How to Assemble a
4-H Record Book
Your 4-H record book is a report – but different from the kind you do in school.  You add to it all the time and keep it year after year.  It should show that you have grown in your 4-H projects just as you grow up!  Turn it in every year and get recognition for your work.

COVER: You may use a report cover, 3 ring binder or pocket portfolio.  Just make certain everything is secured in the record book.

  1. The first page in your record book is for your picture, name, age, birthday, address, county, school, and a list of your 4-H projects.

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  2. TABLE OF CONTENTS:
    1. My Record of 4-H Achievement
    2. My 4-H Story
    3. Project Pictures
    4. Project Record Sheets
    5. News Articles
    6. Certificates, Awards, and Special Project Activities
    7. 4-H Information Leaflets

     
  3. My 4-H Record of Achievement – This is leaflet YF-26 in your record book divider that you were given at one of your 4-H club meetings.  You just need to fill it in like it tells you.

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  4. 4-H Story – Write a story about things you have done, tried, found successful, and practices and procedures which may have ended in disappointments.  Tell how 4-H has helped you become a better leader and citizen.  Tell about your plans for 4-H club work.  Be sure to write about all your projects!  Be sure to update this each year.

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  5. Project Pictures – Take pictures of your project when you start it, while you are working on it, and pictures showing what it looked like before and after.  Attach the pictures in your record book where they will stay and make sure to date the pictures.  Add as many pages as you like and be sure to include some on each project.  If photography is one of your projects, include several pages of pictures that you have made.

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  6. Project Record Sheets – These are the written records of your 4-H record book.  Keep a record of all work on your project, time spent on your different projects, money spent, money received, awards won, experiences of things learned, demonstrations given, exhibits or shows in which you participated.  Record sheets are available for some 4-H projects, but formal record sheets are not necessary.  The important thing is to write these records down on paper in the project record section of your 4-H record book.  Keep your Project Information Sheets that you will be filling out to turn in with your projects to put in this section of the record book.

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  7. News Articles – Save all articles or pictures that are in the newspaper to put in your record book.  This may include the Tallapoosa 4-H’er newsletter that you get at your club meetings.

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  8. Certificates, Awards, and Special Project Activities – Save all of these kinds of things to put in this section of your record book.  This includes any ribbons that you may receive for your 4-H work.  Also, in this section you can put any community service activities that you do throughout the year.

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  9. 4-H Information Leaflets – Keep 4-H project leaflets and other information sheets that you are given in your 4-H meetings by the Extension Agents and put these in this section of your record book.

Record Books will be turned in once a year.  This will usually be near the end of the school year.  We will go through the record book and put a Record Book Evaluation form in your record book along with your ribbon.  Remember to put these in your record books for the next time that they are due.
Issued in furtherance of Cooperative Extension work in agriculture and home economics, Acts of May 8 and June 30, 1914, and other related acts, in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Agriculture.  The Alabama Cooperative Extension System (Alabama A&M University and Auburn University) offers educational programs, materials, and equal opportunity employment to all people without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, veteran status, or disability.