QUICK LINKS
| MENTEE APPLICATION | MENTOR APPLICATION |
| FQA DOCUMENT | 2025-26 DISCOVER ANIMAL SCIENCE RECORD BOOK |
| BARN BUDDIES MENTORSHIP OUTLINE |
Welcome to 4-H Barn Buddies!
No animal? No problem!
Have you ever wanted to learn how to show a goat, train a dog, or care for a cow, but you don’t have the space or the animal at home? 4-H Barn Buddies is a brand-new youth mentorship program designed just for you. We connect kids who want to learn about animals with experienced 4-H mentors who are ready to share their knowledge and their animals!
How the Program Works
Barn Buddies is an expansion of our animal programs and is a special addition for anyone enrolled in the NEW Discover Animal Science 4-H Project.
- The Connection: We match Mentees (learners) with Mentors (experienced 4-H youth).
- The Learning: You will attend 6 guided mentor meetings between April and July.
- The Hands-On Part: You get to work with a borrowed animal from your mentor. No ownership is required!
- The Grand Finale: The program ends with a special Barn Buddies Showmanship Class at the Boulder County Fair where you get to show off what you learned.
Pick Your Animal
You can choose to focus on one of these five areas:
- Utility Goat
- Dairy Goat
- Rabbit
- Dog
- Dairy Cattle
Who Can Join?
Mentees (Participants)
- Ages 8 to 18 (as of December 31).
- Enrolled in a Boulder County 4-H club.
- Perfect for those who do not own an animal but want to learn!
- Deadline to apply: March 1
Mentors (Youth Leaders)
- Ages 11 and older.
- Must have 2 or more years of experience in an animal project.
- You will work with 1 or 2 youth alongside a Key 4-H adult leader.
- Deadline to apply: February 15
Ready to get started?
This is a great way to build leadership skills, make new friends, and get hands-on experience in animal science. Whether you want to Be a Leader or Be a Buddy, we want you to Be 4-H!
Contact Information: Brenda Kwang Phone: 303-678-6238 Email: 4hinfo@bouldercounty.org
