How do you get started on a recordkeeping system?
- Gather all of your 4-H project materials, a listing of the projects you signed up for (your leader gave you that at a meeting in the spring), exhibit folders or note cards from a fair exhibit, pictures, clippings, feed records or expense records, etc.
- Determine (with your parents' help) the projects for which you want to complete a detailed record keeping system. You do not have to do detailed records on every project you signed up for. Things to consider when selecting the one or two projects for a detailed record keeping system might be:
- Which is your favorite? Are there one or two projects you are really interested in?
- You might be working toward a certain Award Level in a project and want to continue in that project to progress on to the next level of award.
- Perhaps one of your projects is something you might be interested in as a future career (example: continuing in swine, sheep, dairy or beef because you might want to go to college to study Animal Science).
- Once you have determined which project(s) you are going to complete detailed records on, then determine which type of system you are going to use:
- Standard (basic, experienced, advanced) 4-H Project Records
You should have received the above forms from your leader earlier this year. If you do not have them or have trouble downloading them, contact your county Extension Office.
- Portfolio Recordkeeping
- Video or Cassette Recordkeeping
- Design your own system (may be computer, etc.)
- Time to get started...
- Complete the Yearly 4-H Summary (4H0096)
Work through pages 1 and 2 telling about the 4-H events you attended, recognition you received, talks and presentations you have given, your home responsibilities, and activities in school and community you have been involved in.
Go on to the third page and list all other projects you have decided not to do detailed records on (if you signed up for swine, sheep, and woodworking, but chose to keep records on only the swine and sheep projects, you would put your woodworking project on this page).
- You may also add other information to your 4-H Summary as listed on the back of the form. You might want to include your woodworking fair exhibit folder (example) behind the Yearly 4-H Summary, as well as miscellaneous pictures and clippings that do not relate to the specific project for which you are completing the detailed records. (example: your swine and sheep projects.
- Complete your Project recordkeeping forms or the recordkeeping system you selected. Be sure to include a financial record on the projects you have selected as your recordkeeping projects (example: swine, sheep). All projects must contain some form of financial record. You might include in your recordkeeping system information from your fair exhibit folder or note cards, pictures, news clippings, etc., as they tell the story of your experiences in this project area.
- Once you have completed your Yearly 4-H Summary and recordkeeping system, you will want to put it in something to hold the information together. This might be a three-ring binder notebook, a folder, a box, a portfolio folder, a video or cassette case, or it might be on a computer disc, etc. You may purchase a County 4-H insert for a binder notebook at the Extension Office.
- If you have more than one year in the project area, you might want to divide the recordkeeping system by years, making it easier to find information, etc.
Pronto! You are done! Now you are on your way to using a skill (recordkeeping) you will use the rest of your life.
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