4-H Record Books

Record Books during social isolation

Tips on meeting 4-H club and project requirements with virtual learning. Here are some tips for earning your Star Rank credits virtually and ideas on how to record them in your Record Book. Remember to talk to your Club or Project Leader about options for meeting project or club completion projects.

Are you a Club Officer? How can you help the younger members in your club finish their 4-H year successfully?

Download Tips for Earning and Recording Star Rank Credits in a Virtual World

Record Book Virtual Evaluations

Trying to decide if you want to host Club and County Record Book Evaluations/Competitions virtually? This recorded webinar discusses options to consider.

Covered in the slide deck and video recording:

Considerations such as unknowns, inequitable access to tools, and reducing stress on families
Star Rank Achievements
Evaluation/Competition Recommendations—guidance regardless of how you decide to complete evaluations
Options for collecting signatures
Options for submitting books: email, scanned, drop-off
Options to evaluate virtual independently, virtual small group, in-person after SIP lifted
Supports provided by Statewide Incentives & Recognition Advisory Committee

Download the Slide Deck of this recorded webinar: RB Virtual Evaluations

Record Book Competitions

Record books can be submitted for review and evaluation at the Club, County, and State level. Learn more about Record Book Competitions.

The Online Record Book (ORB)

As of of July 1, 2020, ORB is no longer being used to complete record books.

Those who have begun a 2019-2020 record book in the ORB system will have access to the system till December 31, 2020 to complete them. Visit the ORB Sunset Support Page for information, timeline, tips, and tools to help you during this transition.

About 4-H 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).

Paper Record Books

Paper Record Books use the forms and manual below.

AN updated Record Book Manual and Forms for the 2020-2021 Program Year will be available in August 2020.

The 2019-20 Record Book Manual and Record Book Forms

The 2019-20 edition has minor changes compared to the 2018-19 edition.

All counties in California must be in alignment with the version 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 (PDF) - This manual was designed to be more kid-friendly than previous versions. It outlines all the parts of the Record Book and includes instructions for completing each form.

For more in-depth information, see the Record Book Manual for Adult Volunteers

Record Book Forms

Record Book Forms (doc)

Google Doc Record Book Forms (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 this Record Book Forms feature.)

Both versions contain all forms for 4-H members using a "paper" Record Book. This version allows you to complete the form directly into the document and expand the rows as needed.

Note: ORB entry screens align with the paper versions.

Each county must come into alignment with this version and eliminate all supplemental forms and/or other requirements.

Individual forms

Personal Development Report - For Junior, Intermediate, and Senior members.

Annual Project Report - For Junior, Intermediate, and Senior members.

Leadership Development Report - For Intermediate and Senior members only.

Resume Template - For Senior Members only.

Purchase a Record Book cover using this link. 5% goes back to California 4-H!

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