welcome to the wonderful world of 4
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to the wonderful world of 4-H record keeping! My
name is Corey Clover and I will be giving you
some ideas on how to keep your records for
your 4-H career. The best part about keeping
4-H records with me is that I don’t really have
that many rules to follow…(except that you
turn in your record book on time!) Record
books and award applications are always due
October 1.
As you look through this information, you’ll notice brightly col-
ored pages with my picture on them. These are your infor-
mation page only and are not part of your record book. After
each brightly colored page, you will find a sample of how I keep
my forms.
As your helper, I guarantee there will be something you can
use!
If you have any questions, just call your club leader or the
Wayne County Extension Office at 641-872-1755.
***Record books do NOT need to be typed
4-H
4-H
Wayne County Requirements
Record books are required in order for the member
to win a project award and be considered for
special senior awards.
Our county requires that you the following is
included in your book:
1) Sturdy Cover
2) Title Page
3) Table of Contents
4) 4-H Participation Summary
5) 4-H Exhibit Form
6) Livestock Worksheets
There are things that most include in their books
that really add to their 4-H ‘story’, but NOT required.
Those are tabs, pictures and clippings. It is up to the 4-Her if the
book is organized by project or by year. If a picture contains several
4-Her’s it is recommended to put an “x” over you. On the clippings if
you would underline or highlight your name it adds a nice touch.
Some members take a lot of projects to fair. If you would like to just
do the records on your favorite projects or those that mean the most
to you, that is ok.
Title Page
When you start out your book, it’s best to update a personal
introduction every year. A Title Page may be as simple as
gluing your school picture on paper and underneath writing
something about yourself.
Check out the example on the next page!
4-H
Include a picture of yourself
Name: Corey Clover
Age: 1 4 years old
Grade: Completed 8th grade
Years in 4-H: 5th
Club: Helping Hands 4-H Club
OR
Hi! My name is Corey Clover and this is my
fifth year in 4-H. I am 14 years old
and just finished eighth grade. I am a member of the Help-
ing Hands 4-H Club. My year in 4-H was great! I learned
about a lot of different projects and had fun showing at the
Wayne County Fair. I exhibited beef, sheep, dog, and
brought non-livestock projects. I also did a presentation at
my club meeting about making chocolate chip cookies and then
entered my presentation as an Educational Presentation at
the fair. My favorite part of this year was teaching my dog,
Copper to sit. I live on a farm with my parents, my sister
and my brother.
4-H
4-H Career Participation Summary
Next, you should fill out your 4-H Career Participation Sum-
mary. You write in this summary every year. You may add
pages as needed! This is a general overview of your 4-H ca-
reer. This is very handy when you start filling out scholar-
ship and award applications!! Later on in your record book,
you will have a chance to “break down” each individual pro-
ject you did. At that time you will explain each project with
pictures, clippings and financial information. It is ok to have
your parents help you, but try to write it yourself. It will take
time, but just keep plugging away at it!
Check out the example on the next page!
4-H
Project Records
Here’s the section of your record book that really gets thick
over time. There are 3 types of Project Records you will
have in 4-H.
Projects you never exhibit at the county fair
(taking a project to fair is NOT required!)
Projects you exhibit at the county fair in the Exhibit
Building
Livestock
Regardless of where your project fits, there are some tips
you should follow to make your record book really awesome.
Check out the tips on the next page!
4-H
Set Good Goals
Your goals should be broken down enough that you
can set dates to have the goals accomplished by.
Include Pictures & Clippings
The saying a picture is worth a 1,000 words is very
true when you are working on your projects
throughout the year. It is always good to include
pictures.
You should also include any newspaper clippings
that relate to your project. For example, since I
gave a presentation at my club meeting on how to make chocolate chip
cookies, I can put the newspaper clipping about our meeting in my record
book under my Food & Nutrition section. Another example of a clipping
would be the results from the fair.
Tab Dividers
You should use tab dividers for each project area. For example, I would
make tab dividers for beef, sheep, dog, home improvement and food and
nutrition. This not only helps you organize your book, but it also helps the
judges find your projects for awards in the fall!
I know it sounds like a lot, but it is definitely worth it. You will have better
chances at awards at the end of the year, plus when you reach high school
age it will help you fill out scholarship applications and college applications.
And someday you will be able to look back and see everything you learned
in 4-H!
4-H
Projects Exhibited at the County Fair
For those projects you exhibit at the county fair like posters,
baked goods, sewing, welding and so on, you will use the
following forms as your Project Record Forms
Exhibit Forms for all exhibits shown in the Exhibit
Building except photography
Photography Exhibit Forms for all your pictures you
exhibit in the Exhibit Building
Check out the examples on the next page!
4-H
Projects Not Exhibited
at the County Fair
For those projects you do not exhibit at the county fair, use
the General Project Record form. This may be projects such
as a market animal that did not grow fast enough so you
were unable to bring it. It may also be a conservation pro-
ject you did by putting Christmas trees out for new habitat in
the woods. There are many things you can do for projects
that may not be able to be exhibited at the county fair.
Check out the examples on the next page!
4-H
Livestock Projects
For livestock projects you will use the following forms as your Project
Record Forms
Market Animal Project Worksheet for beef, sheep, swine and
meat goats
Breeding Animal Project Worksheet for beef, sheep, swine
and meat goats
Horse and Pony Project Worksheet
Dairy Project Worksheet
Rabbit Project Worksheet
Poultry Project Worksheet
Dog Project Worksheet and Your Dog’s Permanent Record
Cat Project Worksheet
All of these can be picked up at the Extension Office or found
online at: http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4h/projects/livestock
Check out the example on the next page!
4-H
Awards To be eligible for any awards the record book must be in the Wayne County Ex-
tension Office by October 1. If it comes in after October 1 it will be judged but not
eligible for any awards.
On the next page you will see the new Record Book Grading Rubric the 4-H
Committee has created. Currently we have two individuals that serve as judges.
They are very knowledgeable about 4-H. After judging the Rubric will be returned
to you with the record book.
Behind the Rubric is a list of awards that our county gives and the age require-
ments. Awards will be earned. If no one qualifies for an award it will not be given.
The very least you will earn as an award is a pin every year you turn in a book.
There is an application for awards based on what age group you are in. You
complete the application, put it in the front of your book and turn it in to the
Wayne County Extension office by October 1. These forms do not stay in your
record book. After you get your record books back at Awards Night, be sure to
take your application out of your book so it doesn’t get confused with the next
year.
4-H