Due to a scheduling conflict, the Skating Merit Badge will take place on Sunday at 1:30.

Mr. Robertson, a Skating Merit Badge Counselor, is willing to meet with scouts who are interested in earning the merit badge next Sunday, March 22, at Fleetwood Roller Rink (7231 S Archer, Archer & Harlem) during the open skate at 1:30 p.m. Scouts should familiarize themselves with the requirements (http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Skating). Those interested need to contact Mr. Robertson IN ADVANCE at brobertson5152@aol.com. The cost is $8 to skate and $3 for rentals. Scouts may also choose to bring their own inline skates or roller skates. Family and friends are also encouraged to attend for the fun of it.

Mr. Robertson, a Skating Merit Badge Counselor, is willing to meet with scouts who are interested in earning the merit badge next Sunday, March 22, at Fleetwood Roller Rink (7231 S Archer, Archer & Harlem) during the open skate at 1:30 p.m. Scouts should familiarize themselves with the requirements (http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Skating). Those interested need to contact Mr. Robertson IN ADVANCE at brobertson5152@aol.com. The cost is $8 to skate and $3 for rentals. Scouts may also choose to bring their own inline skates or roller skates. Family and friends are also encouraged to attend for the fun of it.

This Thursday, February 19, we will complete the classroom portion of the Snow Sports Merit Badge. We have arranged for a member of the Wilmot Mountain Ski Patrol to meet us at the new Discovery Outpost at Woodfield Mall. We will be leaving RPC at 6:15 and returning around 8:30. The Discovery Outpost is the new BSA Activity and Recruiting center. Scouts should dress in their Class A uniforms and look presentable as this is a public venue. Please email Bruce Robertson if you plan on going at brobertson5152@aol.com.

Scouts: At the Troop Meeting tonight (February 5), we will be working on the First Aid Merit Badge. This is an Eagle-required badge, and we offer this once/year.

Our Council, the “Pathways to Adventure Council” (no longer DesPlaines Valley) will be holding a Merit Academy on March 14. Information is available here: 2015 Merit Badge Academy.

If you were not able to attend the Skating Merit Badge class over break, you’ll have another opportunity on February 5 at the Ridgeland Commons in Oak Park. More information is available here: https://registration.pdop.org/wbwsc/webtrac.wsc/wbsearch.html?xxmod=ar. Scroll down until you see “119259 – Calling All Scouts.”

Looking for something to do over break? The Park District of Oak Park is offering a Skating Merit Badge class at the Ridgeland Commons on December 30. More information is available here: http://www.pdop.org/scouts_on_ice/

It’s not too late to sign up for the Disability Awareness Merit Badge. We will meet at the North Riverside Commons on WEDNESDAY, December 3, at 6:30 p.m. The Lincolnway Special Recreation Association will be coming with wheelchairs and other interactive devices to teach the scouts what it feels like to have a disability. The Troop is paying for this class; there is no cost to our scouts.

There will be NO REGULAR TROOP MEETING this Thursday, December 4. Instead, Mrs. Lulich and Mrs. Lanken will complete the remaining requirements for the merit badge at RPC at 7:00 in the Social Hall.

We realize that the Thursday class conflicts with the Hauser concert. For those scouts who can not come on Thursday, December 4, we will schedule an additional session to complete the badge. The date will depend on how many scouts are involved, and their schedules; it’s possible that it will be in 2015.

Sign up here: http://troop24riverside.com/2014/11/disability-awareness-form-december-3-4/

This Wednesday, December 3, our scouts have a great opportunity to participate in a disability awareness event and earn the Disability Awareness merit badge.

The Lincolnway Special Recreation Association will be coming with wheelchairs and other interactive devices to teach the scouts what it feels like to have a disability. This event will be held in the North Riverside Commons gym at 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

We will NOT be having a regular troop meeting on Thursday. Instead, scouts who attended the Wednesday event will work with Mrs. Lulich and Scoutmaster Lanken to complete the remaining requirements for the merit badge. Scouts should meet at RPC on Thursday, December 4, at 7:00 p.m. in the SOCIAL HALL.

We would like to know in advance how many scouts plan to attend. Please sign up here:
http://troop24riverside.com/2014/11/disability-awareness-form-december-3-4/

Disabilities Awareness merit badge requirements:

1. Discuss with your counselor proper disability etiquette and person first language. Explain why these are important.

2. Visit an agency that works with people with physical, mental, emotional, or educational disabilities. Collect and read information about the agency’s activities. Learn about opportunities its members have for training, employment, and education. Discuss what you have learned with your counselor

3. Do TWO of the following:
a. Talk to a Scout who has a disability and learn about his experiences taking part in Scouting activities and earning different merit badges. Discuss what you have learned with your counselor
b. Talk to an individual who has a disability and learn about this person’s experiences and the activities in which this person likes to participate. Discuss what you have learned with your counselor
c. Learn how people with disabilities take part in a particular adaptive sport or recreational activity. Discuss what you have learned with your counselor.
d. Learn about independent living aids such as service animals, canes, and augmentative communication devices such as teletypewriters (TTYs). Discuss with your counselor how people use such aids.

4. Visit TWO of the following locations and take notes about the accessibility to people with disabilities. In your notes, give examples of five things that could be done to improve upon the site and five things about the site that make it friendly to people with disabilities. Discuss your observations with your counselor.
a. Your school
b. Your place of worship
c. Your Scout camping site
d. A public exhibit or attraction (such as a theater, museum, or park)

5. Explain what advocacy is. Do ONE of the following advocacy activities:
a. Present a counselor approved disabilities awareness program to a Cub Scout pack or other group. During your presentation, explain and use person first language.
b. Find out about disability awareness education programs in your school or school system, or contact a disability advocacy agency. Volunteer with a program or agency for eight hours.
c. Using resources such as disability advocacy agencies, government agencies, the Internet (with your parent’s permission), and news magazines, learn about myths and misconceptions that influence the general public’s understanding of people with disabilities. List 10 myths and misconceptions about people with disabilities and learn the facts about each myth. Share your list with your counselor, then use it to make a presentation to a Cub Scout pack or other group.

6. Make a commitment to your merit badge counselor describing what you will do to show a positive attitude about people with disabilities and to encourage positive attitudes among others. Discuss how your awareness has changed as a result of what you have learned.

7. Name five professions that provide services to people with disabilities. Pick one that interests you and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss what you learn with your counselor, and tell why this profession interests you.

The Communications merit badge class originally scheduled for Sunday, October 26, has been moved to Sunday, October 5, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the RPC Social Hall. (The change was made due to a troop campout scheduled for October 24-26.) On October 5, scouts can complete requirements 2, 3, and 4 for this badge.

To help Mrs. Lulich prepare for the class, we would like scouts to sign up in advance if they plan to attend. Please sign up here: http://troop24riverside.com/2014/09/form-communications-merit-badge-10262014/

1. Do ONE of the following:

   a. For one day, keep a log in which you describe your communication activities. Keep track of the time and different ways you spend communicating, such as talking person-to-person, listening to teachers or the radio, watching television, reading books and other print media, and using any electronic communication device. Discuss with your counselor what your log reveals about the importance of communication in your life. Think of ways to improve your communications skills.

   b. For three days, keep a journal of your listening experiences. Identify one example of each of the following, and discuss with your counselor when you have listened to:

   • Obtain information
   • A persuasive argument
   • Appreciate or enjoy something
   • Understand someone’s feelings

   c. In a small-group setting, meet with other scouts or with friends. Have them share personal stories about significant events in their lives that affected them in some way. Take note of how each scout participates in the group discussion and how effectively he communicates his story. Report what you have learned to your counselor about the differences you observed in effective communication.

   d. List as many ways as you can think of to communicate with others (face-to-face, by telephone, letter, e-mail, text messages, and so on). For each type of communication discuss with your counselor an instance when that method might not be appropriate or effective.

2. Do ONE of the following:

   a. Think of a creative way to describe yourself, using, for example, a collage, short story or autobiography, drawing or series of photographs, or a song or skit. Using the aid you created, make a presentation to your counselor about yourself.

   b. Choose a concept, product, or service in which you have great confidence. Build a sales plan based on its good points. Try to persuade the counselor to agree with, use, or buy your concept, product or service. After your sales talk, discuss with your counselor how persuasive you were.

3. Write a five-minute speech. Give it at a meeting of a group.
4. Interview someone you know fairly well, like, or respect because of his or her position, talent, career or life experiences. Listen actively to learn as much as you can about the person. Then prepare and deliver to your counselor an introduction of the person as though this person were to be a guest speaker, and include reasons why the audience would want to hear this person speak. Show how you would call to invite this person to speak.
5. Attend a public meeting (city council, school board, debate) approved by your counselor where several points of view are given on a single issue. Practice active listening skills and take careful notes of each point of view. Prepare an objective report that includes all points of view that were expressed, and share this with your counselor.
6. With your counselor’s approval, develop a plan to teach a skill or inform someone about something. Prepare teaching aids for your plan. Carry out your plan. With your counselor, determine whether the person has learned what you intended.
7. Do ONE of the following:

   a. Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to express your opinion or share information on any subject you choose. Send your message by fax, email or regular mail.

   b. Create a web page or blog of special interest to you (for instance, your troop or crew, a hobby, or a sport). Include at least three articles or entries and one photograph or illustration, and one link to some other Web page or blog that would be helpful to someone who visits the Web page or blog you have created. It is not necessary to post your Web page or blog to the Internet, but if you decide to do so, you must first share it with your parents and counselor and get their permission.

   c. Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier or other printed material for your scout troop, class at school, or other group. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.

8. Plan a troop or crew court of honor, campfire program, or an interfaith worship service. Have the patrol leaders’ council approve it, then write the script and prepare the program. Serve as master of ceremonies.
9. Find out about three career opportunities in the field of communication. Pick one and find out the education, training, and experience required for this profession. Discuss this with your counselor, and explain why this profession might interest you.
September 30, 2014 Posted to Merit Badges