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jlouthai

jlouthai
Member since : Nov-17-2008 (Verified)
1 Ideas, 2 Comments, 264 Votes

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Ideas Posted

-19
In keeping with the idea of catch and release that is taught in these badges I think it is time to remove the clean and cook requirement. Many people enjoy fishing and never keep any of the fish they catch. A Scout should be able to earn these badges without having to kill a fish.
Moderator Comments
8/10/09

From: Bob Scott, Innovation Team Coordinator

The current merit badges for Fishing and Fly Fishing require two fish be caught, on released and one cooked. The cleaning and cooking is considered a key part of fishing craft. As future revisions are made to these pamphlets catch and release will be futher emphasised from a conservation perspective.
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Comments Posted

jlouthai 11 months ago
Scouts do need help in their interview skills. As a camp director I interview a lot of high school age youth for summer camp positions. Overall they are not prepared for the interview at all. They don't really understand how to present themselves or communicate their answers to questions in an effective matter.

That said, I think a better place for this may be Communications merit badge. As an Eagle required badge, all Scouts will be given the opportunity to learn the skills they need to prepare them for job interviews.
jlouthai 11 months ago
Logistically the Cycling Merit Badge can only be done on a road bike because of the distances involved in the rides and mountain biking does not deal with things like stop signs and intersections. The majority of bikes purchased are mountain bikes rather than road bikes. Even if these scouts are not mountain biking per se, the style of bike is not conducive to a long road ride. For those scouts who do ride trails the skills necessary to safely ride on single track are not included in the Cycling merit badge requirements.

Another need for a mountain bike merit badge is the misconception that mountain biking has a negative environmental impact and that mountain bikers have a lack of courtesy on trails. It is true that there are mountain bikers who have no sense of environmental stewardship and are just plain rude while riding public trails. However, the majority of riders have an understanding for the need to preserve the environment and the need for the bikers themselves to work to maintain the trails they ride. The impact that bikes have on the environment is minimal. It is equivalent to a hiker based on studies done by the University of New Mexico from 2004 to 2006. The impact seems to be more than it actually is due to the lack of available trails for riders to use. When a large number of riders are forced to use a relatively small number of trails the impact will, of course, be high on those trails.

A mountain biking merit badge could provide the necessary education for riders to learn how build and maintain trails and also how to respect others who are using the trails for other purposes such as hiking and horseback riding. A merit badge could go a long way toward educating the public about mountain biking and mountain bikers.

Instead of offering a new merit badge, the current Cycling one could be revamped with an expanded mountain bike option much like the Snow and Water sports badges. The Venturing handbook is an excellent resource to look at in the development of a mountain bike merit badge or option in the current Cycling badge.