ArizonaRealCountry.com 55 December 2017 8 LOCATIONS IN ARIZONA! www.StotzEquipment.com CALL TODAY: 800-523-1914 JOHN DEERE TOYS & APPAREL 10% OFF* TOY SALE *Offer Valid 11/01/17 - 12/31/17. Some restrictions apply. See dealer for details. DEALER PROMO CODE: TOYSALE KEEPING A RECORD of Your Citizenship By Arman Ghazi, Maricopa County 4-H Americorp Volunteer Throughout the year, 4-H’ers across the county work hard to complete projects in dozens of different areas and skills. But how do they keep track of everything? It all culminates in their annual 4-H record book, which documents all of the accomplishments, challenges, and what they’ve learned during that year. From the beginning of the 4-H year in October, 4-H members begin to write down the dates and a short sentence about every meeting and 4-H event they go to. That way, at the end of the year members have a way to remember and look back on those events in more detail. It can be hard to recall details of events from 12 months ago! Along with the dates of events, 4-H’ers write a one to three page personal story about anything that impacted them in the year. These are always a great read, as they give an insight into what being in 4-H really means to the youth involved. Financial literacy is another huge benefit of the record book process. In today’s world, knowing how to keep track of funds and being fiscally responsible is so important to learn at a young age. Every record book has a financials section, where members have a place to keep track of what they spend and earn, and a listing of all assets. This process offers a great opportunity to gain financial experience and knowledge. Once it’s all done, 4-H’ers have a place that they can keep all the awards and recognition they’ve earned at county fair, livestock shows, speech competitions, and more! Maricopa County also has an annual awards ceremony, where 4-H’ers get recognized for their projects and events they’ve taken part in. It’s a wonderful event where hundreds of members, families, and neighbors get to hear about all the interesting and important things other 4-H’ers are doing every day in our community. Having a document that encapsulates the time as a 4-H member can also serve as a useful resource in scholarship and job interviews. Being able to demonstrate active citizenship and community service is a very looked after trait with many companies that are hiring today. You can find 4-H projects on anything that you have an interest in. That could include things like photography, animal and livestock projects, dog training, community service, cooking/baking, and there are hundreds more. For a more comprehensive list on the opportunities available, go to: https://extension.arizona.edu/4h/statewide-projects Or for information on how to join 4-H in Maricopa County, go to: https://extension.arizona.edu/4h/getting-started