4-H by discovering their interest, potential 4-H projects and finding 4-H where they live with the guidance of parents or other adult helpers.
Exploring the Treasures of 4-H: Helper’s Guide
This activity-packed group guide is designed for teachers, volunteer leaders and other educators. The activities help groups of youth explore the many treasures of 4-H. 8 categories linked to national education standards.
Youth Officer Position Training
Even if you’ve been in leadership positions in other organizations or clubs, training is an important part of learning the roles officers play in their 4-H clubs.
The 4-H Officers Handbook is available through your Extension office or on Shop4-H. It helps 4-H club officers and committee members learn their responsibilities, prepare for their leadership roles, and make club meetings fun and interesting for all members. The handbook contains eight lessons including “Serve as a Club Officer”, “Appoint a Committee”, and “Know the Basics of Parliamentary Procedure”.
Youth Friendly Parliamentary Procedure for 4-H Business Meetings
Simplified versions of parliamentary procedure can help your 4-H club run quick business meetings and make decisions. But don’t get caught up in the perfect use of parliamentary procedure.
As a club officer, you have the opportunity to model this process for your club members and to help teach them parliamentary procedure, along with the help of your club volunteers. But don’t stress! This isn’t as tricky as it might sound and it doesn’t need to be perfect!
- A 4-H Club isn’t the Senate Floor; focus on the basics. The basics are the most necessary components to give everyone a voice.
- Only accepting perfection or attempting to follow the nitty-gritty of all parliamentary procedure rules will likely make youth feel unsure of how to participate instead of empowered.
- Remember, your 4-H club’s most important mission is to create a place for youth to feel they belong and experience a safe space to make mistakes.
A simplified version of parliamentary procedure for middle to high school youth may include just using a repeated pattern of motions (“I move…”), seconds (“I second that motion…”), calls for discussion (“Any discussion before we vote?”), and voting (“All in favor..”).
A simplified version of parliamentary procedure for elementary school youth may include just using a repeated pattern of sharing ideas (“I think…”), seconds (“Who else agrees?”), calls for discussion (“What other ideas do we have?”), and voting (“All in favor..”).
If your club is using a system, simplified or not, it’s vital that all youth members have an interactive opportunity to learn how it works!
Teaching Parliamentary Procedure & Meeting Structure
Learn more
Empowering Youth Through Parliamentary Procedure Tip Sheet (PDF)
For more information and resources on building a collaborative club environment for youth and adults, check out our page on Building the Youth-Adult Partnership!
Parliamentary Procedure – University of Illinois Extension (PDF)
Parliamentary Procedure refers to rules that exist so that business meetings are organized and orderly. The rules ensure that everyone has a chance to participate, be heard, and help the group reach decisions.
Only one person may speak at a time. The president of the organization announces the order of business and calls on people to speak. When a person wants the group to take action, he/she makes a motion suggesting that action, and the membership takes a vote to decide.
Resources from Other 4-H Programs
Resources in these drop down menus come from other state 4-H programs and may be helpful when learning what works best for you in your role as a 4-H Officer. Not every officer in the same position does things in the same way! If you need additional help, look around to see how others fulfill their responsibilities to see if it might work for you and always remember you can ask your club leaders, adult helpers, and 4-H staff for guidance and resources to help you successfully lead your club.
- President
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: President (YouTube video)
Serving as club president is a great leadership opportunity. Want to know more? In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Emmy explains what is involved.
Ohio 4-H President’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as president enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents, and your community. By conducting structured meetings and working to make sure all members have a chance to contribute to the club you are assisting in, you are creating the next generation of leaders for your club. You have the respect and admiration of club members to lead your club through a successful year as president.
Ohio 4-H President’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as president this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Vice President
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Vice President (YouTube video)
Want to know more about being vice president of your 4-H club? In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Trevor talks about the role and responsibilities.
Ohio 4-H Vice President’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as Vice President enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents, and your community. You function as the oversight and support person for committees within your club and you have the job of ensuring tasks are getting accomplished at the committee level. You also have the admiration of club members who elected you to guide their club through meetings in the absence of the president.
Ohio 4-H Vice President’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as vice president this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Secretary
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Secretary (YouTube video)
Serving as secretary of your 4-H club can be a great experience. Make things run smoothly for your club by listening as Kayla describes the duties in this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video.
Ohio 4-H Secretary’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as secretary enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents, and your community. You are responsible for accurate record keeping for your club by recording minutes of each meeting and communicating any correspondence received by the club. You interact with each club member when you take roll call attendance at the beginning of each meeting, so be creative and use that time to learn something about each member.
Ohio 4-H Secretary’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as secretary this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Treasurer
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Treasurer (YouTube video)
In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Natalie explains how to do your best as treasurer for your club.
Ohio 4-H Treasurer’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as treasurer enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents, and your community. You are responsible for accurate record keeping of the club’s income and expenses and providing input on decisions that require the club to spend money. You work with the advisors in your club to manage the checking account and file the financial summary at the end of the year with the county Extension office.
Ohio 4-H Treasurer’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as treasurer this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
Ohio 4-H Checkbook Balancing/Reconciliation Form (PDF)
This form should be used to compare your bank statement ending balance and your checkbook register to make sure they are balanced (equal) each month.
- Reporter
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: News Reporter (YouTube video)
In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Brianna explains how to do your best as news reporter for your club.
Ohio 4-H News Reporter’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as news reporter enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents and your community. You will learn the news story format and how to contact a newspaper.You will follow the five W’s and the one H of news writing. You will share pictures of your members at activities and events. And you will keep a record of articles that are published by the local media. As the club reporter, you will write and report what the public learns about your 4-H club. You can have a big impact on what people in your community know about your 4-H club and all the positive things your club is doing.
Ohio 4-H News Reporter’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource supplement, develop a plan for what you will do as the news reporter this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Recreation Leader
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Recreation (YouTube video)
Serving as recreation leader of your 4-H club can be a great experience. Improve your contributions by listening as Maddie describes the duties in this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video.
Ohio 4-H Recreation Leader’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as recreation leader enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents, and your community. You will use active and passive games to engage all members of your club. You will work with advisors to make sure activities are age appropriate for your club. By creating fun and entertaining recreational activities, you will encourage healthy skills your club members can use throughout their lives.
Ohio 4-H Recreation Leader’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as recreation leader this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Historian
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Historian (YouTube video)
In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Rebecca explains how do your best as historian for your club.
Ohio 4-H Historian’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book, develop a plan for what you will do as historian this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Safety Officer
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Healthy Living – Safety Officer (YouTube video)
Want to know more about the role of the club healthy living/safety officer? In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Cameron explains how to do your best.
- Healthy Living
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Healthy Living – Health Officer (YouTube video)
Want to know more about the role of the club healthy living/health officer? In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Molly explains how to do your best.
Ohio 4-H Officer Training: Healthy Living – Safety Officer (YouTube video)
Want to know more about the role of the club healthy living/safety officer? In this Ohio 4-H Officer Training video, Cameron explains how to do your best.
Ohio 4-H Healthy Living Officer’s Resource Guide (PDF)
When reciting the 4-H pledge, members pledge their health to better living. As the Healthy Living Officer, you have the opportunity to lead activities that will be both fun and educational for your 4-H club. In this resource guide, along with the 4-H Healthy Living Officer Book, you will find the tools to plan and carry out these activities.
Ohio 4-H Healthy Living Officer’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as a healthy living officer this year. Select activities from the items listed. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
- Community Service
Ohio 4-H Community Service Officer’s Resource Guide (PDF)
Your new position as community service officer enables you to connect with your friends, fellow members, advisors, parents, and your community. By creating a fun, meaningful community service project where everyone plays an active role, you will help others build stronger skills while helping your community.
Ohio 4-H Community Service Officer’s Record Book (PDF)
After reviewing this record book and the resource guide, develop a plan for what you will do as community service officer this year. Select activities from the items listed below. Feel free to be creative and add your own activities.
366 Community Service Ideas – University of Nebraska Lincoln Extension (PDF)
- Parliamentarian
Parliamentary Procedure Pocket Guide – The Ohio State University
Whether you are already a club leader or want to become one, this quick reference supplies information about planning and conducting meetings at your fingertips. Based on Robert’s Rules of Order, it covers agendas, simple procedures like opening and closing, and motions and amendments.