1. Maryland 4-H Portfolio Process for Out-of-State Trips
The Maryland 4-H Awards and Recognition Committee

2. Major Out-of-State Trips
National 4-H Congress
National 4-H Conference
West Virginia Older Members’ Conference
Virginia 4-H Congress
Camp Miniwanca
Number of Trips per 4-Her
A 4-Her will be limited to two major trips during his/her 4-H career and no more than one trip per calendar year and a 4-Her can attend each trip only once.

3. Portfolio Components and Scoring
Application
Resume
Essay
Interview
Scoring:
Interview 40 Points
Resume 40 Points
Essay 20 Points
Total 100 Points
For National 4-H Congress-Each County/City Has One Slot, but Youth Must Acquire a Minimum Total Score of 80%, Two Slots are Reserved for State Public Speaking and Fashion Review Champions and the Remaining Slots Are Filled Based off of Total Score.

4. Deadlines
Application, Resume, and Essay for National 4-H Conference is October 15th in the Maryland 4-H Online Portal
Application, Resume, and Essay for National 4-H Congress, Camp Miniwanca, West Virginia Older Members’ Conference and Virginia 4-H Congress is January 15th in the Maryland 4-H Online Portal

5. The Resume Focus: Length-no more than three pages Single Spaced
Leadership
Citizenship
Life Skills
Length-no more than three pages
Single Spaced
Margins-no less than 1 inch
Font Size-no less than 12 point

6. The Essay
Essay Theme-Posted online at:
(Conference topic posted by June 1st and Congress, Camp Miniwanca, WV Older Members & VA 4-H Congress topic posted by November 1st annually)
Length-no more than two pages
Double Spaced
Margins-no less than 1 inch
Font Size-no less than 12 point

7. The Interview Focus Interview Tips Sheet Leadership Citizenship
Life Skills
Interview Tips Sheet

8. Interview Dates and Locations
4-H Conference (Fall)
Maryland 4-H Center, College Park, 2nd Tuesday of November from 4-7:30 PM
Maryland 4-H Volunteer & Teen Forum, Sunday Afternoon (In year’s being held)
(Youth choose one of the two locations)
4-H Congress, VA Congress, WV Congress & Camp Miniwanca (Winter)
Queen Anne’s County Extension Office, Centreville, 1st Saturday of February (Inclement Weather Date, 3rd Saturday in February)
Maryland 4-H Center, College Park, 1st Tuesday of February from 4-7:30 PM (Inclement Weather Date, 3rd Tuesday in February)
Carroll County Extension Office, Westminster, 2nd Saturday of February (Inclement Weather Date, Last Sunday in February)
(Youth choose one of the three locations)
(PLEASE NOTE: DATES AND LOCATION ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE)

9. Helping You Jazz Up Your 4-H Resume

10. Resume
An accumulation of what you have done throughout your 4-H career
Start with most recent and go to the oldest
Judging based on Leadership, Citizenship & Life Skills
Must be typed
Use bulleting, not paragraphs
Make no more than three pages
Single Spaced
Margins no less than 1 inch
Font Size no less than 12 point

11. The General Format Personal Information Objective (Optional)
Skills and Accomplishments
Citizenship
Leadership
Life Skills
Education (Optional)
Employment (Optional)
Additional Personal Information

12. A Little More Details Personal Information Objective (Optional)
Complete Name
Address
Phone &
County and Club (Optional)
Objective (Optional)
To present my skills and accomplishments that I have acquired in 4-H so that I may be considered for a Maryland 4-H out-of-state trip.
To present my credentials in a way to support my skills and accomplishments acquired through 4-H membership for consideration for a Maryland 4-H out-of-state trip

13. The Focus-Leadership
Leadership-indicate significant leadership roles and impacts
Samples:
Representative of X County as a member of the Maryland State Teen Council ( )
Served as President of the Country Clovers 4-H club ( )
Instructed new 4-Her on how to do a demonstration ( )

14. The Focus-Citizenship
Citizenship-indicate significant citizenship efforts and impacts
Samples:
Shared crafts and games with residents of X nursing home ( )
Participated in X river cleanup on Earth Day ( )
Served food on a monthly basis at the Helping Hands soup kitchen ( )

15. The Focus-Life Skills
Life Skills-focus on knowledge and skills gained through 4-H involvement
Do not just list accomplishments and awards, we want to see life skills reached
4-Her can incorporate accomplishments in with life skills attained.
Samples:
Learned communications through participating with judging oral reasons and doing demonstrations at the club, county and state level. With my skills, I was able to earn a champion on the State level in 2006.
Learned personal responsibility by raising and caring for my animal projects. With my skills, I earned a champion rate of gain award for my hog in 2006.
Learned time management by deciding which project to carry and what activities I would be able to attend in my busy schedule.

16. More on Life Skills
Managing-Keeping records, wise use of resources, planning/organizing
Thinking-Problem solving, critical thinking, decision making, learning to learn
Living-Disease prevention, personal safety
Being-Self responsibility, self discipline, character
Working-Teamwork, self motivation, contribution to group effort
Giving-Community service, leadership
Caring-Sharing, empathy, concern for others
Relating-Communication, cooperation, social skills, accepting differences

17. A Little More Details Education (Optional) Employment (Optional)
X High School, Expected graduation, June, 2009
Maintain a 3.9 GPA and am a Honor Roll Member
Member of National Honors Society,
Junior Class President, 2007
JV Lacrosse Team,
Member of the High School Marching Band and Performing Orchestra
Employment (Optional)
Summer Lifeguard X Community Pool, 2006
Work Part-time on Family Farm, 2000-Present
Additional Personal Information
Family: Son of Dick and Jane; one brother Jack
Church: Member of the X Church, Youth Group Member
Affiliations: Member of the American and Maryland Angus Association
Hobbies: I enjoy dancing, horseback riding, and playing trivia games

18. Thank You!
“University of Maryland Extension programs are open to all and will not discriminate against anyone because of race, age, sex, color, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, religion, ancestry, or national origin, marital status, genetic information, or political affiliation, or gender identity and expression.”