National 4-H Conference

National 4-H Conference 2020 is cancelled.
Virtual National 4-H Conference 2021
April 10 – 15, 2021
The 2021 National 4-H Conference will be held virtually. More information will be shared from National 4-H.
Please contact Jenna Colburn at jcolburn@ucanr.edu with questions.
Sponsorship of California 4-H's delegation
Thanks to a generous sponsorship from the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation through the California 4-H Foundation, the costs are covered for the California 4-H delegation.
Purpose of California’s Delegation to the National 4-H Conference
- Provide opportunities for California youth and adults to participate in and contribute to 4-H on the national level.
- Assist California 4-H Youth Development in strengthening youth-adult partnerships and involving youth, volunteers, and staff in 4-H decision-making.
- Provide a system for an exchange of 4-H Youth Development programming ideas among states.
- Make legislators aware of the tremendous impact of the 4-H program.
Who can be on California 4-H delegation
- Youth who have not represented University of California 4-H Youth Development Program at the National 4-H Conference before;
- 4-H youth ages 16 and up.

Develop Recommendations for the 4-H Youth Development Program Nationally
The National 4-H Conference is the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture's premier youth development opportunity to engage youth in developing recommendations for the 4-H Youth Development Program.
This event brings together youth, volunteer leaders, and state and county extension staff members from across the United States, the U.S. territories, and the Canadian provinces.
A working conference
Youth and adults develop recommendations to help guide 4-H Youth Development Programs nationally and in their communities.
Sponsored by the National 4-H Headquarters
As the sponsor for this conference, the National 4-H Headquarters is charged with sharing the recommendations that emerge from the conference with the Secretary of Agriculture, national extension program leaders, and others who determine 4-H programs. At the same time, the National 4-H Headquarters ensures that the conference is a meaningful experience for youth and adult participants.
National 4-H Conference experience
Providing the Youth Perspective on Physical Activity Messaging
Every spring, 4-H clubs send delegates to the National 4-H Conference to put their skills into practice by addressing a challenge posed by a federal agency. The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) challenged a group of 4-H members to identify different adolescent ‘activity styles,’ or personas, and to provide the youth perspective for how to communicate the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans to adolescents. Read more on the health.gov News Blog
Watch the videos below to learn more about different aspects of the National 4-H Conference