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Celebrating 100 Years of Gloucester County 4-H
This 4-H year, that runs September 2026 through August 2027, Gloucester County 4-H celebrates a century of “learning by doing” in our communities.
For 100 years, local youth, families, and volunteers have raised animals, grown gardens, built projects, given speeches, and served their towns, all under the four-leaf clover. Join us as we honor our past and look ahead to the next 100 years!
Who We Are
Gloucester County 4-H is the youth development program of Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Gloucester County. It connects local young people to the knowledge and resources of Rutgers University, part of the national network of land-grant universities that supports 4-H across the country. 4-H is open to all youth in grades K–13 (one year out of high school). Cloverbuds (grades K–3) explore a variety of projects, and members in grades 4–13 enroll in project clubs that match their interests.
4-H is built on the belief that young people learn best by doing. Whatever project a member chooses, caring adult mentors guide them, and every experience builds skills that prepare them for their future.
Beyond Ready
Gloucester County 4-H is proud to be part of Beyond Ready, National 4-H’s initiative to prepare 10 million young people by 2030 for whatever lies ahead in school, work, and life. Beyond Ready means more than being prepared. It means giving youth the confidence to push past what’s expected and imagine what’s possible.
In Gloucester County, Beyond Ready happens every day. You’ll see it when a member shows a lamb at the 4-H Fair, gives a presentation to a room of judges, leads a club meeting, or volunteers in their hometown. Through hands-on projects and caring adult mentors, our members discover their “spark” and build life skills such as public speaking, leadership, responsibility, and citizenship.
Program Areas
- STEM: Youth explore science, technology, engineering, and math through fun, hands-on activities.
- Agriculture: Members discover where food comes from and learn to care for and manage animals through projects in livestock, horsemanship, small animals, and more. These projects take center stage each summer at the Gloucester County 4-H Fair.
- Healthy Living: Programs help youth balance their physical, mental, and emotional health.
- Civic Engagement: Youth learn to be informed, active citizens in their communities and beyond.
Gloucester County offers a variety of year-round clubs, led by trained volunteers, in each of these program areas. Visit our 4-H Project Clubs page to find one near you.
4-H by the Numbers
- 6 million youth in 4-H nationally, supported by 500,000 trained volunteers and 35 million 4-H alumni
- Compared to their peers, 4-H’ers are two times more likely to have the goal of being a leader, three times more likely to participate in community service, and two times more likely to report living life with intentionality and purpose
- 90% of youth feel safe in 4-H, 85% feel welcome, and 95% feel respected by the adults they work with
- 66% of 4-H youth say 4-H helps them get ready for work and careers
The Gloucester County 4-H Fair
Each July, Gloucester County 4-H and the 4-H Fair Association host the Gloucester County 4-H Fair at the fairgrounds in Mullica Hill. At the fair, members show, display, and demonstrate the projects they have worked on all year. A tradition since 1947, the fair draws roughly 20,000 visitors from across the tri-state area.
For fair dates, schedules, and information on other events held at the fairgrounds, visit the Gloucester County 4-H Fair Association website.
Beyond the County
Gloucester County 4-H’ers take part in regional, state, and national opportunities, including the South Jersey 4-H Teen Conference, State 4-H Public Presentations at Rutgers University, and National 4-H events. Our members have a long history of earning state and national recognition for their skills and talents!
Get Involved
Youth can become official 4-H members by enrolling through ZSuite, New Jersey 4-H’s enrollment system. Adult volunteers are always needed as club leaders and event helpers. All registered adult 4-H volunteers in New Jersey complete a screening process and receive training at no cost.
For more information, contact the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Gloucester County 4-H office at 856-224-8040 x3.
