Click here for a PDF of the Enrollment Letter

 

TO:                         New 4-H Families

FROM:                  Allison Kosto, Extension Agent

                                MSU Extension, Broadwater County

SUBJECT:             4-H Enrollment Process 

 

Welcome to Broadwater County 4-H!  4-H Youth Development has a long history of helping youth gain life skills through hands-on 4-H club and project work.  I hope you have a wonderful experience in the program!  Our 4-H year begins October 1, so this is a great time to get started.

Age Requirements

4-H age is always calculated using October 1 of the current 4-H year.  For example, if a  4-H member turns 10 on December 15th, their 4-H age is still 9 years old until the next  4-H year.

·         Cloverbuds – Youth who are 5-8 years old (as of October 1).  This is a non-competitive educational project and is the only project they can enroll.

·         Traditional 4-H Member – Youth who are 8-18 years old (as of October 1).  Members may fully participate in the program, select projects and competitive activities.  Certain projects may have age restrictions such as shooting sports, market beef and certain horse disciplines.  

Locate and Contact a 4-H Club

The first step to getting involved is locating and contacting a local 4-H Club.  There are six clubs in Broadwater County who meet in various locations.  Contact the Extension Office for a list of clubs and a recommendation.  Often new members choose a club that their friends are in, but there are no rules to which club you join.  All clubs welcome  members with a variety of projects, ages and interests.  I highly recommend contacting a club leader BEFORE formally enrolling in the program to gain an understanding of the club’s expectations.  Each club is different and it’s okay to contact a couple of clubs and find the club that is the best fit for your family.

Selecting a 4-H Project

Be sure to pick up a 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide (aka the “Clover”) from your Club Leader or the Extension Office. It contains a list of the project options and associated project materials.  For your first year in 4-H, one or two projects is a great place to start, and you’ll be able to build and grow with your projects as you mature in the program.  You’ll want to look over the Clover before completing the online enrollment.  You can change your projects until May 1st.  If you want to exhibit a project at the Fair, then you must be enrolled in that project.

Enrollment

After you choose a club and your project(s), it’s time to enroll online. 4-H enrollment begins on October 1st, so on or after this date follow the instructions below to officially enroll. Montana 4-H uses an online enrollment system called ZSuite.  If you have siblings or parents who are already involved in the 4-H program, please contact the Extension Office for enrollment instructions.  Only follow the instructions below if your family is new to 4-H.  If you don’t have internet access, we have a public computer at the Extension Office for you to use.

1) Go to https://4h.zsuite.org/.

2) Click on “Sign Up”. 

Fill in the fields to set up FAMILY account. Adult email and password will be the primary email associated with the account and used for anyone in the family to login in the future. The pin is for parents only and is needed for enrolling family members or when making major changes to the account.  You will have the opportunity to add additional email addresses during the enrollment process.

3) Click “Let's Go!”.
You will be directed to the Dashboard for the primary account.  Create new household members by clicking the Household Members link on the Menu Bar. From the Dashboard, you can also create or view Record Books (if you choose to do them online), posted announcements and more. At the end of the process, make sure to click “Submit” to submit your enrollment.  The enrollment will be reviewed by the Extension Office.  Once approved, the status for that family member will change to “active” and you will be officially enrolled.


NOTE:  If you plan to take a market or breeding livestock project, you must select both an appropriate project level in ZSuites AND the market or breeding project option.

If at any point your family has trouble, click the "CHAT" box at the bottom of their screen and chat with a ZSuite support person. You are also welcomed to call our office for help.

 

4-H Literature (aka “Project Books”)

As you select your projects, you will also be asked to select your books.  Use the Clover again to see a list of all project materials. The levels books are required and are typically marked with an “M” under each level in the Clover.  The resource handbooks, helper’s guides and other supplemental materials are optional and are often more expensive.  Clear as mud?!  The Extension Office can help if you have questions.  

Participation

Once your enrollment has been approved by the Extension Office, you can start fully participating in the 4-H program.  Your 4-H Club holds monthly activities which are very important to participate in.  Projects may hold meetings periodically throughout the year.  Additionally, you will receive a monthly 4-H newsletter by email which will detail many other opportunities in the county, state and across the nation you can participate in.  

 

Resources

In addition to your 4-H Club leader, here are some excellent resources to help you navigate the 4-H program:

·         MSU Extension in Broadwater County, 406-266-9242

o   Allison Kosto, MSU Extension Agent – [email protected]

o   Jessica Erickson, Administrative Assistant – [email protected] 

o   Website – https://broadwater.msuextension.org/

o   Facebook – www.facebook.com/BroadwaterExtension 

·         Montana 4-H – www.montana4h.org 

·         Montana State University Extension – www.msuextension.org 

·         National 4-H Council – www.4h.org 

 

Again, welcome to 4-H!  Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or concerns.  We expect you will have many questions your first year!  I look forward to meeting and working with your family in 4-H!

 

Creating a new account- Help Guide

Click here for a PDF of the Help Guide

 

1) Click the 'Sign Up' link on the ZSuite homepage.

2) Fill Out The Form.  Note That Each Household Account Has A 'Primary' Account.  This Is
typically The Primary Parent Account, Which Has Some Administrative Functions That
club Member Accounts Do Not.  This Is Why We Ask That You Enter A 4 Digit Pin Code,
Which Assures Our Parents That No Unauthorized Access To The Primary Account Occurs.
 

3) Note that the email address entered will be the email address used for ALL members
under this household account.  This way it's easier to remember your login for ZSuite. Your email address can be used ONLY ONCE, so please use an email address that is easy to remember.

4) Once you complete the form, click the 'Let's Go' button.

5) You will now be redirected to the Dashboard for the primary account.  Here you can:

1.    Create new household members by clicking the Household Members link on the Menu Bar

2.    View Record Books (these can be created by the club members, but their accounts must be created first.)

3.    View Announcements from your Club, County, and State Level 4-H Leaders

4.    View a Calendar showing events

5.    View Help Documentation more specific to managing your household account

6.    Change user profiles (once other profiles are created)

7.    To Do Lists, Shared Files, Request to be a club leader, and many more items soon to come!