4-H

4-H

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