4-H offers a wide variety of clubs and memberships.  Traditional clubs or “community clubs” are popular in South Dakota as well as afterschool, military, in-school, special interest groups, and independent memberships. 

Clubs

1. A community club is often called a “traditional club.” This group is made up of boys and girls of varying ages, studying either a variety of things or a specific project area. They usually meet year-round.
2. After-school clubs meet regularly during an after-school program. The group has a name, a leadership structure, and studies a variety of project areas.
3. Military 4-H clubs resemble community clubs in format and structure but are sponsored by military installations.
4. In-school clubs meet as part of the school day and are classroom specific. They most closely resemble after-school clubs.
5. Special interest groups are focused on a single project area. They may meet over several months or intensively over a short period of time. Members of these groups are often new to  4-H. This is considered a transitional group. Its members are eligible to participate in specific project-related events and activities but may elect not to follow the traditional approach in regard to record keeping and completion.
6. Independent study members are 4-H members who participate in a wide variety of 4-H activities but are not part of a community club, often because of distance or time.

Leaders

Likewise, 4-H has multiple options for the adult volunteers who serve the club and county programs:

1. Organizational leaders are the main leaders of the club and the main line of communication between members and the Cooperative Extension Service.
2. Project leaders serve either the club or county, teaching and mentoring youth in a specific topic area.
3. Activity leaders are usually short-term leaders who help during a specific activity or event.
4. Collaborators are members of the community who may be called upon for specific consultation or resource development, usually in a county or even FEU capacity.

Members

4-H has certainly broadened its ability to serve kids since it began. The same is true in regard to membership. Registered 4-H members may be one of the following:

1. Members are youth 8 years old (but not yet 19) by January 1 who are enrolled in community, after-school, in-school, or military clubs, or as an independent.
2. Cloverbuds are youth 5 years old (but not yet 9) by January 1 who are participating in the same groups as members.
3. Special are youth 8 years old (but not yet 19) by January 1 who are enrolled in a special interest group.

Anyone can join 4-H by completing the “South Dakota 4-H Member Enrollment Form” available from the county office. Some counties charge a small fee to cover insurance, awards, and activities. Members who are unable to pay the fee may still join. The membership form collects information about the member, including address, phone, email, parent info, project selections, school, grade, and racial background. All of this information is confidential.