1. Presented by: Elliott Sachse

2. 4-Hers Keep Records To:  Measure Progress in their project(s)  Identify expenses and financial gains or losses of their project  Document all 4-H activities and experiences year by year  Evaluate project growth over the years  Refer to when filling out applications for out-of-county educational events  Serve as a guide when applying for local 4-H awards and scholarships  Assist in completing employment and/or college application forms  Help when writing resumes for college and/or employment

3. 4-Hers Learn To: Plan and organize their work Evaluate economic growth Budget their project and other financial needs Improve their written communication skills Pay attention to detail, follow instructions, and meet deadlines. Make decisions Set priorities Appreciate the life skills they are developing Understand the value of keeping records 4-Hers gain satisfaction and motivation from observable progress and learning. As they experience satisfaction and progress, they gain in self-esteem and self-confidence…this makes it FUN!!

4. Record keeping should be done throughout the year. If you wait until the last minute you may forget some of the most important activities and opportunities you participated in! Calendar Method: Keep a calendar in a handy location (such as on the refrigerator) and every time you do something related to 4-H, school, church or other, write it down! At the end of each month place the calendar in a safe place until time to complete your record book. Index Box Method: Get a 3 by 5-inch card box, index cards and dividers. Label each divider as one of the sections on the report form. Each time you do something, write it on an index card and file in the appropriate section. Binder or Spiral Method: Grab an old school binder or notebook and organize each of your activities by type of activity or by date. This is an easy way to start until you get the hang of record keeping.

5. County 4-H Record Books are due October 1 each year. The record book must be in the Extension 4-H Office by that date. Pins will be awarded to the top four members in each category. If there are more than four members entered in a specific category, the category is split by age division. (Novice, Junior, Senior)

6. A State 4-H Record Book should focus on three things: 1.A major 4-H Project any project on the 4-H Project Short List (200.B-3B) may be considered as a major project and record book category 2.Leadership taking the lead, providing direction, planning, organizing and carrying out assignments 3.Citizenship service, doing something for others, community involvement These three things are highlighted in several ways. A completed book will contain: Cover Page, Report Form, 4-H Story, and 3 Photo Pages

7. Read each section of the report form carefully. Each one asks for specific information and explains how that information should be listed. Each section should be factual and concise. Information in that section should not be repeated in other sections. Show consideration for the reader. Excessive underlining or highlighting, poor alignment of items or use of fancy fonts are distracting. Judges have requested that no bright papers or plastic covers be used. Concentrate on content and accuracy. Use correct grammar and spelling. Proofread the section several times; use spell check if you have it on your computer. Remember, this is a 4-H record form, so school, FFA, sports, church and other activities are listed in Section IV-C only. This section may be organized by year or by type of activity.

8. Understanding the terms used in the report form will greatly help in completing a record book. The following terms are common throughout the report form: Goal – what you want to learn or do at the start of your project. Knowledge & Skills – what you learned bit by bit as you pursued the goal. Accomplishments – what happened, the result. Levels – Local (L)- denotes club activities County (C)- denotes county level activities District(D)- denotes activities you completed at district contest, trainings or regional fairs. State(S)- state-level participation such as State 4-H Conference or New Mexico State Fair.

9. Levels (cont) – National (N)- denotes national level events. International (I)- include events held out of the United States. Citizenship- community involvement: doing something for others; service. Leadership- Taking the lead; providing direction; planning, organizing and carrying out an assignment. Year- The 4-H year begins on October 1 of each year and goes through September 30 of the following calendar year. Year denotes your first, second, third, etc. 4-H year.

10. A good story helps the judge get to know the 4-H Member! It shows growth over the 4-H career. This is not just a repeat of the report form. Remember that the story can be submitted on it’s own merit to receive a paid registration for the author and a friend to a State 4-H Event. The 4-H Story may be no longer than six pages. It is to be double spaced in a font not smaller than 12 point with at least 1” margins and only on one side of the page. (A senior member’s story should be at least four pages long.) A good rule of thumb is to have a page for every year the member has been in 4-H, up to six pages. The 4-H Story is a personal narrative of your growth in 4-H, the goals you’ve set and reached, what these experiences have meant to you, or how 4-H has impacted your life. Tell how your 4-H experience has affected your family, community and others. You may wish to use a theme to tie all the activities together. Be creative; make the story sound as if you were telling a friend about 4-H, your goals and dreams, how you overcame defeat or handled success. Add touches of humor or quotes from people who have encouraged you.

11. Writing Your Story Part I- Introduce yourself- remember, people are reading your story that do not know you. Include your age, interests, parents, brothers and sisters, where you live, where you go to school, grade, etc. You can always include an attention getting paragraph before your introduction- one suggestion is to use a funny 4-H incident. Part II- Tell about the projects in which you are enrolled. Why did you choose these projects? What have you learned in the projects? How did you finance your projects? What was your favorite activity in 4-H? Part III- Explain how 4-H helped you become a better citizen and leader. Include offices held, committees served on, and what you have learned working with other 4-H members. Part IV- Describe how 4-H has influenced you. Tell about school, goals, careers, and future plans. Conclusion- Don’t forget to end your story!

12. Story Tips Avoid a year-by-year listing of what you did. Show the human interest side of 4-H- how has it changed you, your family, your community? Tell about the skills learned and changes in attitudes and habits. PROOFREAD!! After you have proofed, have someone else proofread as well. Look for the following: Did you begin each sentence with a capital letter? Did you use end marks correctly? Did you spell each word correctly? Did you write each idea in a complete sentence? Did you use commas correctly? Did you begin each proper name with a capital letter? Did you indent each paragraph?

13. Begin taking photos early! The photos that you use are a very important part of your record book. They should reflect growth, development, and involvement in your 4-H career. Use photos that show you doing things, learning and teaching others, and especially having FUN in 4-H. Use photos that show your main project, other projects, leadership, community service and other 4-H related activities. Photos depicting family activities, livestock auctions, sports events, other school events (non-4-H related photos) are discouraged. Waiting until the last minute and having to pose or create false photos is sometimes noticeable in your book, so start taking pictures now!

14. Start Now! Make it FUN! Take pictures! Books are due October 1 of each year. Keep track of Leadership Experiences. Look for Citizenship Opportunities. Review the terms. Work a section at a time! Put it all together. Turn it in! GOOD LUCK!!