4-H Record Book Competitions

Where and how are 4-H Record Books reviewed and evaluated?

Club Review and contest:

NEW! Contest Record Rooks may have a PDR or a Sparks form. Be sure you have the correct rubric to judge!

4-H clubs announce the due date of Record Books and or, Annual Project Report forms (APR)to the membership. Typically, Record Books are first reviewed at the local level by the club Record Book Advisor volunteer. They then coordinate the club judging/contest event dates and location as well as follow all requirements by the County 4-H program. Club level evaluation is based on the Danish system where 4-H Record Books are judged against a standard using a rubric (score card). All contest Books are to include all the elements found in the current record book manual.

Colored seals are awarded based on the member’s 4-H project work, personal growth and the book’s organization. Through their personal achievements and 4-H participation, members may earn Star Rank recognition. The seals are placed inside the book after club judging.

Books that receive a gold seal score at club level may move up to a County contest competition. All clubs are only to use the Record Book score forms. The ruberic is provided by the county 4-H office.

Like ALL 4-H formal competitions, a club record book contest has a training that is to be provided to each evaluator (judge) at every gathering. Please print and have the Record Book Judging Chair read the training outloud:

Record Book Evalutors instructions

Clubs may only use the approved evaluation (scorecard) form: for regular record books it is - Historical Club Score Form

for the new Sparks award style record book it is - Spark Achievement or No Achievement Club Score Form

for 2023 it is Historical Club Score Form or, Spark Achievement or No Achievement Club Score Form

ALL Club Record Book Contest instructions can be found in this guide:

A Club MUST request the rubric for the final scoring from the 4-H offices.

County Competition -

Record books are due in the 4-H offices on July 16th, 2024. Youth register here:

Make sure that your club has 1 adult judge for every 1 to 4 books submitted to the county contest. Judges will receive training the day of.

Judges will be contacted and given options once all books have been received. Record Books will not be accepted from clubs not meeting the judging quota. The club will receive one notice the books have been removed from the contest. Judges can register here:

Members may submit their 4-H Record Books for the county competition. Books are evaluated/judged on the member’s 4-H work, leadership and citizenship development, and personal growth. County-level evaluation will be based on the Danish system with all books judged against a standard. Evaluators provide a critique and suggestions for future growth and involvement. Members are to use the current Record Book manual and all follow instructions.

What needs to be in 4-H record book for the county contest?

Personal Development Report (PDR)
Annual Project Report APR for each project
Market Report Forms (if applicable)Leadership Development Form (LDR) for all areas applicable)
My Story
Title Page
Table of Contents
Expression Page
Collection of Work
Summary of years

Members are to use this checklist to be organized in their submission:

Record Book Contest checklist 2023 draft

Club Leaders are to use this Submission form to help keep track of all books and what they need: Club Submission Form County contest- 2022-2023 draft

State Competition

State competition is focused on selecting senior 4-H members who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their 4-H project work. Books are judged against standard criteria. Those books displaying the most outstanding 4-H work, goal management skills, and leadership and citizenship development are selected as state medalists and/or state winners. Members no longer need to qualify at a county competition.

See the California State 4-H website for current information and deadlines.