Cooperative Extension Service

1. This Kentucky Policy on 4-H Age is meant as a clarification, particularly for the upper end of the age range.  It becomes especially important when issues of fairness regarding competition are in question.  Our ultimate goal is to offer the 4-H experience to as many Kentucky youth as possible.  I will rely on the good judgment of 4-H Agents as the means for implementation of this policy.
   
   
2. As of September 1, 2006, the “4-H Program Year” in Kentucky will always be from September 1 through August 31.  The 4-H Program Year will be twelve months in duration and will coincide exactly with the twelve months used for reporting enrollment numbers using the Mar-Tech system of reporting.  (The
   4-H Program Year will include culminating “events” that occur after September 1, such as a few county fairs, the Shooting Sports State Competition, national 4-H judging and skillathon events, and National
   4-H Congress.)
   
   
3. Kentucky 4-H Age will be age on January 1 of the current program year (this coming year, the year after that, etc.). On January 1 of the current program year, a youth must be 18 years old or younger to participate in 4-H during that 4-H Program Year. When a youth is 19 years of age on or before January 1 of the current 4-H Program Year, that youth has completed his/her 4-H eligibility and may not participate in 4-H during the current 4-H Program Year.
   

a. For example, 4-H Age for the 2006-07 4-H Program year will be age on January 1, 2007.  A youth who turns 19 years old on or before January 1, 2007 will be too old to participate in Kentucky 4-H Youth Programs during the 2006-07 4-H Program Year of September 1, 2006 through August 31, 2007 (except for the culminating events listed above that will be held in the Fall of 2006.)

b. If, however, a youth turns 19 years old January 2, 2007 or after, that youth may still participate in 4-H since his/her 4-H Age (age on January 1 of the current 4-H Program Year) was 18.

c. For the 2006-07 Program year, if a young person’s date of birth is...

Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1997, his/her 4-H age is 9
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1996, his/her 4-H age is 10
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1995, his/her 4-H age is 11
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1994, his/her 4-H age is 12
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1993, his/her 4-H age is 13
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1992, his/her 4-H age is 14
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1991, his/her 4-H age is 15
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1990, his/her 4-H age is 16
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1989, his/her 4-H age is 17
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1988, his/her 4-H age is 18
Jan 1 - Dec. 31, 1987, his/her 4-H age is 19 and is no longer a 4-H member

4. This policy is in keeping with the decades-old policy on 4-H Age at the national level governed by National 4-H Headquarters at USDA and used in federal ES-237 reporting.

5. I am aware that some Kentucky counties have been interpreting 4-H Age as THROUGH 19 rather than TO 19 (or through 18) for some time now.  If you are one of those counties, you have done nothing wrong.  Differences in interpretation are understandable.   Therefore, I will allow one additional year for the transition to the policy for those counties, with implementation effective September 1, 2007.  I will rely on the 4-H Agent to determine if you are one of those counties.

6. Educational events for which the entry level has been grade rather than (or along with) age will not change.  For example, 4-H Camp will continue to be open to any youth who is nine years old by the time of 4-H Camp or entering the 4th grade the following school year.  State 4-H Teen Conference will continue to be open to any youth who has completed the 8th grade.  State 4-H Pre-Teen (Teen Summit) Conferences will be open to any youth who are in the 7th or 8th grade at the time of the conference.

7. There will be no change in the process for electing members of the State 4-H Teen Council or in the process for electing Kentucky State 4-H Officers.

8. If you have questions about a specific state level program, please contact the State 4-H Specialist or Associate responsible for that program for clarification.  Please share with volunteers as appropriate.