As a positive youth development organization, 4-H strives to provide research-based curricula and resources for youth programming. The goal of communications and expressive arts activities is to provide a forum for youth to share their interpretation of "What Do You See?" and self-expression in photography, posters and writing.
This year, 4-H members will have the opportunity to submit posters, photos, and creative writing pieces to be judged at the county level. Top county winners will be sent on to state competitions. State winners will have their pieces displayed at the State Fair of WV and will receive both State 4-H and State Fair ribbons for their work, as well as State Fair premiums.
For more information about these contests and categories - visit our links on the State 4-H page. Ask your 4-H Club Leader how you can get involved in one of these contests, or call the WVU Extension Service office in Wood County at 304-424-1960.
4-H Poster Contest 4-H Photo Contest 4-H Writing Exhibition4-H Poster Contest
What Is The 4-H Poster Contest?
The 4-H Poster Contest is designed to increase 4-H members' awareness of the topics and to give 4-H'ers an opportunity for artistic expression.
Who
Any current 4-H member (age 8 by 6/30/2024 up to age 21 by 9/30/2025) may enter regardless of his/her project enrollment. No project requirements.
Age Divisions
There are three (3) age divisions:
- Junior – 4-H members age 8 to 10 by June 30, 2024
- Intermediate – 4-H members age 11 to 13 by June 30, 2024
- Senior – 4-H members age 14 to 21 by June 30, 2024
Counties are welcome to accept Cloverbud exhibits. However, Cloverbud exhibits may only be exhibited at the county level and should be recognized at the county level in accordance with the state Cloverbud policies.
Categories
There are ten (10) categories for the poster contest:
- 4-H Promotion – General: To increase awareness about the 4-H program. This category is for promoting 4-H overall and specific 4-H activities may fall into one of the categories listed below.
- 4-H Promotion – Club and Special Interest Programs: To increase awareness about 4-H clubs and special interest programs. Examples include community clubs, afterschool clubs, and specialty programs like shooting sports, robotics, livestock, outdoor, photography, and teen leadership.
- 4-H Promotion – Camp: To increase awareness about the 4-H camping program. Posters can focus on camping overall or a specific camp - county, regional, or state; weekend, overnight, or day camp.
- 4-H Promotion – Beyond Ready: To increase awareness about how 4-H helps youth dream, achieve, and thrive in a changing world. 4-H is building a ready generation in a world of change.
- 4-H at Fairs – 100th State Fair of West Va: To increase awareness about how 4-H has been a part of fairs and festivals for over 100 years. The State Fair of West Virginia will be celebrating 100 years in 2025.
- Healthy Living: To increase awareness about healthy lifestyle issues on topics such as nutrition; physical activity; social-emotional health; drug prevention; safety and prevention in areas like food, ATV, farming, fire, water.
- Civic Engagement: To increase awareness of youths' role in civic leadership and service to their communities. This category also explores government principles, cultural history, and global education.
- Agriculture: To increase awareness of topics related to agriculture to gain better understanding of the role of agriculture in our society. Topics such as horticulture, livestock, wildlife.
- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math): To increase awareness of STEM activities and careers in topics such as life sciences; technology; robotics; applied mathematics; computer science; engineering; environmental and natural sciences.
- Dairy: To show, using an imaginative theme, that milk is an important source of nutrients and to promote the use of milk *sponsor – American Dairy Association.
Rules
- Number of Posters – A 4-H member can enter any or all ten (10) categories in their age division.
- Individual – All posters must be constructed by one 4-H member individually. No team posters.
- Materials – Posters should be standard poster board. Foam board will not be accepted. Possible materials to use on the poster board are: markers, crayons, colored pencils, pasted-on construction paper or fabric (flat), paint, press-on letters, or stenciled letters (filled in). Nothing must protrude from or stick up on the poster, it MUST be a flat poster submission!
- Size – All posters must be 22” x 14”. (This is one-half of a full sheet of poster board).
- Original Work – All posters must be created by the 4-H members submitting them. Pinterest and Internet search engines can be used for inspiration, but copying a poster from the internet is not appropriate and will not be accepted. Posters also may not contain copyrighted characters. Some copyrighted examples are Disney Characters, Snoopy, Minecraft, and Harry Potter.
- 4-H Name and Emblem – All uses of the 4-H Club Name or Emblem shall be consistent with the educational purposes, character-building objectives, and dignity of the 4-H program and the 4-H Club Name or Emblem shall be given a position of prominence. It is not permissible to superimpose any letter, design, or object on the 4-H Club Emblem, or to materially alter its intended shape. For more information, review Using the 4-H Name and Emblem (PDF).
- Identification – Each poster must have the following information in the upper left corner on the back of the poster: Name, County, Age (as of June 30, 2024), poster category, age division. Use the provided tags for this information.
Displays & Rewards
County Level- Posters will be judged at the county level. One poster in each category and age division may be submitted for state judging. It is at the county’s discretion to send winning posters on to the state level contest.
- Posters will be judged at the state level. All state level entries will receive a certificate, appropriate ribbon award, State Fair ribbon, and premium ($3.50) for each poster entered at the state level.
- Posters submitted to the state level will be on display electronically at the State Fair of West Virginia - August 7 – 16, 2025. Dairy category posters will be physically displayed at the State Dairy Show in August at WVU Jackson’s Mill.
- Special Award for Dairy Category – The state winner in each of the three age categories will receive a homemade ice cream freezer. The freezers will be awarded at the West Virginia Dairy Cattle Show and Festival. The sponsor of the freezers is the American Dairy Association.
- Special Award for 4-H Promotion Categories – The individuals who create the top poster (out of the 3 age divisions) at the State level will have an opportunity to work with our WVU Extension Communication Department to further develop the posters into a promotion piece that will be used statewide during future 4-H programs and events.
4-H Photo Contest
What Is The State 4-H Photo Exhibition?
The State 4-H Photo Exhibition is designed to encourage 4-H members to take and exhibit pictures that interpret 4-H to the exhibit viewers... communicate what 4-H is all about. Emphasis should be placed on 4-H activities.
Who
Photos must be taken by a 4H member (age 8 by 6/30/2024 up to age 21 by 9/30/2025), but the member need not be enrolled in a 4H photography project. The exhibitor must be a 4H member during the year the photo is submitted.
Counties are welcome to accept Cloverbud exhibits. However, Cloverbud exhibits may only be exhibited at the county level and should be recognized at the county level in accordance with the state Cloverbud policies.
Registration
Registration will open on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 at 7:00 a.m. and will close on Friday, March 28th, 2025 at 11:55 p.m. All participants must register and electronically submit their entry by completing the State 4-H Photo Exhibition event registration in ZSuite no later than Friday, March 28th, 2025.
Registration will be handled through the 4-H ZSuite Online System.
View All WVU 4-H State Contests
Rules
- Number – A 4-H member can enter up to two (2) photos in this contest.
- Photo Size – Photos must be either 3” x 5” or 4” x 6” in size.
- Mounting – Each photo must be mounted. The mounting material should be 5” x 7” and can be oriented vertically or horizontally. Mounting material can be cardstock, foam board, poster board, or a picture mat. It should be heavy material, so no printer paper or construction paper. Do not put photos in picture frames.
- Identification – Each photo must have the following information on the center, back of the picture: Name, County, Age, and an identifying caption for the picture. Use the provided tags for this information.
Displays & Rewards
- The State 4H Photo Exhibition will be on display at the State Fair of West Virginia - August 7 – 16, 2025.
- All participants will receive a State Fair ribbon, certificate, and premium ($3.50) for each photo entered.
- Photos will be returned to counties following the State Fair during checkout day for the 4-H exhibits.
- Individuals visiting the State Fair will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite photos and the top photos will be announced following the State Fair. There are no additional ribbons or premiums for those selected as People’s Choice winners.
4-H Writing Exhibition
What Is The State 4-H Writing Exhibition?
The State 4-H Writing Exhibition is designed to encourage 4-H members to express their thoughts, feelings, understanding and impressions through written media. Exhibits should compel the observer to feel, think or be inspired by the 4-H member’s interpretation and expression.
This writing exhibition was developed as an initiative through the NAE4-HA Communications and Expressive Arts working group.
Who
Any current 4-H member (age 8 by 6/30/2024 up to 21 as of 9/30/2025) may enter regardless of his/her project enrollment. No project requirements.
Categories
There are four (4) categories for the 2025 Writing Exhibition: Essay, Short Story, Poetry, and Special for 2025 – Celebrating 100 Years of the State Fair.
Registration
Registration will open on Wednesday, January 15th, 2025 at 7:00 a.m. and will close on Friday, March 28th, 2025 at 11:55 p.m. All participants must register and electronically submit their entry by completing the State 4-H Writing Exhibition event registration in ZSuite no later than Friday, March 28th, 2025.
Registration will be handled through the 4-H ZSuite Online System.
View All WVU 4-H State Contests
Rules
- Number of Entries – A 4-H member can enter no more than one entry for each of the four (4) categories in 4-H Writing Exhibition.
- Length of Entries – Maximum 1,000 words.
- Original Work – All entries must be written by the 4-H members submitting them. Copying someone else’s work is not appropriate and will not be accepted.
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Format information
– Document should be typed using 12-point font, single-spaced, 1” margins,
8.5” x 11” size page. - Identification – Each entry must have the following information at the top center: Name, County, Age, and category. This information can be inserted into the document’s header.
Displays & Rewards
- The State 4H Writing Exhibition will be displayed electronically at the State Fair of West Virginia - August 7 – 16, 2025.
- All participants will receive a State Fair ribbon, certificate, and premium ($3.50) for each writing entry.