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4-H Record Books

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Record books
Awards
Sewing record books 2019

Why Record Books

Keeping good records of your 4-H experience teaches important life skills, showcases what you have learned in 4-H and provides recognition for your 4-H achievements. They are a required part of being a 4-H Member in Good Standing and necessary for many 4-H privileges such as camping and stabling your animal at fair and attending regional, state and national competitions and events.

Every 4-H member in 4th grade and above follows the process below OR you may complete a traditional printed record book for each project. Record books are available at the 4-H office or online at nj4h.rutgers.edu/recordbooks.

All Cloverbuds are encouraged to complete the printed 4-H Cloverbud Record Book, available at the 4-H office and from your club leader.

Record Books Are Due August 16 for the Previous 4-H Year

The 4-H year runs from September through August. Complete the necessary pages below and print them to turn in to the 4-H office at the end of the 4-H year. For example, if you participated in a 4-H cooking project September 2023-August 2024, your completed record book would be due August 16, 2024.

We encourage you to put your final record book pages in a binder and add photographs and/or artwork of your projects and activities. You may also attach 4-H flyers, score sheets, guidebooks and any other materials that help document your 4-H year. If you do not have a printer, email them to the 4-H office to be printed for you.

Make sure a parent/guardian AND a club leader make comments and sign both your general summary and all project records.

Record books submitted for JUDGING/AWARDS will be entered into the next 4-H fair and returned following the fair. Record books submitted for REVIEW ONLY will be reviewed and returned.

Record Book Pages

All record book pages below are fillable pdfs. You may type into them and SAVE THEM on your computer.

Select one of the following project record pages for EACH 4-H project in which you enrolled. These are to be turned in with your My Year in 4-H general summary:

Example 1:  If you are enrolled in the poultry project, you will complete 1 My Year in 4-H and 1 Animal Project Record.

Example 2:  If you are enrolled in the art club and a horse club, you will complete 1 My Year in 4-H, 1 Non-Animal Project Record and 1 Horse Project Record.

Example 3:  If you are enrolled in the fishing club, the herpetology club and the teen club, you will complete 1 My Year in 4-H, 2 Non-Animal Project Records and 1 Animal Project Record.

Setting Project Goals

Set yourself up for project success by starting your project record at the beginning of the 4-H year in September. If you wait until the end of the year, you may forget much of what you did!

  1. Type in the project information you already know in September.
  2. Next, set three educational or personal goals to achieve by the end of the year. Need help with project goal setting? Discuss with your parent or guardian and your club leader. For excellent goal examples, find a list of suggested project goals in the “SUGGESTED PROJECT GOALS” PANEL.
  3. Update your general summary and project record information throughout the year, and always remember to SAVE YOUR WORK!

If you have questions about any of the forms or need assistance in record keeping, contact the 4-H office at (609) 465-5115, ext. 3605, or email linda.horner@co.cape-may.nj.us.

Suggested Project Goals