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State 4-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 9 as of 6/30/2026, up to age 21 as of 9/30/2026*) may enter regardless of his/her project enrollment. No project requirements.

Age Divisions

There are three (3) age divisions:

  • Junior – 4-H members age 9 to 11 by June 30, 2026
  • Intermediate – 4-H members age 12 to 14 by June 30, 2026
  • Senior – 4-H members age 15 to 21* by June 30, 2026

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 be moving to EZFair in 2026. Stay tuned for more information..

Check with your local Extension office for the deadline to submit the photos to meet their deadline for the state contest.

Categories

There are nine (9) categories for the poster contest:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. 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. 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.
  5. Healthy Living: 2026 prompt: Show what healthy living means to you! Create a poster illustrating a healthy habit you practice every day and how 4-H helps you build a lifestyle of wellness.
  6. Civic Engagement: 2026 prompt: Celebrate America’s 250th birthday! Create a poster showing what an engaged citizen means to you and how 4-H helps you contribute to your community and country.
  7. Agriculture: 2026 prompt: Celebrate the role of agriculture in our lives! Create a poster showing why agriculture is important in West Virginia and how 4-H connects you to farming, food production, or the future of agriculture.
  8. STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math): 2026 prompt: Explore the world of Artificial Intelligence! Create a poster showing how AI impacts our lives, your community, or the future, and how 4-H helps you learn about technology.
  9. 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

    Augusta Judy Greenbrier County 2021 State 4-H 4-H General Poster Senior Division Winner
  • Number of Posters – A 4-H member can enter any or all nine (9) 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 should be no larger than 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, 2026), 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.
State Level
  • Posters will be judged at the state level. All state-level entries will receive a certificate, an appropriate ribbon award, a State Fair ribbon, and a 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 13-22, 2026. 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.

Previous year's entries can be viewed electronically

Poster Design - as Easy as 1, 2, 3

The purpose of this page is to provide basic tips and tricks related to poster design for 4-H members who would like to participate in the State 4-H Poster Contest. This page could also serve as a good resource for 4-H volunteers or 4-H families who support 4-H members in participating in this state level contest.

Steps to Creating a 4-H Poster

  1. Develop a plan by drawing a rough sketch of your poster. Consider questions like: Is a vertical or horizontal layout better? What type of picture will you use to convey your message? Will you draw the picture yourself or use something else to help you create it?
  2. Create legible lettering by using letters that are cut out, drawn, or stenciled. You can also use "stick on" letters. Make sure they are easy to read. A 14 x 28 poster should have letters 2 to 4 inches high.
  3. Use "the rule of thirds" to create a strong center of interest. Think of a tic-tac-toe baord - your main design should fall in the center.

An Effective 4-H Poster

  1. Grabs and holds attention
  2. Is easy to understand
  3. Has one main idea and a consistent message

A good 4-H Poster design includes:

  1. The Illustration - balanced and original work (no cartoon characters or copyrights).
  2. The message - readable, concise, and clear. Message should be easy to understand. Less is more.
  3. Open space - avoid crowded look. Open space helps keep the viewer's attention. A good poster to should have a one-inch margin around the border of the poster.

A good 4-H Poster should be:

  1. Simple, Clean, and Neat - letters can be drawn, painted, or cut from paper and glued to poster.
  2. Colorful - use color but no more than 2 or 3 colors. Use the "color wheel" to create contrast.
  3. Have simple illustrations - must be able to carry the message in a single, simple idea.