Eligibility Guidelines

updated 8/04

THE 4-H YEAR
The 4-H program year begins on August 1 and ends on July 31.

The ages for enrollment in 4-H will be based on the age of youth as of January 1 of the academic year.
    Example: A 4-H'er must be less than 19 on 1-1-02 to participate from 9-1-01 to 8-31-02
 

GEORGIA 4-H GENERAL ELIGIBILITY RULES

1. Any youth residing in or attending school in Georgia may enroll in Georgia 4-H after he or she has reached the age of nine or  has begun the fall semester of the fifth
    grade, whichever comes first. Youth may remain members of 4-H providing their  nineteenth (19th) birthday has not passed by January 1 of the current 4-H year as
    defined above. Youth who have not graduated  from high school, or youth with special education  needs who are older than nineteen, may enroll in 4-H with the approval of     the State 4-H Leader.

2. Students must be certified to be a 4-H member by their County Extension Agent.

3. A student must be enrolled in 4-H in order to carry out a project and/or other related competitive activities in 4-H.

4. The member must not have attended the same National 4-H Event previously.

5.  The 4-H'er must compete with the appropriate county as described below:

A 4-H'er should participate and compete in the county where they reside or the county in which they go to school. Residence is established based on legal guardianship. In every case, a student must compete with only one county during a year. The year for competition purposes is the academic year (August 1-July 31).

Exceptions are as follows: A 4-H member moves or a 4-H member changes school during the academic year.

If a student chooses to compete or run for 4-H office in a county other than that of residence or school attendance for some extenuating circumstances, eligibility for participation and competition must be determined by an agreement between the Extension Agent coordinating 4-H in the county where a student is resident, the Extension Agent coordinating 4-H in the county in which they wish to compete, and the member's parents and/or guardian. The family of the student must initiate the communication of a request to the Extension agent coordinating 4-H in their county (where they reside or go to school) to compete anywhere other than the county of residence or school attendance. The local agent then notifies the 4-H coordinator in the second county in question.  If the member meets the criteria for the move and has the approval of the 4-H coordinators in both counties as well as the approval of the parent/guardian, the written request for the move for atleast 12 months must be mainted on file in the office where the student has declared membership (the second county) and a copy sent to the State 4-H Office and the District 4-H office.  Click here for copy of the Change of County 4-H Membership Form.

 A decision on where a student will compete should be based on positive youth development principles rather than competitive advantages. A standing committee on 4-H competition eligibility will be established to evaluate any situation that cannot be resolved within the given structure as stated above at the county level. The FFA/4-H memorandum of understanding on competition is valid and in some cases influences any rulings on this issue. The agents involved and the standing committee will always consider local school policy, no pass/no play regulations, disciplinary probation, and other issues relating to local policy.

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