Boy Scout's Participate in Merit Badge Challenge at Williamsburg MS/HS

On February 10 the Boy Scouts braved the cold weather and came to Williamsburg High/Middle School for the first of 3 Saturdays to attend the Merit Badge Challenge.  Many outside of the Scouting community often equate Scouting to outdoor camping, hiking, and campfire cooking.  But for a Scout to achieve Eagle Scout, Scouting’s highest award, the Scout does much more than this.  The Scout must have skills in Citizenship, Communications, Family Life, Personal Management, Emergency Preparedness and much more.   The program being held at Williamsburg is offering over 30 different Merit Badges for the Scouts to work on.

The Merit Badge Challenge was attended by over 250 Scouts from all over Clermont and Brown County as well as from parts of Kentucky.  In order to put these classes on and support the Scouting protection program (“two deep leadership”) each of the more than 30 Merit Badge classes had 2 councilors.

A few of our classes:

Computers

The first session the Scouts learned a brief history of computers, learned the major parts of a computer system, and discussed computer terms like Input/output devices, storage media, memory, processor, etc. 

Chemistry

In Chemistry the Scouts learned about safety equipment used in a chemistry laboratory and reason each one is used.  The Scouts learned about safe storage of chemicals and once some safety was understood a little hands on.

Crime Prevention and Fingerprinting

The Scouts were fortune to have members of the Clermont County Police come out and teach about crime prevention and fingerprinting.  In fingerprinting the Scouts got fingerprinted and their print placed on a white balloon.  When the balloon is blown up the Scouts can see their prints and learn about the different types of identification marks.  Crime prevention was an opportunity for the Scouts to learn the role of a sheriff’s department, role of citizens including youth in crime prevention and the impact of gangs in the community.

Emergency Preparedness

Emergency Preparedness is one of the harder badges to complete, and a mandatory badge in order to become and Eagle Scout.  The Scouts had some hands on experience on how to safely save a person.  They also worked on ways to move an injured person.

The Scouts will continue this program on February 24.  We want to thank the Williamsburg School for allowing us to use their facility.  Through the use of the School and the volunteer efforts of more than 60 leaders these Scouts have the ability to learn not only these Merit Badges but also information that will allow these Scouts to become knowledgeable adults.

Thanks Williamsburg!