Skip to main content
Extension Employees WVU Home

West Virginia 4-H

For more than 100 years, 4-H has helped Mountain State youth find their future. Today, from science-based learning to historical lessons, 4-H cultivates tomorrow's leaders and offers comprehensive growth for the whole family.

Join the West Virginia 4-H tradition

Timely Topics

Timely information from WVU Extension experts.

Join WV 4-H
two young girls and one boy looking at a jar with bugs and grass inside
College Resources
A student lifts his arms in success, standing on a large rock overlooking a vast forest valley.
4-H Club Volunteers
An adult volunteer surrounded by 4-H'ers.

West Virginia 4-H News & Events of Interest

Photo of student standing at a podium presenting in front of a screen with the words "Natural Resources and Agriculture Business Pioneer Competition" overlayed on top. The Flying "WV" and "Extension" written in bottom left corner

Win up to $3,000 in the Natural Resources & Agriculture Business Pioneer Competition

High school students, including virtual, homeschool, career/technical students, are invited to compete. Register by Sept. 30.

4-H Calendar of Events

4-H Events

Find West Virginia 4-H events.

4-H Volunteer Retreat
National 4-H Conference
Citizenship Washington Focus
4-H Volunteer

4-H Volunteers

Our program offers volunteer opportunities for youths, adolescents and adults.

STEM Ambassadors
4-H Volunteer Retreat
4-H members sitting in a room with a table that has the American flag and 4-H flag, a gavel, and notebook

4-H Clubs in WV

WVU 4-H offers community and specialty 4-H clubs across the state.

4-H Club Chartering
two young girls and one boy looking at a jar with bugs and grass inside

Join WV 4-H

West Virginia 4-H is a free, educational program for West Virginia youth in all 55 counties.

4-H Programs

Programs

Develop life skills and become a more active citizen.

4-H All Stars
4-H LIFE
Ag in the Classroom
ATV Safety
Camping
Citizenship
Cloverbuds
Collegiate 4-H
Communications & Expressive Arts
Community Service
Energy Express
Extension Camping Instructor
Global Citizenship
Healthy Lifestyles Initiative
Shooting Sports
STEM
West Virginia Statewide Afterschool Network
Youth Agriculture
Example of 4-H projects

What Interests You

Grow and learn about topics that interest you with WVU 4-H projects.

A student lifts his arms in success, standing on a large rock overlooking a vast forest valley.

Apply for 4-H Scholarships

Scholarships for 4-H'ers to attend WVU. All applications due: March 1.

Fizer Scholarship for 4-H'ers
Helen T. Waters 4-H Scholarship
John & Lucile Lough 4-H Scholarship
Paul A. & Francena L. Miller Presidential Scholarship

Upcoming West Virginia 4-H Events

Recent WV 4-H News

4-H Volunteer Retreat

The words 4-H Volunteers and a 4-H clover surrounded by hands reaching out with hearts in the palms

Registration is now open for the 2023 4-H Volunteer Retreat! WV 4-H Volunteers, All Stars, Adult Leaders, and Alumni (18 years or older) who serve, or want to learn more about serving, as volunteers with the West Virginia 4-H program are invited.

The conference will be held  Friday, September 29, 2023 - Sunday, October 1, 2023.

4-H Volunteer Retreat

Season 4, Episodes 26-30 - Energy Express on WVPB 

Monday, July 24, 2023, 5:30 p.m.   

To kick off today’s episode, Jen Robertson-Honecker, WVU Extension STEM Specialist, and Ben, the flashlight wizard, lead a STEM activity, teaching us how to make our own flashlights. For this activity, you will need jumbo craft sticks, LEDs, coin cell batteries, jumbo paper clips, copper tape, masking tape, scissors. If all that science worked up an appetite, you’re in luck! Susan Lily, a nutrition instructor with the WVU Extension Family Nutrition Program, walks us through how to make some delicious energy bars. For this recipe, you will need rice cereal, quick cooking oats, toasted nuts, dried cranberries, unsweetened coconut, honey, low-fat peanut butter and vanilla.  

 

Season 4, Episodes 26-30 - Energy Express on WVPB 

Season 4, Episodes 21-25 - Energy Express on WVPB 

Monday, July 17, 2023, 5:30 p.m.   

This episode is a rerun from season 3. 

Ready, player one! Today we’re learning all about esports and WVU’s champion team. WVU Esports Director Josh Steger explains the team’s training schedule and how esports are different from other traditional sports. Then we head back to Jackson’s Mill for some more “Run of the Mill” history with program coordinator and historian Joe Obidzinski. Today, he teaches us about grist milling and how the mill that is currently at WVU Jackson’s Mill made its way to where it sits today. Fun fact: it took nine years to move it from its original home! We even get a demonstration of how the mill functions to close out today’s episode. 

Season 4, Episodes 21-25 - Energy Express on WVPB 

4-H Members encouraged to make an Ornament for the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Initiative

A brown sign next to a pine tree with snow and colorful balls hanging from the branches. The words "Monongalia National Forest West Virginia" are on the brown sign. A red ribbon is below the image with the words "2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree."As part of the 50+ year USDA Forest Service tradition, Monongahela National Forest is providing the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree, which will grace the West Lawn of the U.S. Capitol, along with smaller trees for federal offices in Washington, D.C. How do all of these trees get decorated? With lots and lots of handmade ornaments! We need your help to create ornaments for the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree and smaller trees that will be displayed this holiday season in Washington, D.C.

A brown sign next to a pine tree with snow and colorful balls hanging from the branches. The words "Monongalia National Forest West Virginia" are on the brown sign. A red ribbon is below the image with the words "2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree."

Ornaments must be made by a current 4-H member (age nine by June 30, 2023, up to age twenty-one by September 30, 2023). No project requirements.

4-H Members encouraged to make an Ornament for the 2023 U.S. Capitol Christmas Tree Initiative

Season 4, Episodes 16-20 - Energy Express on WVPB 

Monday, July 10, 2023, 5:30 p.m.   

Get out your tiny wallets! It’s time to learn about financial literacy with Lauren Weatherford, family and community development agent in Fayette and Nicholas counties. She walks us through how to identify our wants versus our needs and how to make smart choices with our money. Next, Summers County Extension Agent Lesley Woodrum shows us how to make our own piggy banks at home using materials that are often just thrown away. For this activity, you will need a container with a lid, such as a peanut butter jar, a box or even an empty disinfectant wipes canister, markers, colorful paper or stickers for decoration, and an adult to help you cut a hole in the top of your bank. 

Then, WVU student Charmaine Riestenberg walks us through how to transform an old T-shirt into something new. For this activity, you will need a T-shirt, colored pencil or chalk, and scissors. To cap off this episode, WVU student Jordan Spears gives us a tour of the Fashion Design Studio at WVU.  

Season 4, Episodes 16-20 - Energy Express on WVPB 

Browse WV 4-H News