Citizenship in the Community --Merit Badge
Notes from Mr.
Wietelmann:
We will work on this badge during 1-2 more troop meetings, and after
that, the scouts will be pretty much on their own to finish the
work. Also, we may very likely spend take about 30 minutes of a
Monday night meeting session time to go over to City Hall to attend a City Council
meeting (see link to the right) which satisfies one of the
requirements.
I'll send a heads-up note - we should all be in uniform.I will be available at meetings and any other mutualy convenient time to accept and review work as well as answer questions about the requirements. This is a pretty academic badge and some of the requirements take time! Don't expect to knock it out in a hurry, and don't feel like you've failed if you don't completely finish by the end of the school year (although the Spring Court of Honor is a good target). My advice is to plug along and keep at it as best you can given your busy schedules with school and other extra-carricular activities. As I told the Scouts at the meeting, there are some important initial steps to take before beginning your work on the badge...
Getting Started:
First
Step: Get
Requirements and Worksheet:
Print out the requirements list and work book from these two internet
links (let me know if you have problems)
CitComm
Requirements 
Second
Step: Knock
off the Requirements
Start in on your work, using the workbook wherever possible and
practical (maps, presentations, etc... are obviously separate items).
It is possible (but difficult) to
complete the badge without ever looking at the official BSA merit badge book, but I highly
recommend that you buy one at the Council Office or borrow one from
another scout (we have a few in our troop library) as
needed. Some of the answers to requirement questions are spelled
out clearly in this booklet.
Here is an image of the new color version of the booklet, the content
is the same as before but the pictures are now in color.
Mr Wietelmann's rules,
recommendations, and answers to FAQ:
Presentation
Start thinking about the presentation requirement # 8.
Please ask first if you want to deviate from the explicitly suggested
forms of presentation. 5-10 minutes is a good target. The scout should
be able to narrate the presentation (or put the narration directly in
the video...).
Print out the requirements list and work book from these two internet links (let me know if you have problems)
CitComm Requirements
Start in on your work, using the workbook wherever possible and practical (maps, presentations, etc... are obviously separate items).
It is possible (but difficult) to
complete the badge without ever looking at the official BSA merit badge book, but I highly
recommend that you buy one at the Council Office or borrow one from
another scout (we have a few in our troop library) as
needed. Some of the answers to requirement questions are spelled
out clearly in this booklet.
Here is an image of the new color version of the booklet, the content is the same as before but the pictures are now in color.
Here is an image of the new color version of the booklet, the content is the same as before but the pictures are now in color.
Mr Wietelmann's rules, recommendations, and answers to FAQ:
Presentation
Start thinking about the presentation requirement # 8.
Please ask first if you want to deviate from the explicitly suggested
forms of presentation. 5-10 minutes is a good target. The scout should
be able to narrate the presentation (or put the narration directly in
the video...).
Community Service Requirement
Community Service (8 hours) for requirement 7 should start after you start the class. You can count on the fact that I will accept service to any organization that is accepted by (on the list) for community service credit at PMS and PHS. Others need pre-approval but you can be pretty sure that just about all non-profit organizations that are supported by a scout AND his parents are acceptable.See our Community Service page for ideas, guidelines and organizations.
REMEMBER when you do your volunteer service hours you need to get the supervising person at that organization to SIGN OFF on the Community Service Form so that the Troop can give you credit for your hours!
Cit Comm Movie
- The movie you watch for requirement 5 can be any one listed on this website: Cit
Comm Movie list #1
Here is a another list of suggestions: CitComm Movie list #2
Scouts
need to ask for their parent's and MY approval for other
movies. I
try
to accept a pretty broad range and apply a generous interpretation of
the rules wherever possible - but for the most part you can count
on a
typical action movie as NOT being accepted. Often scouts are
watching
movies which are perfect for this requirement in classes at
school.
The idea is that the movie should be inspiring and about the
impact that a single individual can have on their community.
Here is a another list of suggestions: CitComm Movie list #2
Scouts need to ask for their parent's and MY approval for other movies. I try to accept a pretty broad range and apply a generous interpretation of the rules wherever possible - but for the most part you can count on a typical action movie as NOT being accepted. Often scouts are watching movies which are perfect for this requirement in classes at school. The idea is that the movie should be inspiring and about the impact that a single individual can have on their community.
Map
For requirement 2, you can use this Piedmont Map
. Since the government buildings are all
there and already marked, you should add numbers to the "City
Department" items on the key and then put corresponding numbers at the
correct location on the map. Also, please put a marker/number on the
map (and add it to the key) at the approximate location of ONE of the
following items:- Old Piedmont Springs Hotel
- Original Blair House
- The old (circa WWII) mulberry farm and silk factory (it was intended to be used for making parachutes)
- Ransom Bridges Girl's Boarding School (hint: located where a street called a "Lane" makes a circle!)
References / Links:
Piedmont History
on Wikipedia Piedmont City Hall (hint: The City Clerk (look her up on the directory of the City website) knows almost everything about the history of Piedmont and is very helpful!)
Piedmont Historical Society