Junior and Intermediate Guidelines
TIPS FOR COMPLETEING A QACo 4-H RECORD BOOK
4-H records are a written description of your achievements in 4-H and in your
community. They document the knowledge and skills that have been learned; they also
record your experiences in leadership, citizenship and community service. Even though
they may seem like a waste of time now, record keeping will become important when you
become an adult, as records are essential for any adult to be successful. Also, as you
become older, it is nice to look back at what you have accomplished and how you grew to
be a proficient citizen.
There are several requirements for completing a QACo 4-H Record Book that include the
following components:
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Standard 4-H Cover
Title Page (4-H member develops, including portrait photo)
Table of Contents (4-H member develops)
QACo 4-H Summary Record (Form)
4-H Story (4-H member develops)
Photographs (4-H member develops)
4-H Correspondence-Optional (4-H member develops)
4-H Newspaper Clippings-Optional (4-H member develops)
QACo 4-H Project Records (Form)
(Senior 4-H members (ages 14-18) are required to complete a 4-H portfolio which
consists of an essay on the current essay topic and a resume. Tips for this completion are
separate from this document. Seniors may also elect to add the components of a regular
Record Book along with their portfolio.)
Record Book forms are available in paper form from the University of Maryland
Extension, Queen Anne’s County Office. Forms are also available online at:
www.extension.umd.edu/queen-annes-county.
If you have any questions, contact the University of Maryland Extension, Queen Anne’s
County at 410-758-0166 or email Sally Rosenberry at srosenbe@umd.edu or Chris
Johnston at cjohnstn@umd.edu.
Standard 4-H Cover (You can use the same cover year after year)
The standard 4-H cover is available from the 4-H Office for $2.50 each. All information
should be securely fastened in the cover and tabbed dividers should be used to separate
sections.
Title/Photo Page (4-H Member Makes Their Own)
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A portrait type photo of just yourself (head and shoulders only) should be mounted on
plain white paper. Use rubber cement or any other neat process (no tape) to mount. (Do
not use a tab on this page.) Under the picture include:
 Your complete name
 Age (as of Jan. 1st of the year of your current records)
 Post Office address, state, zip code and COUNTY
 List ALL Clubs that you are enrolled in
Table of Contents (4-H Member Makes Their Own)
The Table of Contents lists all forms/categories included in the Record Book. Make sure
the table of contents lists each project form that is included, (i.e. Market Swine Record,
Food and Nutrition, etc.) Example: 4-H Summary Records
4-H Story
4-H Project Pictures
4-H Correspondence (optional)
4-H Newspaper Clippings (optional)
4-H Project Records
1. Market Swine
2. Food and Nutrition
Queen Anne’s County Summary Record
(Form) placed on top of all previous years summaries
The 4-H Summary Record form is to be completed by all 4-H members. Complete a new
form each year and place it over the old summaries. This way you can look back at your
accomplishments of all your 4-H years. The Summary Form includes: personal
information; 4-H Projects Carried; 4-H Presentations; 4-H Activities; Community
Service/Service Learning;Leadership;4-H Recognitions Honors, and Awards;
Community, Religious, School, and Other Activities; and Work Experience(Seniors
Members only)
Personal Information – Fill in the year; # years in 4-H; County; name, address; birth date;
age (as of Jan. 1st of the year of your current records); parents name; names of all 4-H
Clubs that you belong to; name of 4-H leader.
Signatures and dates are required from: 4-H Member, Parent and Leader.
4-H Projects – Fill in the year, name of the project (what projects you are registered for –
not the name of your animal); how long you have carried that project; something you
have learned from that project; and whether you have completed that project. (To
complete a project, the 4-H member must exhibit the project, do a project communication
and complete the record form for each project area.)
4-H Presentations – These are your “Communications”. Fill in the date, title, level (club,
county, state, etc.), and how many times you did it. Presentations/Communications
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include: demonstrations, visual presentations, speeches, oral reasons in judging, and
herdsman at county fair (if you talk with the general public about your project).
4-H Activities - These are 4-H activities other than classes and workshops. Included
would be: club meetings, quiz bowls, judging events, skills events, achievement banquet,
public speaking, club activities, etc. Fill in the activity, date, level and
award/responsibility.
Community Service/Service Learning – Fill in the date, type of service, # helped or items
made, hours spent, level and involvement (what you did). Community Service/Service
Learning Activities include gathering donations for a cause, making items for a group in
need, and volunteer time as a 4-H member.(nursing home, soup kitchen, etc.)
Leadership – Fill in the year, elected office, duty (i.e. if you were the club secretary you
took notes, read club minutes and corresponded with members and the leader), level and
time spent in position. You should also include committee assignments here and Junior
Leadership (helped younger 4-Hers with project, camp counselor or CIT, etc.) If you are
not involved in this area, please note, “none at this time.”
4-H Recognition Honors, and Awards – Fill in the year, what recognition honor or award
you received and at what level. This can be project awards, team awards, show awards
(may state “various placings”), camp awards, Record Book awards, etc.
4-H Classes and Workshops – Fill in the year name of class or workshop, and who
sponsored the class or workshop. Examples would be, Quality Assurance Classes,
Holiday Workshops, Fitting and Showing Workshop, Record Book Workshops, etc.
Community, Religious, School and Other Activities – Fill in the date name of
activity/event, and who sponsored it. These are non-4-H activity involvements that
include, but are not limited to: sports, church, youth groups, animal associations, scouts,
etc.
Work Experience – Senior Members – Fill in the date, type of job employment,
responsibilities and your position title.
4-H Story
(4-H Member Makes Their Own)
Your 4-H Story is a narrative of your experiences in 4-H for the current year. You should
begin with information about yourself – your age, interests, parents, brothers and sisters,
where you live, where you attend school, and when and why you joined 4-H. Tell about
your 4-H projects, why you selected them, what you learned, things you’ve tried and
found both successful and not so successful. Share a special experience; tell about your
leadership experiences such as offices held, committee memberships and some of what
you’ve learned. You may want to share your goals and how 4-H has influenced what you
would like to do in the future. You can be as creative as you like when you write your
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story, but please remember that it is not a work of fiction, it is about you and your growth
in your 4-H year.
Your story may be typed or hand written (typed preferred). If you choose to use the
computer, font size should be 12 point with margins of 1 inch. Stories may be up to a
maximum of six pages in length, 1-2 pages is sufficient for juniors, 2-3 pages is sufficient
for intermediates and 3-4 pages is sufficient for seniors. Type double spaced. Please sign
your story. Please take time to review your story to insure use of complete sentences,
grammar and spelling. If you are using a computer, take time to use spell check, but also
look it over because spell check is not foolproof!
Photographs
(4-H Member Makes Their Own)
Pictures should be used to illustrate highlights of your 4-H projects and 4-H Activities.
Please label each picture with a caption explaining what you are doing in the picture. You
are limited to no more than 3 pages, one side only and not “shingled”. Secure photos with
rubber cement or any other neat process – NO TAPE is allowed & no page protectors.
4-H Correspondence
(4-H Member Makes Their Own)
(This is optional)
You are limited to a maximum of three pages. Correspondence consists of letters sent to
you regarding your 4-H project work or 4-H community service endeavors. Do not
include any correspondence that you send out – only use what has come to you.
Newspaper Clippings –
(4-H Member Makes Their Own)
(This is optional)
You are limited to a maximum of three pages. Clippings should be about you and your 4H activities. Please underline in red, or highlight your name.
Queen Anne’s County 4-H Project Records – (Forms)
4-H Projects are designed so you, as 4-H members, can progress at your own pace
through various learning experiences. Project records help you list everything you have
done in your 4-H project during the current 4-H year. To complete a project one should
do a communication activity, an exhibit, and complete the project record. These tips will
help you complete the 4-H Project Record. Remember to complete one for each project
area that you carry.
Queen Anne’s County 4-H Project Records – (Forms)
4-H Projects are designed so you, as 4-H members, can progress at your own pace
through various learning experiences. Project records help you list everything you have
done in your 4-H project during the current 4-H year. To complete a project one should
do a communication activity, an exhibit, and complete the project record. These tips will
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help you complete the 4-H Project Record. Remember to complete one for each project
area that you carry.
There are ten different project records:
 Queen Anne’s County 4-H Project Record (non animal)
 Animal Records (These are now the same as the MD. State forms.)
Camelids
Dairy
Dog
Horse
Large Animal Breeding
Livestock Market
Poultry
Rabbit & Cavy
Small Pet (Cat, Gerbil, Hamster, Snake, Other)
The Queen Anne’s County 4-H Project Record is a generic form to be used for all
projects other than animals. It is used for projects such as public speaking, gardening,
crafts, food and nutrition, sewing, shooting sports, veterinary science, rockets, etc.
The Camelids Record is the form to be used for llamas and alpacas.
The Dairy Record is the form to be used for dairy animals.
The Dog Record is to be used for all dog projects.
The Horse Record is to be used for all horse and pony projects.
The Large Animal Breeding Record is the form to be used with all large breeding
animals including breeding beef, dairy cattle, dairy goats, breeding meat goats, breeding
sheep and breeding swine.
The Livestock Market Record is the form to be used for all market animals including
market beef, market dairy steers, meat goats, market lambs and market swine.
The Poultry Record is to be used for all poultry and other fowl projects (including
market poultry and fowl).
The Rabbit and Cavy Record is to be used for all rabbit and cavy projects (including
market rabbits)
The Small Pet Record is to be used for small pets (cat, gerbil, hamster, snake, etc.).
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Queen Anne’s County 4-H Project Record (all non-animal projects)
Fill out the personal information, project area and include your signature and signatures
of parent and leader.
Project Journal/Log:
Communications include demonstrations, visual presentations, speeches, oral reasons in
judging, and if you talk with the general public about your project at the fair. The
communications should directly relate to the project record that you are completing. Fill
in the date, topic or title (speech, demo, etc. & its title), location (where the event was
held), and placing.
Exhibits include all fairs and shows that your project has been entered in that directly
relate to the project record that you are completing. Fill in the date, exhibit (a description
of the exhibit i.e. fair, show), location (where the event was held) and placing.
Learning Experiences:
Fill in the date, what you did and something you learned. Include participation in judging,
quiz bowl, skills events, workshops, class participation and any other learning experience
related to your topic.
Financial Journal:
Fill in the date, description of income or expense and the dollar amount of the income or
expense. Total each column (income and expense) and record the totals. Subtract these
and determine the amount of loss or profit. Remember to circle either “loss” or “profit”.
Resources:
Fill out the project resources and manuals that helped you learn more about your project
throughout the year. These resources can be books, manuals, websites, and even people
like your mom, dad, sibling, or club leader.
Life Skills:
Fill in skills for each “H” that you’ve learned and developed that directly relate to the
project record that you are completing. Some 4-H Life Skills include:
 Managing – keeping records, wise use of resources, planning/organizing
 Thinking – problem solving, critical thinking, decision making, learning
to learn
 Living – disease prevention, personal safety
 Being – self responsibility, self-discipline, character
 Working – teamwork, self-motivation, contribution to group effort
 Giving – community service, leadership
 Caring – sharing, empathy, concern for others
 Relating – communication, cooperation, social skills, accepting
differences
(Targeting Life Skills Model, Hendricks, 1996)
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Camelids Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
On page four you fill in Tables 1, 2 and 3 which are: 1) “Alpaca Information”, 2) “Feed
Expense” and 3) “Health and Veterinary Record and Expenses”.
On page five, Table 4 lists “All Other Expenses” and Table 5 lists “All Income”.
Page six has two Tables: Table 8, “Training Record” and Table 9, “Daily Care and
Routine”.
The final page is your “Financial Summary”
Dairy Project Record
You may access the form and instructions from: http://dairy.umd.edu
Click on 4-H Dairy, then click on Dairy Project Recordbook, then both: Record
Book Instructions and/or Record Book Forms
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Use the “Record Book Instructions” to help you complete the remainder of this project
record.
Dog Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
On page four, you will fill in Tables 1, 2 and 3 which are: 1) “Dog Information”, 2)
“Vaccine Record” and 3) “Health and Veterinary Record and Expenses”.
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On page five, Table 5 is “Feeding Record and Expenses”, Table six is “All Other
Expenses” and Table 7 is “All Income”.
Page six has two Tables: Table 8, “Training Record” and Table 9, “Daily Care and
Routine”.
The final page is your “Financial Summary”
Horse Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
On page four, you will fill in Tables 1, 2 and 3 which are: 1) “Horse/Pony Information”,
2) “Feed Expenses” and 3) “Health and Veterinary Record and Expenses”.
On page five, Table 4 is “Farrier Record and Expenses”, Table 5 is “All Other Expenses
Record” and Table 6 is “Income Record”.
The last page, page six, has Table 7, “Horsemanship Standards Information” and then the
“Financial Summary”
Large Animal Breeding Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
On page four, you will fill in Tables 1, 2 and 3 which are: 1) “Project Animal
Information”, 2) “Animal Breeding Information” and 3) “Offspring Record”.
On page five, Table 4 is “Feed Expenses”, Table 5 is “Health and Veterinary Expenses”
and Table 6 is “All Other Expenses”.
Tables on page six, to be filled out are: Table 7 “Income record”, Table 8 “All Other
Income”, and Table 9 “Milk Record” (Dairy Animals Only).
The last page is your “Financial Summary”.
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Livestock Market Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
Page four contains Table 1 which is “Information on Project Animals”.
Page five has Table 2 “Feed Expenses” and Table 3 “All Other Expenses”.
On page six, Table 4 is “Health and Veterinary Expenses” and Table 5 “Sale Animal
Income”.
Page seven, the last page, has Table 6 “All Other Income” and then the “Financial
Summary”.
Poultry Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
On page four, is Table 1 “Poultry Inventory” and Table 2 “Breeding Information”.
Page five contains three tables. Table 1 “Incubation and Hatching Information, Table 2
“Feeding Information and Expenses” and Table 5 “Health and Veterinary Record and
Expenses”.
On page six, Table 6 is “All Other Expenses”, Table 7 is “Egg Production” and Table 8 is
“Poultry and Meat Sales”.
The final page is the “Financial Summary”.
Rabbit and Cavy Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
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Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
On page four is Table 1, “Rabbit/Cavy Inventory” and Table 2, “Breeding Information”.
Page five has three tables. Table 3 “Feed Record and Expense”, Table 4 “Health and
Veterinary Record and Expenses” and Table 5 “All Other Expenses”.
The final page is the “Financial Summary”.
Small Pet Project Record
On page one, fill out personal information, the goals you set, two things you learned and
one thing you would like to improve or do differently next year.
Page two is your “H’s” with examples to help you.
Page three lists your “Project Activities”, “Project Communications” and “Project
Exhibits”. Each section explains what you should include.
Page four has Table 1 “Small Pet Information” (room for 3 different pets), Table 2 which
is “Write a brief statement about how you obtained your small pet” and Table 4 “Health
and Veterinary Record and Expenses”.
On page five there are three tables. Table 5 “Feeding Record and Expenses”, Table 6 “All
Other Expenses” and Table 7 “All Income”.
The last page has Table 8, “Daily Care and Routine” and then the “Financial Summary”.
A Few Final Reminders
As 4-H members, it is important that the work reported is all yours!
Use tab dividers and label them on each section, except for the Title/Photo page and the
Table of Contents page.
Do not use plastic covers over the pages in any section. Plastic covers cause a glare,
making it difficult to read the print.
Do not number pages.
Record books may be computer generated or handwritten. Juniors may use pencil as long
as it is dark enough to read. Use 12 point font size and 1inch margins.
Use all plain, white, standard 81/2” x 11” size paper. Lined paper is acceptable for junior
4-Hers.
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In Your Record Book, Do NOT Include:
4-H Project Manuals
4-H Ribbons
4-H Certificates
4-H Event Programs
4-H Premium Receipts
Loose Items
Green Metal Disc Plate
Record Book Awards
 Your overall book will be evaluated for project achievements, participation,
completeness and neatness. This will determine your ribbon color.
 Project Recognition-Every completed project (which has a record sheet, speech or
demonstration and exhibit) will receive project recognition. These components
must be in their proper places to be easily found by the judges.
 “H” Awards-Each age division (Jr, Int, Sr) will recognize the most outstanding
Head, Heart, Hands and Health Awards. These will be selected from the life skills
section at the end of each project record.
 Story Awards-The top stories in each age division will be recognized. The best
overall story from all age divisions will receive the Miss Mary Larrimore Award.
Adapted from: Cecil County Extension Office
UME QACo. 10/2008 Revised 01/2011, 5/2013
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