Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge Workbook This workbook can help you but you still need to read the merit badge pamphlet. This Workbook can help you organize your thoughts as you prepare to meet with your merit badge counselor. You still must satisfy your counselor that you can demonstrate each skill and have learned the information. You should use the work space provided for each requirement to keep track of which requirements have been completed, and to make notes for discussing the item with your counselor, not for providing full and complete answers. If a requirement says that you must take an action using words such as "discuss", "show", "tell", "explain", "demonstrate", "identify", etc, that is what you must do. Merit Badge Counselors may not require the use of this or any similar workbooks. No one may add or subtract from the official requirements found in Scouts BSA Requirements (Pub. 33216 – SKU 653801). The requirements were last issued or revised in 2016 • This workbook was updated in July 2020. Benjamin Bodenheimer Scout’s Name: __________________________________________ Unit: __________________________________________ Mr. Vaughn Counselor’s Name: ____________________ Phone No.: _______________________ Email: _________________________ http://www.USScouts.Org • http://www.MeritBadge.Org Please submit errors, omissions, comments or suggestions about this workbook to: Workbooks@USScouts.Org Comments or suggestions for changes to the requirements for the merit badge should be sent to: Merit.Badge@Scouting.Org _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ ____ 1. Discuss with your counselor what citizenship in the community means and what it takes to be a good citizen in your community. Citizenship is defined as the sense of belonging to a community and having the rights and responsibilities that come with it. A United States citizen will have different citizenship rights and responsibilities compared to a member of the classroom. But either way, if you are a citizen, you participate in the activities of the place that you are a citizen of and help it grow and take care of each other. Discuss the rights, duties, and obligations of citizenship, and explain how you can demonstrate good citizenship in your community, Scouting unit, place of worship, or school. Rights: Rights are a code of freedoms and rules that explain what people are allowed to do. This idea came from the thought that people should be allowed to live happily and freely as long as they don’t get in the way of the rights of others. Rights include freedom of speech, religion, press, and voting. Duties: Duties are actions that we are required to take as American citizens. Our duties are to obey the laws, pay taxes, defend the nation, serve in court and attend school. If we do not carry out these duties we can be fined or imprisoned. The laws must be obeyed in order for society to function in an organized manner Workbook © Copyright 2020 - U.S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. - All Rights Reserved Requirements © Copyright, Boy Scouts of America (Used with permission.) This workbook may be reproduced and used locally by Scouts and Scouters for purposes consistent with the programs of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), the World Organization of the Scout Movement (WOSM) or other Scouting and Guiding Organizations. However it may NOT be used or reproduced for electronic redistribution or for commercial or other non-Scouting purposes without the express permission of the U. S. Scouting Service Project, Inc. (USSSP). Citizenship in the Community Scout's Name: ____ ____ ________ _____ Obligations: Obligations are things that all citizens should exercise and respect. Some of these are legally required of every citizen, but are all important to ensuring that America remains a free and prosperous nation. Obligations include Support and defend the Constitution, Stay informed of the issues affecting your community, Participate in the democratic process, Respect and obey federal, state, and local laws, Respect the rights, beliefs, and opinions of others, and Participate in your local community. Explain how you can demonstrate good citizenship in your community, Scouting unit, place of worship, or school.: Being a good citizen goes beyond the black and white of politics. It doesn’t matter which side of the political spectrum you’re on. What matters is how you make this country a better place to live in. Here are some ways to to be a good citizen: Give back to the community, be a productive member of your community, take part in social issues, treat others With respect, stand up to injustice, and keeping your home in order. 2. Do the following: a. On a map of your community or using an electronic device, locate and point out the following: c ✔ 1. Chief government buildings such as your city hall, county courthouse, and public works/services facilities c ✔ 2. Fire station, police station, and hospital nearest your home c ✔ 3. Parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, and trails c ✔ 4. Historical or other interesting points of interest b. Chart the organization of your local or state government. Show the top offices and tell whether they are elected or appointed. Citizenship in the Community - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 2 of 5 Citizenship in the Community Scout's Name: ____ ____ ________ _____ 3. Do the following: c ✔ a. Attend a meeting of your city, town, or county council or school board; OR a municipal; county, or state court session. (Identify the meeting or 02/22/22 MNPS Board Meeting session attended): b. Choose one of the issues discussed at the meeting where a difference of opinions was expressed, and explain to your counselor why you agree with one opinion more than you do another one. Issue: Masks Explanation: The Metro Nashville Public School board voted to remove the district’s mask mandate, effective after the students returned from spring break on March 21. The motion passed 7-1, with District 6 representative Fran Bush voting against it, saying she wanted to remove the mandate sooner. District 1 representative Sharon Gentry was absent from the meeting. The decision came amid a decline in Omicron-driven COVID-19 cases among students and staff 4. Choose an issue that is important to the citizens of your community, then do the following: Issue: a. Giving support to the homless Find out which branch of local The Department of Housing and Urban Development government is responsible for this issue. b. c ✔ With your counselor’s and a parent’s approval, interview one person from the branch of government you identified in requirement 4a. Ask what is being done about this issue and how young people can help. Who was interviewed? KENNETH E. FREE Acting Field Office Director What is being done? Federal housing assistance: Federal housing programs are one of the most successful housing-based solutions to reduce homelessness. The two largest federal housing programs are public housing and federal housing vouchers, known as Housing Choice Vouchers or Section 8 vouchers. Federal housing assistance: Federal housing programs are one of the most successful housing-based solutions to reduce homelessness. The two largest federal housing programs are public housing and federal housing vouchers, known as Housing Choice Vouchers or Section 8 vouchers. How can young people Make cards to promote nearby shelters. Donate clothes, especially socks. help? Volunteer your time. Fundraisers Research your local candidates. Participate in your citys Point-in-Time count. Citizenship in the Community - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 3 of 5 Citizenship in the Community Scout's Name: ____ ____ ________ _____ c. c ✔ Share what you have learned with your counselor. 5. c ✔ With the approval of your counselor and a parent, watch a movie that shows how the actions of one individual or group of individuals can have a positive effect on a community. Movie: Remember the Titans Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community. Teamwork is essential in any good sports film. Without teamwork in sports, you will never succeed. This gives relatable experiences for athletes today. We all have differences in society, but Remember the Titans reminds us that our differences together can lead to success 6. List some of the services (such as the library, recreation center, public transportation, and public safety) your community provides that are funded by taxpayers. Service Tell your counselor why these services are important to your community. Police To protect and serve the community, enforce the law, and bring justice to the community Roads Roads are important because the America is almost totally a car driving transportation system. with nor roads, no cars. and no cars nobody would go anywhere Library Library are essential educating people on topics, entrainment and providing people with other services Parks Parks and recreation have three values that make them essential services to communities: 1. Economic value 2. Health and Environmental benefits 3. Social importance Education Education develops critical thinking. This is vital in teaching a person how to use logic when making decisions and interacting with people (e.g., boosting creativity, enhancing time management). Education helps an individual meet basic job qualifications and makes them more likely to secure better jobs Citizenship in the Community - Merit Badge Workbook Page. 4 of 5 Citizenship in the Community Benjamin Bodenheimer Scout's Name: ___________ ____________ 7. Do the following: a. c ✔ Identify three charitable organizations outside of Scouting that interest you and bring people in your community together to work for the good of your community. 1.: Second Harvest Food Bank b . 2. Nashville Food Project 3. Ladies of Charity Second Harvest Food Bank Pick ONE of the organizations you chose for requirement 7a. __________________________________________ Using a variety of resources (including newspapers, fliers and literature, the Internet, volunteers, and employees of the organization), find out more about this organization. Second Harvest is a non profit organization that supplies a network of partner food banks, meal sites, and other programs to feed people in need. c . With your counselor’s and your parent’s approval, contact the organization you chose for requirement 7b and find out what young people can do to help. Second Harvest accepts food that is usable and not opened/touched to provide to people that can get it. c ✔ While working on this merit badge, volunteer at least eight hours of your time for the organization. Date From To Hours served 1/31/2023 2/1/2023 5:30 pm 5:30 pm 8:00 pm 8:00 pm 2 1/2 Hours 2 1/2 Hours 1/28/2023 9:00 am 12:00 pm 3 hours After your volunteer experience is over, discuss what you have learned with your counselor. That people in need of food is a very important issue. Some of the people I saw while volunteering where very malnourished. It needs to be addressed more and places like Second Harvest are doing just that. 8. c ✔ Develop a public presentation (such as a video, slide show, speech, digital presentation, or photo exhibit) about important and unique aspects of your community. Include information about the history, cultures, and ethnic groups of your community; its best features and popular places where people gather; and the challenges it faces. c ✔ Stage your presentation in front of your merit badge counselor or a group, such as your patrol or a class at school. When working on merit badges, Scouts and Scouters should be aware of some vital information in the current edition of the Guide to Advancement (BSA publication 33088).Important excerpts from that publication can be downloaded from http://usscouts.org/advance/docs/GTA-Excerpts-meritbadges.pdf. You can download a complete copy of the Guide to Advancement from http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf. Citizenship in the Community - Merit Badge Workbook Page 5 of 5
