Join 4-H

So you want to make the best better…?

Thank you for your interest in the Portage County 4-H program! Please find below your step-by-step guide to becoming a Portage County 4-Her! If you have any questions about the enrollment process, please do not hesitate to contact the UW-Extension office at 715-346-1462.

Have an enrollment-related question? Scroll down to our Frequently Asked Questions. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, feel free to contact the Extension office.

Step 1: Find a Club

There are thirteen (13) 4-H clubs in Portage County, and you will need to find one to join before you enroll! We generally suggest that you attend the club meetings of two or more clubs and join the club that meets at a time and place that works with your schedule and where you feel the most comfortable. Please call the leader before you attend a meeting – just in case they have changed the time or location. To get a current listing of clubs and their meeting dates/times, please call the Portage County UW-Extension office at 715-346-1462 or email lisa.henriksen@wisc.edu.

Step 2: Get Enrolled

Once you have found a club you would like to join, it is time to enroll in 4-H Online! Step-by-step enrollment guides are available HERE. You are not considered an enrolled 4-Her and will not start receiving important e-mails or newsletters until you complete the enrollment process in 4-H Online!

Note that 4-H Online is not compatible with the Internet Explorer web browser. Please use the Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, or Safari web browsers when navigating 4-H Online.
Note that the Health Form does not have to be filled out right away when you enroll, and can be skipped. However, this will need to be updated for members when they attend trips or camps.
IMPORTANT! If you are enrolling between April 1 and September 1, you will not be able to add projects and submit your enrollment without staff assistance. Please complete the enrollment process for each youth through the Participation screen and then contact the UW-Extension office at 715-346-1462 with a list of the projects the youth would like to add.

Step 3: Explore Projects

Once you are an enrolled 4-Her and start attending club meetings, you will be able to explore your projects with the help of project leaders and the 4-H project literature. Keep up to date on the opportunities available to Portage County 4-Hers with the Portage County Extension Facebook Page, email and the latest 4-H Courier newsletter, released bi-monthly. With summer camps, animal fun shows, winter parties, speaking contests, fundraisers, Teen Association meetings, programs, banquets, and more, there is always something fun to do and something new to learn with Portage County 4-H!

Ask your club leader about how they order project literature; members can receive literature for up to 5 projects each year, and should only order for the project and grade level in which they are enrolled.
Scholarships for trips, camps, and higher education are available to 4-Hers through the Portage County 4-H Leaders Association and many other organizations! Be involved, be a leader, and be recognized for your achievements!

Step 4: Show Your Stuff!

There are two fairs in Portage County. The Amherst Fair is the third weekend in July. The Rosholt Fair is Labor Day weekend. 4-H members are encouraged to exhibit at one or both fairs (Cloverbuds do not enter competitive exhibits in the county fairs, but show their exhibits for participation ribbons). Note that you must be enrolled no later than April 1 of the fair year to be eligible to show exhibits at the fairs.

4-Hers track their progress by maintaining a record book. At the end of each 4-H year, record books are evaluated by club leaders, who recommend eligible youth for discs and awards to be presented each autumn at the 4-H Awards Program. Youth can also earn special discs for going on trips, applying for special awards, or for serving as an officer on the Teen Leaders Association Board.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a paper form I can use to enroll?

All enrollments must be done directly through 4-H Online. If you or someone you know has difficulty with computer or internet access, you are welcome to set up an appointment with the UW-Extension office to get enrolled. Please contact 715-346-1462 for assistance.

Can I enroll in more than one 4-H club?

Yes, if the 4-H clubs are all in Portage County. You can add multiple clubs on the Participation screen in 4-H Online, but you must select one to be your “Primary” 4-H Club.

If a youth is a member of 4-H in another county, can they also be a member of a Portage County 4-H club?

No. Although members can join multiple 4-H clubs within a county, they cannot be a 4-H member in multiple counties at the same time. If you would like to join 4-H in a different county, please contact the UW-Extension office of the county you are moving to. They will initiate the process for transferring your 4-H Online account to the new county.

I am trying to add projects to a youth's project list in 4-H Online, but they do not correspond to the exhibit numbers in the Fair Book. I want to make sure the youth is enrolled in the projects they need to exhibit at the fairs.

Entering exhibits for the Amherst or Rosholt Fairs is not the same as adding projects in 4-H Online. To determine the projects in which a youth may be interested, please consult the Project Guide. A youth will usually have to be enrolled in a related project in order to enter an exhibit at one of the fairs. Read the introductions to the Department and/or Class you are considering in the Fair Book to determine which project may be required to show an exhibit. The actual Department/Class/Lot will be entered on a paper form distributed by your club leader in the spring. Please contact the UW-Extension office with any questions about projects or exhibiting requirements.

I do not want my or my child's photo used in 4-H newsletters or on the Portage County UW-Extension website. Can I opt out of this?

Yes. When enrolling or re-enrolling a member in 4-H Online, you will be presented with an optional photo release on the waiver screen. Clicking “No” will tell us that you do not want photos of that member included in any UW-Extension media.