Dawn Stuckey, Senior Agent
4-H agents in neighboring counties are working hard to keep 4-H going in multiple counties as we fill vacant positions. We appreciate the work of our retired agents, Shannon Herndon (Bamberg & Barnwell Counties) and Gayle Williford (Berkeley County). They have a huge pair of shoes left to fill. Please continue to reach out to the Extension Office if you have any 4-H needs or questions. The county administrative assistant will have an agent return your call or provide an answer to your question.
As we brush off the glitter and sparkle of winter, SC 4-H is preparing for Spring. Many projects are currently enrolling participants.
For families looking to ramp up their physical activity, the 4-H Physical Activity Project is closing soon. The 4-H Physical Activity Project is a 12-week program (Feb. 23–May 11, 2026) for 4-H members aged 10–17 years to set fitness goals and exercise at home using online resources. Participants receive a health journal and other materials to work toward 60 minutes of daily exercise. Activities include goal setting, exercise planning, progress tracking, studying video clips, and bi-monthly virtual group discussions with 4-H agents and peers to stay motivated and discuss topics. You can participate in this project as an individual or group. Click here to learn more about the Physical Activity Project.
The 4-H Honey Bee Project is open for registration until February 27th. This project runs from April through August 2026. The Honey Bee Project is an independent-study project that engages youth (ages 5-18) in the active role of beekeeping, learning the basics of entomology, and gaining appreciation for pollinators. Youth receive a record book and project-related educational materials with registration. Participants will need access to a honeybee colony to manage throughout this project. Bees are not supplied with the project materials. We highly recommend working with an experienced beekeeper, and your local beekeeping association may be a good resource. The Bee Cause Project.org sponsors the Honey Bee project. To register or to learn more about this project, click here!
Another 4-H favorite, the Pullet Chain Project, is now open for registration. The Pullet Chain is part of the 4-H Poultry Project. For those new to the project, the Pullet Chain Project involves youth raising day-old chicks, completing a record book, and participating in a 4-H Poultry Show. Families will put down a deposit to cover the cost of the chicks and return a portion of the chicks for auction in the fall. The remaining chicks stay with the participants. After birds are returned for auction and the record book is turned in, the family will receive their deposit back for the project. This project is one of our most popular projects and is suitable for all ages. Birds will arrive in May. You can see what species are available this year and register here.
Two local projects open for registration are the Savannah Valley Dairy Goat Project and the Backyard Birding Project.
Goats make good 4-H projects. They are interesting, like attention, are not expensive to buy or feed, are easy to handle and transport, and are fun to show at fairs. The Savannah Valley 4-H Dairy Goat project is designed to allow you to begin with a kid and develop it into a producing dairy goat.
Youth who participate in this project will develop essential dairy goat skills, such as demonstrating proper goat management and health practices, developing goat-fitting and showing skills, selecting a goat that meets their needs, promoting goat products and the goat industry, and understanding national and international goat-related issues. Youth will also practice record keeping, decision-making, leadership, communication, planning, organizing, and more. Click here to learn more about this project or to register.
Grab your binoculars, sharpen your observation skills, and get ready to discover the feathered friends that call your backyard home. The 4-H Backyard Birding Project invites youth ages 5–18 to explore birds where they live—no travel required! Participants will learn to identify common backyard birds, observe behaviors, track seasonal changes, and understand how birds fit into healthy ecosystems. Through hands-on activities such as keeping a bird journal, building simple feeders, creating habitat, and participating in citizen science, youth will build curiosity, patience, and scientific skills while connecting with nature. Designed to grow with the learner, this project includes basics on color, sound, and simple observations, involves species identification, habitat development, and basic data collection for the intermediate learner and provides our older learners with opportunities to explore conservation, migration, food webs, and real careers. Learn more about this project or register here.
To learn more about South Carolina 4-H and the opportunities available, please visit our Clemson Extension 4-H Website 🍀.
