1. Equal Access/ Opportunity Program
How to Complete Your
4-H Record Book
Equal Access/ Opportunity Program

2. About the Record Book
Your record book is your place to organize information, keep track of your 4-H accomplishments, and let other people know what you did and learned during the year.
Record Book Cover

3. Parts of a Record Book Information Page Summary Record 4-H Story
4-H Project Records
4-H Photographs
News Clippings
Correspondence

4. Information Page
Fill in your personal information such as name, address, age, clubs, projects, and goals for the year.
You may add a photo of yourself if you have one to insert or attach.

5. 4-H Summary Record
This form is where you keep track of general 4-H information that isn’t part of your individual project records.
TIP: If you fill out your project records first, all left over information usually goes in the summary record!

6. Club Attendance Participation
Mark which monthly meetings you attended and add any notes about your attendance
Jan.
Feb.
Mar.
Apr.
May
June
July
Aug.
Sept
Oct.
Nov.
Dec. x
Sick- absent
No meeting

7. Name Membership or Office Held
Committees & Offices
Did you hold an office in your club or were you on a committee that worked on a service project or other project?
Name Membership or Office Held
Description of My Role
Club President
Led all of the meetings during the year
Club Float Committee
Helped put together the club float for the fair parade

8. 4-H Promotional Activities
What did you do to educate people about 4-H and/or recruit new members during the year?
Date
4-H Promotional Activities
July 15
Set up a table with information about 4-H in the 4-H Building at the County Fair
November 12
Club Display that I helped make was exhibited at the Waterfowl Festival
December 15
I went to my school open house and gave out 4-H flyers to parents and kids who attended

9. Communication Activities
This is where you can list demonstrations, illustrated talks, talks to a community group, school talks, etc. that are NOT included in your individual project records.
Date
Type of Communication
Event or Location
February 15
Radio Spot – “4-H is Great!”
County Public Speaking Contest
May 2
Talked to Lions Club about how 4-H has helped me learn new things during the past three years
Lions Club meeting held at Denny’s Restaurant

10. Description of Award or Honor
Awards and Honors
Tell about any awards and honors you received that are NOT already mentioned in your project records.
Examples include fair awards for exhibits that were not part of your main 4-H projects, school awards, etc.
Date
Description of Award or Honor
Received From/At
July 16
Recycle craft entry in Fair
County Fair
Canned peaches entry in Fair
October 1
Youth Service Award Certificate
County Council gave it to me for my service work all over the county.

11. Miscellaneous Activities
This is a section where you can describe any important 4-H or non-4-H activities, events, and learning experiences that are not included in your project records. Examples include club field trips, service learning projects, after school activities, volunteer work etc.
Date
Description of Activity or Event
Location
January 14
Collected canned goods to donate to the food pantry. I learned that the pantry gives food to 120 families.
St. Peter’s Catholic Church
December 20
Participated in a record book training that taught me how to organize my record book
4-H Office

12. The 4-H STORY WHAT Do I Write about in My Story
The 4-H STORY WHAT Do I Write about in My Story? This is an important part of the record book. It gives you a chance to describe your experiences and things you have learned during the past year. HAVE FUN writing it!
Information about you – family, age, school, hobbies, etc.
How 4-H helped you or your family
How you helped others
Your involvement in club activities
Good and Bad Experiences
Things you learned form your projects and how they relate to head, heart, hands, and health
Project and life kills you have learned from being in 4-H.

13. 4-H Story Reminders:
You may receive help typing your story but YOU should write your 4-H Story.
The story should be in your own words. Spelling and grammar don’t have to be perfect.

14. Project Records
Fill out a project record for each project you completed during the year IF you want to be recognized by the 4-H office for your accomplishments in that area.

15. Communication Events
Record demonstrations, illustrated talks, exhibits public speaking, or talks to the community that are about this project.
Date
Communication Event
Location
Rating/How did you do?
February 10
Demonstration on how to make cheese from goat milk
4-H club meeting
People liked it and asked lots of questions
October 20
Illustrated Talk on how to fit your goat
Harvest Festival
Three people asked to join my club after the talk

16. Exhibits
This is where you list the things you exhibited in public about this project. Examples include fair exhibits, poster displays in a public place, and project handouts given to the public.
Date
Exhibit
Location
Rating/How did you do?
February 10
Poster about the kinds of goats
Winterfare in Salisbury
People said they liked the poster.
July 20
Showed my goat in the goat show
County Fair
Earned First Place

17. Type of Activity/ Event
Learning Experiences
List 4-H activities, events, clinics, and workshops that helped you learn more about this project. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT SECTIONS OF YOUR PROJECT RECORD!
Date
Type of Activity/ Event
What I Learned
March 25
Goat Workshop at the Mason Dixon Farm
How to properly groom my goat
May 11
Club tour of Johnson’s Goat Farm
How to prepare pens that keep goats safe

18. Financial Journal List your income and expenses for this project
during the year.
Date
Description of Income or Expense
Income
Expense
May 15
Vet Check
$50.00
All year total
Feed for Goat
$106.00
July 15
County Fair Premium
$96.00
Total Income: $96.00
Total Expense: $156.00
Profit (+) or Loss (-) -$60.00

19. Resources and Project Skills
Resources: What resources did you use this year? Include books, internet, volunteers, parents, other members, and profession
Project Skills: Did you accomplish your project goals this year? Why or why not? What are the most important things you have learned or results of your work on this project?
The Life Skills section will help you organize your thoughts, prepare for writing your 4-H story, and allow you share extra information not in your story.

20. 4-H Photographs:
Pictures should have a caption explaining what you are doing.
You may also add pictures of club activities or special 4-H event participation.
In this picture, my horse and I are waiting to compete at the Riders Fair.

21. This clipping came from The Community Guide on November 1st.
News Clippings:
Tell where the clipping came from and the date that it was published.
This clipping came from The Community Guide on November 1st.

22. Correspondence
This includes any personal letter to you or your club for your 4-H or non-4-H work, s about 4-H, the 4-H newsletter, etc. This section allows you to share examples of 4-H communication.

23. Do You Have Questions? Call the Extension Office
if you have any questions
about putting your record book together.
Record book forms
(type-in and write-on)
are available online at
extension.umd.edu/4-h