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Personal Growth & Career Development

Personal Growth projects help you develop your skills in the areas of decision making, communication, leadership, coping with change, and positive self esteem. These are all essential skills to thrive in your work and life.

Youth holding a microphone in front of Ignite event graphics. Text says "More ready."

Participating in 4-H helps you gain skills and confidence to be ready for your future.

Personal Growth & Career Development Projects

The availability of projects varies by club and county. Please check with your club and county to see what is available and to let them know your interest in a project. If it's not already offered, there may be an adult volunteer willing to start a new project!

Beginning 4-H

A project for new 4-H members of all ages. This project provides the opportunity to "sample" different projects as you learn about different opportunities in 4-H.

Beginning 4-H: Primary

For Primary/Cloverbud members ages 5 to 8. Project may include basic sampling of other projects.

Career Exploration

Learn about career opportunities through individual or group study under the direction of a leader.

See the Pathways to Your Future curriculum.

Child Development & Care

Learn how children grow and respond, and how to care for children and build relationships with small children. Appropriate activities for 10- and 11-year old youth are included as well as activities for the early and mid-teens. This project may focus on the safety, training and care needed to be a babysitter.

Consumer Economics/Education

Interested in wise purchasing for yourself and others? Learn to balance needs, wants, and resources by setting priorities and weighing alternatives.

Consumer Economics project sheet (PDF, 237.8 KB)

Economics & Business

Learn basic economic principles of a free market system. Investigate the stock, bond, fund, cash, and futures markets. Explore U.S. industries and their impacts on the American economy.

Fair Preparation

Learn what to expect and how to prepare for participation at the fair. May include how to fill out fair entries and prepare a still exhibit, what supplies to bring to fair, how to prepare for fair camping, your local fair culture, or any other topic that will help to make a member's fair experience successful.

Home & Personal Management

Home management utilizes the same principles that are applied in business or to our personal life. All of us make decisions, establish priorities, set goals, and chart progress with records. Members will learn how to make effective use of limited resources to reach goals.

Marketing

An advanced study in any project field. A special study (including tours) of different types of businesses, a roadside stand, or the commodity marketing program.

Record Keeping

Learn about records management and the practice of identifying, classifying, archiving, preserving, and destroying records. Many projects may focus on 4-H record books.

Social Science

Social sciences are the studies of society and humans. Fields in this area include anthropology, communication, education, history, geography, linguistics, political science, psychology, health, and sociology. Raise questions, gather, analyze, discuss, display, and communicate data.

Table Setting

Members learn how to properly set and display a table for both formal and non-formal situations. May include a section on proper etiquette.

Interview Contest

The California 4-H Interview Contest Manual is a complete guidebook containing rules, procedures, and helpful hints for a successful interview. It also contains information on planning a county 4-H Interview Contest.

Interview Contest Manual (DOCX, 90.7 kb)

Interview Contest Coordinators Manual (DOCX, 81.6 kb)

The manuals are in the process of remediation for accessibility. Please contact Stephanie Barrett at slbarrett@ucanr.edu if you have trouble accessing this information.

Interview Contest

Practice the real-life skills you need to apply for a job by participating in a 4-H Interview Contest. There is a State Interview Contest at State Field Day every year.

What is an Interview Contest?

You prepare a cover letter and resumé for one of the job descriptions listed in your age category. During your mock interview, the evaluators will review your performance using a standard evaluation rubric. Your scores and the constructive feedback you receive will allow you to learn and practice your interviewing skills in a safe environment.

Is this just for senior 4-H'ers?

No! The Interview Contest includes jobs for different age categories, similar to Presentation Day.

Junior Category (9-10 years old) 2027 Junior Category Jobs
Intermediate Category (11-13 years old) 2027 Intermediate Category Jobs
Senior Category (14-19 years old) 2027 Senior Category Jobs

Curriculum

4-H clover emblem with a black graduation cap

Pathways to your future

Curriculum

Designed to support young people in determining their individual pathway to success—whether that is vocational education, non-degree certificate programs, community college, entering the workforce, engaging in on-the-job training, or attending a 4-year institution of higher education.

Personal Growth & Career Development Events

Check the California 4-H state website for upcoming events and deadlines to register.

Ignite by 4-H

For four days, teens from all over the country come to Washington, D.C. to collaborate, connect, and cultivate a passion for expanding their minds and their world. Teens will immerse themselves in hands-on workshops, experiences, activities in their key programming track of AgriScience, Animal Science, Community Accelerators, CWF @ Ignite, Healthy Living (featuring soccer), or STEM to continue to find their spark. With the addition of public speaking, career and life readiness, and presentation workshops, teens will be able to apply what they learn to their own lives and take a step forward to become Beyond Ready for the future.

State Leadership Conference

The annual California 4-H State Leadership Conference connects 4-H'ers ages 13 to 18 on the UC Davis campus. Experience living in the dorms, eating in the campus dining halls, and participate in workshops focused on leadership, career skills and more. With dynamic guest speakers and fun activities, make new friends, connect with State Ambassadors, and get inspired to follow your spark.

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