North Dakota State University - As the land-grant college for North Dakota, this is the institution charged by law with the responsibility for extending education to the people of the state. Close ties between the College of Agriculture and Home Economics unite research, resident teaching and Extension personnel, so the resources of the entire college are available to Extension youth programs.

NDSU Extension Service - One of the branches of North Dakota State University, with the responsibility of sharing information with the citizens of the state of North Dakota in the following program areas: 4-H, family living, agriculture and natural resources, and community resource development. Every county in North Dakota has an NDSU Extension Service program conducted by county staff who are NDSU faculty members.

County Extension Staff - Persons employed by the NDSU Extension Service in a county.

Paraprofessional - Extension aide or program assistant who works with the county 4-H program under the supervision of the NDSU Extension Service staff.

Area Extension Staff - Extension staff responsible for a program area in two or more counties.

District Director - A member of the NDSU Extension Service management system. The District Director has the responsibility to counsel staff and assist with county Extension program planning.

Extension Specialist - A state faculty member of North Dakota State University Extension with recognized expertise in a particular area (4-H, animal science, foods, etc.).

State 4-H Youth Development Staff - A group of North Dakota Extension faculty, headquartered in Fargo, who provide leadership for the statewide 4-H program.

Assistant Director, 4-H & Youth Development - Person responsible on a statewide basis for program planning, implementation, and evaluation of all aspects of the 4-H program.

Project Leader - Teaches subject matter to youth.

Activity Leader - Coordinates and provides leadership for local events.

Leader (Pre-teen member) - Intermediate 4-H member who works under the direction of an adult leader and has the  responsibility to assist with the local 4-H program.

Teen Leader - Senior member who assumes the leadership role in the 4-H program.

Parent - Provides support to both the 4-H member and the club leaders.
 

Key Volunteer Leader - Person(s) who work closely with county Extension staff to recruit, train and support new leaders and other volunteers, and help organize and service new groups.

County Program Leader - Volunteers who provide leadership and coordinate specific county events and activities such as judging teams, talent show leaders, fashion show chair, etc.

County Project Leader - Person(s) who work on specific projects with several or all groups within the county.

County 4-H Ambassadors - A selected group of older youth within a county who serve by helping with program planning and implementation, assist with county activities and events, and promote 4-H while developing their leadership skills and responsibilities.
 

Groups within a county that have the responsibility for setting local direction for program and policies.

County 4-H Council - A county 4-H council consists of leaders (adults and youth) organized to improve the quality of the 4-H program. Involves local leaders in developing, conducting and evaluating the 4-H program based on the needs of youth and their county situation. County 4-H councils work closely with and share the responsibility for the 4-H program with the county Extension staff.

Expansion and Review Committee - A designated group who assist the county Extension staff in outlining a positive action plan for 4-H in order to assure that all youth have equal access to the 4-H program. The committee should help 1) identify 4-H group service areas, 2) determine needed 4-H clubs within such areas, 3) develop procedures to secure volunteer adult and youth leadership, and 4) implement a balanced 4-H program expansion which includes attention to criteria such as age, sex, location, ethnic group and special populations.

Advisory Committee - Designated group(s) which advise NDSU Extension Service about 4-H program directions and priorities. May be a permanent or an ad hoc committee.

Curriculum Committee - Designated group(s) representing Extension staff, volunteer leaders, youth or others with the primary purpose of reviewing selected programs and making recommendations.
 

A number of delivery systems are available to you as a leader to reach young people with
fun, educational programs.
The 4-H club is one of these methods. Others are listed here:

Community 4-H Club - Members meet together for a general meeting, then separate into one or more project or age groups for specialized instruction.

Clover Buds - Groups of six and seven-year olds. Programs are designed to be educational, noncompetitive and fun.

Expanded Food and Nutrition Program (EFNEP) - Youth and adult nutrition education program conducted in selected North Dakota counties primarily with limited-income populations. The EFNEP youth program is an integral part of 4-H.

Project Club - A type of club organized around one particular project area.

Special Interest Groups - Groups which provide learning experiences for youth in one subject. Examples are babysitter courses, summer day camps, and youth entrepreneurship. Special interest groups may be short or long-term.

School Enrichment - Educational youth programs designed by the NDSU Extension Service which can be adapted for use with a school classroom audience. Information may be utilized for field trips, tours, or for classroom presentations.

Workshops - Information is presented around a specific topic or group of topics. Emphasis is usually given to "hands-on" experiences related to project areas.
 

Educational information prepared in a concise, convenient format for use
by a leader.

Learnabouts - A variety of individual lessons designed to provide a multi-discipline overview of basic living skills for 4-H youth ages 8 to 10. These may be used in a group setting or for individual study.

Pathways to Adventure - This series of individual lessons is designed for use with youth ages 11 to 12. Clubs choose 10 to 12 lessons to study for the year. Lesson materials can be ordered for use by members.

There are many techniques
used to facilitate the process
of learning. See the 4-H Leader Handbook for more information.

Event - An occurrence with a definite time and place; an achievement program, talent show, camp, state 4-H conference, tour, or county fair.

Exhibit - A method of displaying an article or skill learned through participation in a project or activity.

Educational Display - An exhibit that shows one idea that a member has learned through participation in a project; usually a free-standing, table-top format of a specific size.

Judging Activity - An activity in which the member compares and ranks a class of four items or products and gives reasons for their decisions.

Interview Judging - Evaluation of a 4-H member's project in an interview with the member.

Danish System of Judging - Evaluation method awarding a blue, red or white placing on each exhibit as measured against a prescribed standard. No limit exists on the number of placings in each category.

Life Skills - Abilities useful for day-to-day living. Through 4-H projects, members develop life skills such as 1) learning to learn; 2) understanding self; 3) communication skills; 4) getting along with others; 5) decision making; 6) management; and
7) working with groups.

Program - A broad term to describe a group of like projects; i.e., animal science, family living.

Project - Area of interest in which a 4-H member enrolls. The 4-H project is a teaching tool that builds self-confidence, security and responsibility.

Public Presentation - 4-H program designed to teach youth communication skills. Demonstrations and illustrated talks are included.

Demonstration - A talk in which the demonstrator shows how to perform an activity step-by-step, explaining the importance of each step and why it is essential. A demonstration illustrates an activity or skill.

Public Speaking - An oral presentation on a particular topic with the intent to impart a message to an audience.

Record Book - Booklet in which a 4-H member records information about projects, events, awards, leadership involvement and community service.

Citizenship - Washington, D.C., Focus - A one-week program conducted by the National 4-H Council staff for older 4-H'ers; including visits to congressmen, tours of historic sites, and discussions of citizenship topics.

National 4-H Conference - A week-long experience at the National 4-H Center, Chevy Chase, MD, which provides selected youth an opportunity to be involved with major national 4-H program concerns and program development.

National 4-H Congress - Week-ling experience at Chicago. Recognition of youth for their achievements. Delegates are selected at the state level through county, state  and national competition. 4-H Congress is supported by donation.

State 4-H Conference - Annual educational event for older member from each county. Held on the NDSU campus in June.

State 4-H Fair - Annual event held in July at the State Fairgrounds in Minot. 4-H members exhibit projects and/or compete in contests after qualifying on a county level.

4-H Consumer Choices - An educational experience for individual members and groups using consumer skills learned through a lesson or club activity. Involvement offers participants a challenge and a chance to develop decision-making skills. County competitions provide learning opportunities as well as the selection of a teen team (13-19 years old) that may participate at the state contest.

4-H Fashion Revue - One of the 4-H Showcase exhibits, the Fashion Review is an educational experience in which 4-H'ers construct a major portion of a total outfit, select accessories and model the outfit during a public Fashion Revue that is judged. Participants must construct the garment they model. This competitive event starts with participation at the county level.

4-H Food Fair - One of the 4-H Showcase exhibits, the Food Fair is an opportunity for members to develop an educational table display related to one of their projects. This competitive event states with participation at the county level.

4-H Project Expo - One of the 4-H Showcase exhibits, the Project Expo is an opportunity for members to develop an educational table display related to one of their 4-H projects. Starts with participation at the county level.
 

Group Leaders - Adults with skills in working with youth, international travel experience, in good health, and with a language capability are needed to serve as leaders for group programs.

Interstate - An exchange of teen 4-H members from North Dakota with a similar group of 4-H'ers in another state or province.

Intrastate - An exchange of teen 4-H members from one county in North Dakota with a similar group of 4-H'ers in another county in the state.

Host Family - A unique opportunity to share your home with a visitor from another country. Both rural and urban families are needed for the visit of 2-4 weeks.
 

District Leader Forums - Educational events held in the various districts of the state, conducted jointly by county Extension staff and 4-H leaders who have attended state or regional leader forums.

State 4-H Leader Forums - A statewide educational event for county leader teams. Program emphasis is placed on understanding and working with youth. Participants in the regional Leader Forum help plan and conduct this event.

North Central Regional 4-H Leaders Forum - An educational event annually for 4-H leaders and Extension staff of the twelve north central states. It is held in a different state each year. Teams of 4-H leaders and Extension staff represent North Dakota each year and have the responsibility to come back and conduct training in the state.

National 4-H Leaders Forum - Educational event conducted at the National 4-H Center in Chevy Chase, MD, usually on a particular subject or priority area. A team of 4-H leaders and Extension staff participate with the responsibility to develop programs for use in the state.
 

Citizenship Programs - Conducts citizenship workshops for members, young adults and leaders.

Leadership Programs - Conducts leader forums for local 4-H leaders, and leadership training for professional staff.

Research Studies - Seeks guidelines for special programs such as Science in 4-H, Career Counseling, urban youth work, etc.

National 4-H Center - Maintains 4-H headquarters as a classroom in Chevy Chase, MD.

Educational Materials - Develops and prints educational materials and project guides through business and civic group support.

Awards Program - Coordinates donor recognition of outstanding 4-H members in a variety of national awards programs.

National 4-H Supply Service - Makes available more than one thousand 4-H items such as flags, banners, clothing, jewelry, trophies, office supplies and recreational items through a catalog that may be obtained through the NDSU Extension Service county offices.

Information Service - Develops and distributes news, photos and publicity materials for professional and volunteer leaders.

North Dakota 4-H Foundation - A nonprofit corporation formed for the purpose of raising funds for the 4-H program in the state. Programs supported through the 4-H Foundation have included:

• Leadership Conferences and Forums
• Junior Leader Programs
• Career Education
• Sponsored Judging Teams to National Events
• Sponsored 4-H Congress delegates
• Scholarships
• 4-H Aerospace Event

Insurance - Medical accident or liability insurance that covers 4-H members and volunteer leaders while engages in designated 4-H functions. Insurance may be annual, or coverage for a specific event.   NOTE: Insurance is not automatically provided. Check with your NDSU Extension Service county office.
 

Sponsor and/or Donor - An organization or individual contributing in some way to the 4-H program (faculty, equipment, material, time, talent, resources).

State and National Awards - Recognition and awards are provided annually for members and volunteers. Awards available vary from year to year depending on sponsorship form individuals, businesses and foundations. Awards are announced yearly or as information becomes available to NDSU Extension Service staff.

National 4-H Report Forms - Used by older member to detail their 4-H career and compete for national events.