The Resume

4-H offers three styles: Functional (skills-based), Chronological (history-based), and Combination.

• Chronological (The "Growth" Resume): Best if you have been in 4-H for 5+ years and have moved from "Member" to "Officer" to "Teen Leader." It shows a clear upward ladder.
• Functional (The "Skill" Resume): Best if you are newer to 4-H (less than 5 years) but have high-level skills from other areas (like FFA, sports, or coding) that apply to your 4-H project.
• Combination (The "Hybrid"): Good for most AIRE applicants. It highlights your specific "wins" first, followed by your history.

Hands-On Lesson: The "Action Verb"

Look at the "Examples of Action Words" list in the packet (e.g., Facilitated, Coordinated, Championed).

1. Pick one 4-H activity (like "Running a club meeting").
2. Write it three ways using different action verbs:
   • Weak: "I was the president of the club."
   • Strong: "Facilitated monthly meetings for 20 members to ensure all voices were heard."
   • Impactful: "Coordinated a community service project that collected 200 cans of food."

The AIRE Summary Statement

• Formula: [Current Role] + [Trip You Want] + [Subject Area] + [Top Skill].
• Example: "A six-year 4-H member applying for the National 4-H Congress in the Horticulture Science category. Seeking to leverage my experience in greenhouse management and youth mentorship to represent North Carolina's agricultural excellence."

4-H Project Experience

This is the heart of your application (worth 10 points).

Hands-On Activity:

Pick your most important 4-H project and fill in these four blanks based on the workbook's criteria:

1. Action Verb: (e.g., Developed) ____________________
2. The Task: (e.g., a healthy living curriculum) ____________________
3. The Scope: (e.g., for 15 Cloverbuds over 6 months) ____________________
4. The Result: (e.g., resulting in a 20% increase in fruit consumption) ____________________