Welcome to Texas 4-H! Here’s how to get started!
Enroll in 4-H
Individuals interested in being apart of 4-H must enroll or re-enroll on 4-H Connect in order to be approved as a 4-H member (even if you attend monthly club meetings). Enroll HERE: https://v2.4honline.com/
If you entered the Austin County Fair under 4-H, you must also enroll on 4-H Connect by September 1st in order for your Fair entry to be approved. On September 1st, all communications will cease unless re-enrolled. If you would like to update your email, you may do so when re-enrolling. Please make sure this is an account you regularly check as most communication occurs through email. Below are some step-by-step instructions for enrolling and re-enrolling YOUTH members, as well as some important details to pay close attention to:
- If your child is in 3rd grade or below, WAIT to enroll them online until SEPTEMBER 1ST to complete their enrollment or they will be marked as a clover kid and they will not be considered a 4-H member.
- If your child was previously enrolled on 4-H Online, please follow the Youth Re-Enrollment Instructions HERE.
- If your child has not been enrolled on 4-H Online before, please read through the Youth Enrollment Instructions HERE.
- If you have other members already enrolled in 4-H, be sure to log in to your family profile and select “add member”.
- Enrolling multiple children? 4-H Profiles are family based. The Family Guide can be found HERE.
- Credit Card instructions are attached for help navigating payment if needed HERE.
- Sometimes the system will flag family payment with multiple children as fraudulent charges, due to the same amount being charged simultaneously. If you receive a notice that your card was declined, please wait 24 hours to resubmit and it should clear itself. The system will NOT charge your card multiple times if you resubmit.
- Each 4-H year begins on September 1st through August. Each year, you will have to re-enroll members during enrollment time to maintain their membership.
Congratulations on your membership and welcome to Texas 4-H!!
Next Steps
- Decide which club works best for your family. There are no species specific or project specific clubs. A full list of available clubs and meeting times can be found HERE.
- There are numerous projects that members can participate in including: food and nutrition, clothing and textiles, photography, share-the-fun, public speaking, educational presentations, quiz bowl, livestock judging, horse judging, meats, leadership, shooting sports, etc. Timelines and times of participation vary by project.
- Information regarding upcoming meetings, events, project educational opportunities, and contests is shared via via the 4-H Online system, as well as discussed at club meetings.
- The six required face-to-face meetings required to exhibit under Austin County 4-H at the Austin County Fair will come from attending club meetings. Two of those meetings can also be county council meetings or species project meetings. Species project meeting dates will be shared once project leaders finalize their availability. Members may also attend a different club meeting other than their usual club to receive credit, as long as they sign in.
- To be eligible to show under Austin County 4-H at the Austin County Fair, exhibitors must be a member in good standing on 4-H Online, as well as attend at least 6 face-to-face meetings. At fair entry time (August), club managers will verify whether members have attended the required meetings to be eligible for entry. Then, all entries will go through an approval process through the office.
- Information regarding tag-in dates, rules, and guidelines related to the Austin County Fair can be found HERE. The livestock catalog is the best resource and reference regarding important dates. Be sure to review the Species rules as well.
Should you have any questions, you may contact the Austin County Extension office at 979-865-2072. We are open Monday – Friday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM & 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.
