1. Solving the Mysteries of the New 4-H Record Book
H Record Book Investigation
It’s no mystery, completing a Record Book each year is a part of the 4-H experience! We have evidence that for many of our 4-H families, completing the Record Book is often the most challenging project of the entire 4-H Year.
Goshen County 4-H 2016

2. The Clues Youth… Reflect on things that have been done in the past
Learn to set goals, make a plan of action and evaluate performance
Keep track of project work
Practice record keeping
Practice formatting paperwork and organization in the future (scholarships, college entrance essays, reports, etc.)
Helps 4-H parents & leaders reflect the development of each child
Helps 4-H Educator identify needs within the county 4-H Program
Aids in county recognition determination and scholarship selection
Is required for State 4-H Scholarships
Can help with all scholarships, applications and resumes!
Goshen County 4-H 2016

3. Sections of 4-H Portfolios
Cover Page
Project Record
Junior
Intermediate & Senior
4-H Awards and Recognition
4-H Leadership
4-H Community Service
4-H Participation
My 4-H Story
Photographs and Clippings
Other Organization Involvement (New in 2016)
Goshen County 4-H 2016

4. Where to Look
Goshen County 4-H 2016

5. Cover Page New Every Year
Identify if you wish to be judged in each project
The Cover Page should be new each year and does not require any signatures from parents, members or Club Leaders.
Goshen County 4-H 2016

6. Section #1: Project Learning
Document the Learning Experience
Components include:
Goals
Equipment/Supplies
Income & Expenses
“Exhibit” Summary
1 per Project (aka Discipline)
Different pages for Seniors/Intermediates than for Juniors
New pages each year.
Goshen County 4-H 2016

7. 4-H Learning Model
Section 1 of the 4-H Record Book most closely associates with the 4-H Experiential Learning Model or slogan (Learn By Doing.)
Step 1 of this Model is to do the activity or project
Step 2 is to Share what happened (Project Summary)
Step 3 is to Apply what was learned in the activity or project (What did you learn)
Goshen County 4-H 2016

8. Goal Setting
Goals should be age appropriate in relation to the number of years in the project
Goals should progress based on knowledge and skills gained
Repeat Goals are OK if (and only if) they were not met the previous year
Goals should be Learning Driven (Not Recognition)
SMART Goals
S=Specific
M=Measurable
A=Attainable
R=Relevant
T=Time Bound
Goals should be appropriate to the age of the member with consideration regarding the number of years in the project. A first year Junior who is sewing for the first time should have very different goals than a Senior 4-H member who has sewn for ten years. Likewise, the Senior seamstress should seek new challenges and goals, rather than use the same goals from year-to-year. The exception is if a goal was not accomplished in a previous year.
Goals should be related to what youth can learn, rather than what youth can earn. While very admirable to aspire to win a class, a lot of learning must occur in order for that to happen. Remember, our goal is GRAND CHAMPION KIDS – not projects.
Goshen County 4-H 2016

9. Goshen County 4-H 2016

10. Section #2: 4-H Awards & Recognition
New: Keep track of your Wyoming 4-H Honor’s Club status
4-H Club awards, County 4-H awards, State 4-H Awards and National 4-H-related recognition
Examples include Record Book awards at Achievement Day, Judging Team awards, Club recognition
Not intended to house non-4-H awards like sports, spelling-bee, science fair (include those in Section 8: Other Participation
This section is cumulative = just update each year!
Goshen County 4-H 2016

11. Section #4: 4-H Community Service
4-H Clubs often provide several community service opportunities each year and this is the place to record this information
Services is this section should only be those provided as part of 4-H
This page is cumulative – just add new information to the same page – no need to recreate
Goshen County 4-H 2016

12. Section #5: 4-H Participation
4-H Club Participation
Club tours or trips
Something that occurred within your 4-H Club that was not already recorded in Section 1 (Project work), Leadership or Community Service
An example might be a fund-raiser or a special record book meeting hosted by the 4-H Club
County 4-H Participation
4-H Opportunities available on a county-wide basis (ie 4-H Camp, Record Book Workshop, County 4-H Clinics or workshops!)
State/National 4-H Participation
State Judging Contests, State Fair, Showcase Showdown, State Shoot, etc.
Goshen County 4-H 2016

13. Section #5: 4-H Participation
These pages are cumulative, too! Simply update your information each year.
Goshen County 4-H 2016

14. Section #6: 4-H Story
Different pages for Juniors than Seniors/Intermediates
Juniors have questions to help guide their story which may be helpful for Intermediates and Seniors
The story should be sure to include the entire 4-H Year from October to September.
This should be a new story each year!
Goshen County 4-H 2016

15. Section #7: 4-H Photos & Clippings
Maximum of 4 pages (two pieces of paper, both sides)
Should represent the entire 4-H Year and not necessarily focus on the project-work
These photos and clippings should be new each year.
Clippings can come from the newspaper and the 4-H Newsletter!
Goshen County 4-H 2016

16. Section #8: Other 4-H Participation
Add other clubs, organizations or sports teams of which you are a member
Be sure to include if you completed leadership or service as part of this
This page is cumulative so just update your activities each year!
Goshen County 4-H 2016

17. Questions?! Record Books will be due in September each year.
Club Leaders and other parents are excellent resources when it comes to completing Record Books!
If you still have questions or need help, please call us at We are here to help!
Goshen County 4-H 2016