1. Using Recognition to Get the Most Out of Your Club’s Membership
Using a comprehensive, recognition program can lead to more youth being recognized and can provide a way to say to every youth: “You are a valued and important member of the 4-H program”
Recognition is an important part of the 4-H experience – for members, parents and leaders
Members, parents and leaders all need to know how well they contribute to the group and learn new skills.
Recognizing their individual and group efforts provides them with feedback.
ACTIVITY – Fishbowl sharing –
Instructions: ½ the group will form a circle facing out and ½ the group will form a circle around the inner group, facing in. Position yourself so everyone has a partner. I will share 4 questions and after each question, the outside circle will rotate to the left so you have a new partner for each question. With your partner, you will have 2 minutes to talk about each question
share a time when your self esteem increased because of recognition (not what kind of recognition, but what you were recognized for that made you feel good about yourself)
talk about what type of recognition is meaningful to you
tell about a time when recognition encouraged you to take a risk
share a time when you were recognized and it made you uncomfortable
Prepared by Kim Reaman, University of Wyoming 4-H Volunteer Development Specialist
Western Regional Leaders Forum, March 12, 2010, Albuquerque New Mexico

2. Basic Beliefs about Recognition
Basic human need
Builds positive self-esteem
Balance with intrinsic and extrinsic
motivates people to excel and take worthwhile risks
Objective 1: Increase their understanding of the beliefs about recognition in 4-H Youth Development Programs
Basic Human Need – everyone needs to be recognized for their contributions
Builds Positive Self-esteem
Balance between intrinsic (internal, feeling good about our accomplishments) and extrinsic (given by others) is essential – ask for examples from the fishbowl activity when recognition was made you feel good about yourself – was it intrinsic, extrinsic or both?
Recognition motivates people to excel and take worthwhile risks – ask for examples from fishbowl activity where recognition encouraged you to take the next step, try something new

3. Basic Beliefs about Recognition
Meaningful recognition
occurs soon after it is earned
is related to a specific task
Given by someone important
Personalized to the individual
Allows for choices
Think about what motivates people
Meaningful recognition…
occurs soon – many times we get in the habit of thinking the end of the year awards program is enough, but that can easily happen months after someone might deserve it
specific task – talk about project work and how recognition can be tailored to what members are learning / be specific about what and how parents and leaders do to help
someone important – someone close to the person, someone they look up to
personalized – think about how people prefer to be recognized – discuss answers to the two fishbowl questions (recognition that is meaningful to YOU and time when you were uncomfortable due to the type of recognition)
choices – share story about the basket of “goodies” an educator keeps for spur of the moment thank you’s
Types of Recognition & Motivation – WHAT MOTIVATES PEOPLE
Achievement – certificates of achievement, like projects with a defined end, place to put completed projects
Affiliation – thank you’s, small gifts, social get together, like team projects, t-shirts for the event
Power – public praise and recognition, reward with leadership roles, titles, opportunities to talk about the program

4. National 4-H Recognition Model
Progress toward self-set goals
Participation
Peer Competition
Standards of Excellence
Cooperation
Objective 2: Increase their understanding of the National 4-H Recognition Model
We have a recognition model to work from that will help us create well balanced recognition programs – recognition that covers the entire spectrum of 4-H and can be effective with all types of people
Objective 3: Be able to identify ways to recognize members which are appropriate to each type of recognition in the National 4-H Recognition Model
As each type of recognition is shared, ask for examples of what their clubs/counties do that might fit in that type of recognition – give an opportunity to share and learn from each other

5. Participation Personal thank you note
Letter of thanks or appreciation to their parents
A PARTY
Participation ribbons
T-shirts, caps, jackets
Membership cards or stickers
Names in the paper or 4-H newsletter
Participation in Educational Experiences
Participation is the most basic of recognition of members in the group – THAT’S ME ACTIVITY
Participation includes attending, participating in, and successfully completing an experience or activity
Participation in any program needs to be recognized
Recognition of participation demonstrates that a person was “there” and can take many forms
Recognition for participation is most effective when given by someone the member cares about and/or looks up to – 4-H leader, camp counselor,
Says “we are glad you are here”

6. Progress Toward Self-Set Goals
Article in paper about what the member is doing and learning
Small token that represents the accomplishment
Ask member to teach others what they have learned
Special mention at club meetings or county 4-H recognition night
Progress toward self-set goals
Recognizing accomplishment of steps along the way can provide motivation to keep going
Progress Toward Self Set Goals
This form of recognition is more about the process than the outcome.
Help youth set realistic goals that are likely to result in successful outcomes. Ultimately goals are decided by youth.
Self-set goals:
Are useful with all ages
Must be realistic and reachable
Are evaluated by both the youth and adult
Are a way to measure youth progress
Answers to questions like “how are you coming along?” or “how is it going?” reflect one’s progress. Several or more steps are involved in reaching a goal.
Judging example – ask “what do you think could have been done better?” and follow up with “what would you do differently?” – remember, they may tell you something that could have been done better and also respond they wouldn’t do anything differently – that’s okay because this particular recognition is for SELF SET GOALS
If you are working with a new 4-H family or leader, it’s also important to help them set realistic goals – maybe they want to take on a huge county event, one handed, but are they ready? Do they understand what all is involved? Those are questions we need to help them think about and answer.
Recognizing accomplishment of steps along the way can provide motivation to continue the effort – share example of how this could be done

7. Achieving Standards of Excellence
The standard of success comes from an outside source or specialist and serves as a measuring stick.
Standards of Excellence
Recognition Night
4-H’er of the Month
Scholarships
Gift Certificates
Hall of Fame Walls
Plaque
Merit Awards
Achieving Standards of Excellence
The next two types of recognition focus mostly on youth, the 4-H members….
Recognizing accomplishments of self-set goals involves comparison of a product or behavior to a standard of excellence.
This involves recognition of how accomplishments compare with set standards and is an external form of recognition. Accomplishments that are recognized include behavior, product preparation, skills, and/or knowledge.
The standard of success comes from an outside source or specialist and serves as a measuring stick. Recognition is determined by how closely performance matches set standards.
To use this form of recognition, standards must be clearly defined. Adults must ensure that youth are well-informed about them.
Recognition based on a set of standards is not a comparison of one person’s performance to another’s. Judges must be well-informed of standards. They must be impartial and be diligent about not comparing work to that of other youth.
Standards measurement involves a judging system and rating categories are often used. 4-H uses a ribbon placement system in recognizing the achieving of a standard of performance.

8. Peer Competition
The desire to win may overpower the desire to learn from the experience. Help youth remain focused on what they have learned and prepare youth for both winning and not winning.
Peer Competition
Ribbons
Trophies
Prize Money
Scholarships
Award Trips
Excelling in Peer Competition
The quest to be a champion can be a strong motivator for some youth. However, it is not a motivator for all youth.
ACTIVITY – with a partner or at your table, talk about the difference between recognition and awards. Ask for volunteers to share their thoughts.
(Recognition is the acknowledgement and affirmation of the personal growth of an individual or group / Awards are things we give to symbolize our recognition of their accomplishment or effort.)
Younger children have limited ability to deal with the ambiguities that may accompany competitive judgment calls, and because they are maturing at very different rates, comparison to peers can negatively influence their concept of their own potential.
The desire to win may overpower the desire to learn from the experience. It is easy to confuse the means with the ends when striving for recognition through competition! Adults must help youth remain focused on the experience rather than the competition and prepare youth for both winning and not winning. Rules and procedures must be clearly spelled out so that everyone knows exactly what will be judged and how that judging will take place.
Competition creates stress that can result in conflict, hard feelings, and disagreement. Negatives stress and conflict can be reduced by making sure that everyone involved understands exactly what is going to be expected.
The positive side of competition is recognition by others and rewards such as trophies, scholarships, plaques, and publicity.
Competition helps a youth’s sense of recognition but does not serve as a positive motivator for all youth.

9. Cooperation within the Group
4-H Team of the Month
Club Awards
Community Service Awards
Teamwork Awards for Committees
Offer leadership roles where teamwork is essential
Cooperation
Recognition based on how group members work together rather than who has accomplished the most as an individual
Excelling in Cooperation within a Group
Because of the increasing interdependence of groups in today’s world, cooperation skills are a necessity. Recognition of cooperation relies on the following guidelines.
Cooperation must involve: all youth within a given group, opportunities to develop a group identity, and group-defined tasks such as coming up with ideas and solutions as a group.
Developing mutually agreed upon goals by looking at a variety of options.
ACTIVITY – with a partner or at your table, discuss what members/leaders gain from the experience of working as a group. Ask for volunteers to share responses.
Gaining understanding of the way a group works. Leadership skills that promote the involvement of everyone in the group are essential.
Knowing that ultimate goal of cooperation is not recognition. Recognition for cooperation is based on how group members work together rather than over who has accomplished the most as an individual.
Everyone in the group is recognized when cooperation is measured.

10. National 4-H Recognition Model
Well rounded recognition programs can help people become more capable and competent AND increase their desire to stay involved in our 4-H program.
Progress toward self-set goals
Participation
Peer Competition
Standards of Excellence
Cooperation
Objective 4: Use all five types of recognition identified in the National 4-H Recognition Model to develop a creative recognition program for their club
The most important part of the 4-H Recognition Model is that is provides for balance across all types of recognition.
The model is applicable to a variety of educational experiences for youth and adults at the individual and group levels.
The model acknowledges people for their project accomplishments as well as continuing development of life skills.
Handout/Activity: RECOGNITION WORKSHEET
Conclusion:
Recognition in 4-H is a strategy for helping people become more capable and competent.
Using a comprehensive, recognition program can lead to more individuals being recognized and can provide a way to say to every person: “You are a valued and important member of the 4-H program”.
Whether it’s a youth or an adult, appropriate and meaningful recognition may be the very thing that motivates an individual to stay involved and even take the next step and doing more in the program – the member may take on an officer role, the parent may become an official, enrolled volunteer, the leader may become more active in the county or state wide program.
Sources:
Clemson University, downloaded February 9, 2009
Florida 4-H Recognition: Helping Youth Grow, downloaded February 9, 2009