Santa Cruz County

4-H Community Club Program

Santa Cruz County 4-H Program
Going Beyond Ready 4H

4-H helps kids find their spark, build real world skills and become resilient, adaptable, lifelong learners.

For our youth the road ahead may be challenging, yet 4-H'ers are succeeding. Data shows that compared to their peers they're:

  • 2x more likely to have the goal of being a leader
  • 3x more likely to participate in community service
  • 2x more likely to report living life with intentionality and purpose

*Tufts University longitudinal study of Positive Youth Development, 2021

Join 4-H youth program year round!

4-H equips kids with essential life skills, confidence, and a deep sense of belonging through epic hands-on learning experiences.

Join today and start your 4-H youth and family adventure by registering with a 4-H club of your choose.

Ages 5 to 18 years old

2024-2025 4-H registration fees

$72.00 per youth member

$30.00 per adult volunteers  

Come check out the 4-H clubs in our county today.

Contact the 4-H program office for more information by email: jkatawicz@ucanr.edu or phone 831-205-3180.

For more information go to the tab "Joining 4-H Today" 

4-H offers youth limitless opportunity for friendship, growth, fun, and life skills.  By engaging youth and adults in a meaningful partnerships, 4-H helps youth to reach their full potential as competent, confident, leaders of character who contribute and are connected to their communities.  To learn more about what the 4-H program has to offer our youth, check out the 4-H New Family Handbook.

Upcoming events: 

  • 2nd Saturday event 
    • Ag History Project
    • Location: Ag History Project at Santa Cruz Fairgrounds
    • Time: 11 am to 3 pm
    • Event Dates: 2nd Saturday of every month
    • Free event with actives - Family fun 
  • 4-H Tri-County Presentation Day, March 29, 2025
    • Hosted by San Benito county 4-H program
    • Event date: March 29, 2025
    • Time: 8:45 am to 12:30 pm
    • Location: Veteran's Building upstairs
      • 649 San Benito St, Hollister
    • Registration closes: March 20,2025
    • Registration
    • Volunteer registration (judges (evaluator), room monitor, or club active table station chairman.
    • 4-H Presentation Day Manual
  • Vegetable Identification Workshop, May 4,2025
    • Learn about the veetables identification contest to particpate in judging contest held at fairs, with tips & tricks from the experts
    • Open to 4-H & FFA members in San Benito, Santa Cruz & Monterey counties
    • Date: May 4, 2025
    • Time: 10:30 am
    • Location: Coopers Calling at 6980 Airline Hwy, Tres Pinos
    • RSVP by April 26th to Kennedy at skowkennedy@gmail.com
  • State Field Day, May 17, 2025
    • Date: May 17th @ UC Davis
    • Venue: Wellman & the Quad
    • Registration will run March - April
      • Dates being finalized
        • Need Film Festival Lead for 2025
        • Need Robotics Lead for 2026
        • Need Insect ID Lead for 2026
        • Survey for 2025 Staff Volunteers
  • Citizen Washington Focus conference, June 14-20, 2025

  • Rooted in legacy but re imagined for today, CWF is THE event for teens to learn leadership and communication skills through history, democracy, and our amendments. For 6 days, teens from around the nation will gather to have meaningful discussions and learn the skills they need to lead their local communities and become change agents to build a brighter future.

    • The youth must register through the 4-H state office.
    • The registration fee is $2559
      • check with office for scholarship available by 4-H VMO (council)
      • You can check with your 4-H club for scholarships as well.
    • The youth that attend will have to present at a 4-H council meeting and 4-H club meeting on the CFW.
    • Information from the National 4-H office on the conference

    Just remember you must register through our 4-H state office with Ryan Cleveland at rpcleveland@ucanr.edu

  • 4-H Camp, June 22, 2025- June 26, 2025
    • 4-H Summer Camp registration is now open
    • 4-H camp is held in Felton
    • Age 9 to 18
    • Clover Day camp for youth 5-8
      • June 24th
    • 4-H Camp registration
      • Santa Cruz 4-H VMO will sponsor TEN partial camp scholarships at $250 each. A 4-H member must be in good standing with an active youth membership.  
      • Youth will have to register online and pay $210 for their part of the 4-H camp registration

Bird Flu Ban as of January 7,2025: 

"Please be advised:  Due to the spread of H5N1 Avian Influenza (Bird Flu), the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) State Veterinarian-Director, Dr. Annette Jones has implemented a ban on all California Poultry and Dairy Exhibitions at Fairs and Shows effective January 07, 2025. 
 
This action is required to minimize the danger of exposing people and non-infected  birds and cows to the disease. Please refer to the attachment for details of the ban. Please disseminate to those you deem should have the information. Thank you for your support and cooperation."
 
"Any of us with dairy cows and domestic poultry (commercial and backyard flocks) can minimize the danger of exposing people and non-infected cows and poultry (chickens, geese, turkey, ducks and domestic quail) to the disease by stepping up bio-security measures through: 
  • Avoiding the commingling of wild bird populations, with other poultry/dairy cows, and you. 
  • Consider surgery booties on your feet while at feed stores, or, change shoes when you get to home or to a barn to work with livestock (Walking in and out of a local feed store and, going directly home to your barn is highly risky).
  • Avoid moving or sharing equipment that may serve to transfer the virus. 
  • Report any unusual/suspicious illness or deaths to your local veterinarian or CDFA Sick Bird Hotline at 866-922-BIRD (2473)."
For more details 

4-H office:

Our main office is open on Monday through Thursday 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for assistance. 

4-H staff office hours Tuesday through Thursday 9 am to 4:30 pm. 

Please make an appointment with Julie Katawicz if you need assistance at the 4-H office. 

Julie Katawicz - 4-H Program Rep contact: jkatawicz@ucanr.edu phone (831) 205-3180