Page 20 - December Newsletter

Project Reports/Record Books By: Jake FaulkenderOftentimes, it seems eas- ier to start working on record books right before they are due, and the stress begins to over- flow at the thought of complet- ing this task before the cut-off date arrives. And If they are completed in time and turned in, then it feels like the worst pos- sible time to begin working on next year's books right away. This is a cycle that many 4-Hrs never outpace. The solution to this may seem daunting, but laying the foundation for your project reports early will make the due date seem manageable.There are many purpos- es for record keeping and why it’s valuable in and of itself, as well as an excellent life skill to carry with you.• To teach and set goals• To make plans for action• Evaluate (how well you did)• To learn record-keeping skills• To communicate, prioritize, and summarize what you did• To practice responsibility ~ and much more.There is a multitude of recourses at your disposal, one of which there will be a link to at the end of this article, and oth- ers can even be found while completing the record book it- self.When being judged, typi- cally, there are different expec- tations for each age range. While more information is al- ways nice, younger 4-H mem- bers are not expected to have the same level of reporting that senior members are expected to show.However, it is expected that the 4-H members them- selves are reporting with adults' guidance. Parents, it may seem like the only way it will get done is if you take it into your own hands; please do not. Not only are there lessons for your kids to learn while reporting, but this is also a competition. If you are doing the work, you are not only taking the opportunity to learnand compete for your child but also from the other kids who are putting in the effort.As for photos, there are, again, different expectations for differ- ent ages, but please include pic- tures of leadership and citizen- ship in the project area rather than just pictures from working on the project.If you are interested at all in improving your record books or if you’ve never completed one before, I would highly rec- ommend going to YouTube and watching the video linked be- low. This 30-minute video goes over record books step by step and expectations. Please don’t hesitate to email me or call the office. Both of which can be found below.PROJECT REPORT/RECORD BOOK TRAIN- ING VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=JY8NqGZe-bI