The Nebraska 4-H Career Portfolio is an annual record-keeping system used by Nebraska 4-H youth. It is a composite of all 4-H and non-4-H projects/activities throughout the individual's 4-H career. While Nebraska 4-H does not accept Career Portfolios for state-level award and recognition consideration, some counties may use Career Portfolios for county-level awards. If so, counties will set their own limitations, incentives, and deadlines. Please contact your local Extension office for more information.
Content & Organization Guidelines
The information and resources provided below are suggestions for counties that choose to use Career Portfolios for county-level awards. However, please note that counties may implement their own rules regarding content and organization. Please contact your county Extension office for more information.
Rules
- The 4-H Career Portfolio should be placed in an ACCO folder to facilitate handling and judging.
- Margin and font guidelines should not be changed in the 4-H Career Portfolio.
- None of the pages in the 4-H Career Portfolio should be placed in plastic sleeves.
- Each 4-H Career Portfolio should have an Application and Curriculum Form related to the specific Portfolio. A 4-H'er can submit two Portfolios in different curriculum areas. The 4-H member must indicate which curriculum area is their first and second choice on the Application and Curriculum Form.
- If a 4-H'er submits two record book each book must contain a 4-H story and supporting material related to the curriculum area that Portfolio is applying in.
- Project Record Books should not be included in the 4-H Career Portfolio.
- 4-H'ers can use preprinted tab pages or they can print the tab pages with their computer and add a plastic tab to the bottom of the printed tab pages.
- The back of the tab pages contain instructions and examples for each Portfolio section.
- Signature pages should be completed in all 4-H Career Portfolios.
Contents & Organization
The following materials are required in the 4-H Career Portfolio and should be assembled in the order listed. A separate book must be submitted for each application.
- Cover
- Use a standard Acco-type fastener binder for paper size 8.5 x 11 inches. Do not use loose-leaf ring binder.
- Pre-printed tab dividers
- Application and Curriculum Forms
- Download Application and Curriculum Forms
- 4-H Career Portfolio (Sections 1-3)
- Download Section 1: Project Accomplishments
- Download Section 2: 4-H Leadership, Community Services, Volunteer, Citizenship & Educational Experiences
- Download Section 3: Non 4-H Experiences
- A composite of all 4-H and non 4-H projects/activities through the individuals 4-H career.
- The 4-H Career Portfolio has been designed for use with Microsoft Word and Open Office. It is not required to be typed.
- Additional pages may be added to the form as indicated.
- The 4-H Career Portfolio information should be printed using True Type Font, Time New Roman, 12 point and in Landscape format.
- 4-H Curriculum Story (Section 4)
- Download Section 4: Curriculum Story
- Maximum of 6 pages on one side, double-spaced with 1.5 inches top margin and 1-inch side and bottom margins, True Type font, Time News Roman, 12 point font printed in the Landscape format.
- Suggested story format: (the following outline may help in the development of your story; however, do not identify these parts in your story.)
- Part 1 - Introduction: Introduce yourself, you may wish to include information about your family and personal interest. Include when and why you joined 4-H, etc. You may want to tell why 4-H is important to you.
- Part 2 - Describe Your Growth in Your Curriculum Area: Relate some of the experiences and activities while you were completing your 4-H project(s). Share how 4-H and your project(s) helped you learn new knowledge and skills. You may want to include ideas you tried that were successful or unsuccessful.
- Part 3 - Other 4-H Projects and Experiences: Share highlights of other 4-H project, activities, or experiences not mentioned in Part 2 (see above), include any major learning experiences, items of special interest, and/or unusual situation you encountered.
- Part 4 - Leadership/Community Service related to Your Curriculum Area: Explain how 4-H has helped you become a better leader and citizen. How has 4-H increased your interest and participation in community affairs, and what you have learned from team efforts?
- Part 5 - Conclusion: Summarize the impact of 4-H on you. Describe how 4-H participation has helped you develop personally and professionally. Share your future goals and discuss the career you want to pursue and why.
- Remember: Your story should be written in the first person, check for typographical errors and avoid gimmicks such as a calf telling your story. Stories should be specific to the curriculum area you are applying - do not write a general story and do not include county annual story.
- Supporting Material (Section 5)
- Download Section 5: Support Materials
- These materials must provide documentation to support your 4-H Career Portfolio.
- No more than 4 pages of photos.
- Up to 2 additional pages of supporting materials other than photos.
- A maximum of 6 pages.
- all materials must fit within the confines of an 11 x 8.5 inches landscape page.
- Photo pages:
- Maximum of 4 pages of photos
- Include a brief caption explaining the pictures
- make sure to select photos that compliment the curriculum area
- action photos provide more impressive documentation of 4-H activities
- photos showing year-to-year progress or leadership activities provide excellent documentation of growth
- color photocopies and/or digital photos are acceptable
- photocopies of newspaper print pictures are NOT acceptable
- DO NOT overlap photos where one photo must be lifted to see another
- Optional supporting materials pages:
- Up to 2 additional pages of supporting materials other than photos
- the material should relate specifically to the 4-H curriculum area
- items must fit on 11 x 8.5 inches landscape page
- DO NOT include letters of recommendation
- DO NOT use newspaper clippings or newspaper articles
- photography projects cannot include extra photo pages
- DO NOT include specific project record book