Collections- County only

The objective of the Collections project is to encourage 4-H Members to learn the joy of collecting and organizing a collection of items and to understand the value of both the process of collection and the value of their collections by collecting items of value to them, by researching the market value of those items, and by presenting them in an attractive display.

Scorecard

Rules for All Divisions:

 Refer to the White County 4-H Handbook for more information
  • Exhibit a collection neatly and attractively in one of these 3 methods:
    • Enclosed in some type of box/container 
    • In a notebook
    • On a poster (22" x 28") displayed horizontally 
  • Exhibit may be continuation of member's previous collection or a new collection consisting of the appropriate number of items.
  • All items must be labeled. Example: "Button from my mother's wedding dress." Be creative in arranging and labeling your exhibit in a way that is artistic and neat. 
  •  A three-ring binder including title page, completed My Collection Story, completed 4-H Collector’s Inventory Log, and photo(s) is required as part of your exhibit.  Sheet protectors are recommended but not required. Finally, your binder should be updated each year, adding any new items which have been added to the collection. Thus, new items need to be added to the Inventory Log along with a photo(s) of these new items. You should use tabs to separate each year in the project and place the most current year at the front of the binder.
  • Your Collection Story should explain your collection, why you decided to collect these items, how you plan to add to your collection, what you have learned from your collection, which item in your collection is your favorite and why, and anything else that is important to you about your collection. Be detailed. You may complete your story by hand, or you may type it on your computer and print it out.
  •  Your 4-H Collector’s Inventory Log must list every item in your collection, not only those being displayed. In this day of computers and spreadsheets, it works especially well to keep a file on your computer and then print it out. If you don’t have access to a computer, this can be filled out by hand.
  • A photo(s) of your whole collection or photos of each item in your collection must be included in your binder. It is important for you to have a photographic record of your whole collection no matter how small or how large your collection is. The quality of photos will not be judged, but your photos should be clear and sharp.
  • In all divisions, if the items in your collection are too large or your collections is too valuable to exhibit, you can exhibit a poster (22”x 28” displayed horizontally) or a binder containing photographs of the required number items from your collection for your division. All other exhibit requirements must be met.
  • No live items are acceptable.
  • No weapons or any items resembling weapons may be displayed as a collection, but photos of these items may be exhibited via the poster or binder exhibit options.
  • It should go without saying that the collection must be owned by the 4-H’er and may not be “borrowed” from someone else.
  •  A completed General Record Sheet (4-H 528) must be turned in when you check in your project.

Requirements based on grade level 

Beginners- Grades 3-5: 

  • Six(6) to (10) sample items from your collection. You must exhibit at least two (2) new items from your collection every year, but all items exhibited may be new to your collection.
  •  Your display may not exceed 18” x 24” x 24”, and it must be securely enclosed in a display case if left for display at the fair. If appropriate, you can also display your collection on a covered poster, in a binder, on a covered display board, or any other manner.
  • A three-ring binder which includes a title page, a completed My Collection Story, a completed Collector’s Inventory Log, and one or more photos of your whole collection or each individual piece.

Intermediate-  Grades 6-8:

  • Twelve (12) to (16) sample items from your collection. You must exhibit at least two (2) new items from your collection every year, but all items exhibited may be new to your collection.
  • Your display may not exceed 24” x 24” x 24”, and it must be securely enclosed in a display case if left for display at the fair. If appropriate, you can also display your collection on a covered poster, in a binder, on a covered display board, or any other manner.
  •  A three-ring binder which includes a title page, a completed My Collection Story, a completed Collector’s Inventory Log, and one or more photos of your whole collection or each individual piece.

Advanced- Grades 9-12:

  • Eighteen (18) to sixteen (16) sample items from your collection. You must exhibit at least two (2) new items from your collection every year, but all items exhibited may be new to your collection.
  • Your display may not exceed 24” x 36” x 24”, and it must be securely enclosed in a display case if left for display at the fair. If appropriate, you can also display your collection on a covered poster, in a binder, on a covered display board, or any other manner.
  • A three-ring binder which includes a title page, a completed My Collection Story, a completed Collector’s Inventory Log, and one or more photos of your whole collection or each individual piece. 
  • Advanced Level exhibitors also must research and assign a monetary value to each item of the collection. All sources must be referenced at the end of the Collector’s Inventory Log. A judge is not to discredit an exhibit for the manner in which references are listed.