Record Books
The 4-H program has a long history of record keeping. The focus reflects the importance of this life skill in our daily lives. Completing a 4-H Record Book is a process where you record project and club work using a standard format.
Why have 4-H Record Books?
Completing the Personal Development Report in the Record Book provides you an incentive for participation, learning, and achievement.
Benefits of completing a 4-H Record Book:
- Practice Records Management - Track your activities, events, profits and losses, skill development and learning experiences. In this competency skill you identify, create, classify, archive and preserve records.
- Reflect on your yearly work - Document your skill development and learning experiences in a written report.
- Measure your achievements and growth throughout your years in 4-H.
- Set goals, pursue strategies to meet those goals, and record how you may have had to shift gears in the face of challenges and obstacles.
Do I have to do a Record Book?
We encourage all our 4-H youth to do a Record Book to record their project information and reflections, but 4-H Record Books are not required for membership or participation in 4-H activities such as club events, 4-H camps, or conferences.
A 4-H Record Book may be required to receive participation awards (such as star ranking, medals, or pins based on 4-H Record Book achievements).
TheĀ 2021-22 Record Book Manual and Record Book Forms
The 2021-23 edition is now available. There are no changes from the 2021-22 edition to this two-year edition. All forms and manuals can be used for both program years.
All counties in California must be in alignment with the documents outlined in the manual; no other supplemental forms or requirements may be used.
The Record Book Manual and Record Book Forms are separate documents.
Record Book Manual
Record Book Manual 22-23 (PDF) - This manual outlines all the parts of the Record Book and includes instructions for completing each form.
For Primary Members
We now have forms for Primary Members to start learning the skill of Record Management.
Note: Primary Members are not required to complete reports forms to receive their annual stripe and pin.
Primary Member Report Form (iSprout) (DOC) - for iSprout Primary Project Members
Primary Member - Personal Development Report-basic (DOC) - for all other Primary Members
State Record Book Competition Information
All members planning to submit their book to State Competition must complete the Intent to Submit Form by September 30, 2022, 11:59 pm. Date extended due to website outage.
Once your book is ready to submit, please complete the State Record Book Competition Cover Sheet form by October 14, 2022, 11:59 pm. You will provide the url link(s) to your Record Book on this form, at which point we will submit it to State Competition.
The State Record Book competition is focused on recognition for senior 4-H members who have demonstrated a well-rounded 4-H experience. Books are evaluated against standard criteria. Those books recording the most outstanding 4-H work, goal management skills, and leadership and civic development are selected as state medalists and/or state winners.
The Purpose of the State 4-H Record Book Competition:
- Provides an incentive to members to keep accurate records in their 4-H Record Book.
- Members receive feedback and encouragement on their 4-H skill development, leadership and citizenship development, and record-keeping skills.
- Members are recognized for outstanding 4-H work.
Eligibility for State Competition
If the criteria for eligibility are not met, a member's book will be disqualified from the competition.
- Age Eligibility: Senior 4-H members (at least 14 years of age and no older than 19 years old by December 31 of the program year for which the book is being entered) are eligible to enter state competition.
- Use of Correct Forms: Members who are planning to submit their Record Book to state competition must download and use the most current forms, found on this website. One way to be sure to do this is to always download the latest version of the Record Book Manual and forms from the state website.
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Intent to Submit: Members who are planning to submit their Record Book to the state competition must complete this form by September 30, 2022, 11:59 pm to receive full points for this item. Intent to Submit forms received after this date results in the loss of three points on Record Book scoring. Due date extended due to website outage.
- State 4-H Cover Page - To enter State Record Book Competition, members must complete the online state competition cover page form. This form asks for basic contact information and verifications. It asks you to provide the url link(s) to your Record Book. Only submit this form when your book is competition-ready! This is the final step to submit your Record Book to State Competition. Due October 14, 2022, 11:59 pm. Books submitted after this date will not be evaluated.
Timeline
- By September 30, 2022: Member completes Intent to Submit Form.
- By October 14, 2022: Member completes online Cover Page. The Cover Page will ask the member to provide a link to the record book.
- By October 14, 2022: Evaluator’s application deadline
- November 4, 2022 - Evaluator Orientation
- By November 10, 2022: UCCE personnel submits online County Check Sheet for each member.
- November 10 - December 3, 2022: State 4-H Record Book Competition
- Late January: Results released; members notified
Resources
These are the 2020-2021 Forms and Manual, which are the materials that will be evaluated in winter 2022. Be sure to always use the MOST RECENT forms when submitting your book to State Evaluation.
Options: 1) Google Sheets 2) Google Docs 3) Download to computer, digital entries or 4) Download and print, hand-written entries
Google Drive documents are the preferred format if you plan to enter State Record Book Competition.
Google Record Book Manual (pdf)
Google Sheets Record Book Form
Copy to your own personal Google Drive. NOTE: Most school districts block access from outside of your school district. Please be aware that if you are trying to use the google account assigned from your school, you are likely to get a denied access/request permission request. It is also likely that you will not be granted incoming access by your school account administrator. Please open a free, personal Google account to access the Google Record Book Forms feature.
Awards
- All 4-H members entering a record book at the state competition will receive constructive feedback and their total averaged score.
- State participation and merit recognition members receive a certificate.
- State winners and medalists receive a certificate and hat pin.
- Disqualifications do occur, and are typically a consequence of using the wrong years' forms, missing sections, and ineligible age. Books that are DQ will not be scored, however, comments for improvement may be provided.
Examples of Completed Record Books
TBD- State Office is updating this portion and will be coming soon!