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Record Book

4-H Record Books serve a variety of purposes in the California 4-H Youth Development Program. While society has changed, so have the goals of 4-H record-keeping. 4-H Record Books allow 4-H members to reflect on their yearly work completed as well as maintain records of project and club work. 4-H members demonstrate growth and measure achievements across their years in 4-H.

In record-keeping, 4-H members develop the following life skills:

  • Maintaining records of 4-H project and club work and school and community activities
  • Keeping personal and business records
  • Improving communication with other people
  • Learning time management and organizational skills
  • Learning responsibility and developing goal setting skills

4-H Record Books are an educational component of the 4-H Youth Development Program. They may not be required for 4-H membership nor for participation in 4-H activities such as club events and activities, earning a participation pin, or attending 4-H camps or conferences.

The 4-H Record Book is designed to reflect your thoughts, experiences and accomplishments achieved during your 4-H year. Your work can be handwritten (in ink - except first year members and written requests to the 4-H Office two weeks prior to submission date), typed, or printed from a computer. It is your choice, as your book will be judged on content (completeness, learning experiences, personal growth, accomplishments and creativity) not appearance. What is important is that you, the member, complete your 4-H Record Book to the best of your ability. If, however, someone else must help write or type your record book the reason and type of help should be explained in a cover letter. Otherwise, it will be assumed you did the entire record book yourself.

Your record book not only represents the completion of a 4-H year, but also represents a major part of your life and achievements. Your 4-H Record Book is your responsibility and will prove to be a very valuable experience that will benefit you, the member, throughout your 4-H years and your life.

Procedures For Handling 4-H Records

Club Level

All members are to submit these records: Personal Development Report, Annual 4-H Project Report(s), Calendar sheets (optional decision by club), and supplemental records which apply (i.e. Market Animal Report, Advanced Dairy and Livestock Report, Foods Prepared Record, Rabbit Summary or Advanced Rabbit Report, etc.). Each member must submit a completed 4-H Record Book to complete the 4-H year (earn their year stripe and pin).

All members are to turn in a Personal Development Report with their record book. If you are applying for a Star Rank, please indicate that so leaders will know to check if you qualify.

Club judging will be done by a leader's committee. The committee will prepare a list of members receiving new star ranks, review the record books and fill out a "check sheet" for each record book. The leader's committee will review the record books considering the actual accomplishments of each member. Neatness, completeness, and accuracy are encouraged and praiseworthy, but do not decide the quality of the record book. Review five or six record books before assigning scores. Remember that a gold seal represents top quality in projects, records and participation (not neatness). Let's keep the award worth achieving. Leaders should write positive comments and recommendations on the back of the checksheet to guide members in improving their records, without discouraging their efforts. Place the checksheet in the front of the member's book, purchase notary seals (gold, blue and red) from the 4-H Mall, and place the seals in the upper right hand corner of the Personal Development Report. Submit selected books for County Judging to the 4-H Office by the due date!

County Winners and Medalists in the San Diego County Record Book Judging will be selected for both Junior members Ages 9-13 as of January 1st of the current 4-H year and Senior members Ages 14-19 as of January 1st of the current 4-H year. All members submitting record books at the county level must complete the Record book cover sheet, and a Personal Development Report Summary which includes the present year (first year members are not required to turn in a Personal Development Report Summary). Record Books must have received a gold seal at club level, and use a 4-H Record Book cover available from the National 4-H Catalog to be eligible. All record books from your club must be turned in to, and picked up from, the 4-H Office by the Community Leader or one designated person from the club. A list of record books being submitted (along with the names of the project areas members are submitting their books in), and judges representing each club will be turned in to the office along with the record books. Each club must furnish a county record book judge for every one to five books sent to county record book judging. No record books will be judged from clubs that do not meet this requirement. Judging assignments will be made by the Record Book Committee, and judges will be required to commit to judging until their assignment(s) are complete. At the completion of judging, all record books must be picked up by the Community Leader or the person designated on the submittal form.

San Diego County 4-H has moved to the New State and Sectional Format. Please take time to read about the changes at the California State website at http://ca4h.org/4hresource/ir/recordbook/index.asp .

The Record Book Manual can be found here.

Further San Diego County 4-H will no longer competitively judge record books. All participants submitting a record book to the county level will receive comments, pin, certificate, and ribbon for their participation.

Record Book forms are available for members to use in both PDF and Microsoft Word formats. To view and print the PDF files, use Adobe Acrobat Reader, which can be downloaded free at http://www.adobe.com.

Old Record Book Forms - Soon to be phased out

Optional Record Book Forms - Soon to be phased out