Kentucky 4-H Achievement Program

4-H'ers are eligible to start the Achievement Program at age ten and continue in the program until they age out of 4-H.

*** All NEW achievement applicants after 2022 should complete their application in ZSuite*** 

A parent will need to set up the account but then each member can set up a profile under the parent’s account to complete the application.

In Oldham County, there are five Clover Level awards you can achieve. Once you earn Clover Level III, you can apply to the state for the Bronze Level award. The Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Emerald awards are state-level achievements. The Gold and Emerald awards require interviewing.

Review the Achievement Application Rubric to understand how your achievement application will be scored.

The Achievement Program Eligibility Levels describes the the different achievement award levels and their requirements.

The Achievement Program Interview Rubric illustrates how your interview will be scored.

Not sure if you are filling out your Achievement Application correctly?

Review Achievement Application Hints for tips on filling out your achievement awards application.

You can also contact the Extension office for assistance with your Achievement Application. Call (502) 222-9453 to setup an appointment with Kelly or Amy.

Frequently Asked Achievement Program Questions

1) Is there a “cut-off” date for including entries?
Applicants are reporting on 4-H involvement for the previous program year (September 1 – August 31) so the cutoff date would be August 31st.

2) My 4-H member has received the Bronze award but is not eligible to attend 4-H Teen Conference due to age/grade…can they still receive the financial award?
Kentucky Agriculture Development Funds provide the scholarship money that is awarded to Bronze, Silver, and Gold recipients. The agreement limits these funds to 4-H Teen Conference scholarships. Therefore, they cannot be used for other programs.

3) Can you skip “levels” if you are age eligible? For example, could a 15-year-old apply for Gold even if they have never received a previous award?
Yes, an individual can skip any levels up to Gold. They must have won Gold to apply for Emerald.

4) Under what level of points do multi-state events go? For example, where would you list and score participation in the Southern Regional Horse Congress?
Multi-state events/participation should be scored under the “State” category. Only truly national events should be counted under the “National” category.

5) If participation points are not included when applying for Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald how much should be included in this section?
This section is used to help the judges have a clearer idea of how the 4-H member has participated in the program. The number of entries included is at the discretion of the applicant. It is the goal of this program to encourage a well-rounded, diverse, and higher-level application that focuses less on participation and more on leadership, engagement, and outreach.

6) When is the Emerald video due?
Submission to the state level will follow the December 15 deadline. No late entries will be accepted.

7) What applications and/or materials are due to the state 4-H office?
The district achievement contact will submit the excel spreadsheet that lists all district nominees and award levels. This spreadsheet will include the names for Clover level 1, 2, 3, and Bronze. In addition, Silver, Gold and Emerald complete applications, profile page, and any other required documentation will be required by the December 15 deadline.

8) Is there an example application and profile page that we can use?
This is being developed and will be added to the 4-H Achievement Page as soon as it’s completed.

9) I am confused about the application age and the reporting age versus the 4-H age…can you clarify?
The 4-H Age is your age on January 1 of the current PROGRAM year (September 1 – August 31). When referencing the eligibility levels, youth must have reached the listed age to submit an application. They are recording and submitting their work done the previous program year. So, someone with a 4-H age of 10 is submitting an application this year and will include the work and participation done during the previous program year (September 1 – August 31).
A person who has a 4-H age of 19 has aged out of the program and is no longer a 4-H member. However, they can submit an application for Bronze, Silver, Gold, or Emerald (if they have not already received those awards) to recognize their efforts the previous year (their last year as a 4-H member).