Boy Scouts Offer New Merit Pin -- for Video Gaming

[roar-k]

That's right folks.

Boy Scouts Offer New Merit Pin -- for Video Gaming

The Boy Scouts of America — a group founded on the principles of building character and improving physical fitness — have introduced a brand new award for academic achievement in video gaming, a move that has child health experts atwitter.

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What do you all think about this?

[Rick]

Belt Loop

Complete these three requirements:

1. Explain why it is important to have a rating system for video games. Check your video games to be sure they are right for your age.
2. With an adult, create a schedule for you to do things that includes your chores, homework, and video gaming. Do your best to follow this schedule.
3. Learn to play a new video game that is approved by your parent, guardian, or teacher.

Academics Pin

Earn the Video Games belt loop and complete five of the following requirements:

1. With your parents, create a plan to buy a video game that is right for your age group.
2. Compare two game systems (for example, Microsoft Xbox, Sony PlayStation, Nintendo Wii, and so on). Explain some of the differences between the two. List good reasons to purchase or use a game system.
3. Play a video game with family members in a family tournament.
4. Teach an adult or a friend how to play a video game.
5. List at least five tips that would help someone who was learning how to play your favorite video game.
6. Play an appropriate video game with a friend for one hour.
7. Play a video game that will help you practice your math, spelling, or another skill that helps you in your schoolwork.
8. Choose a game you might like to purchase. Compare the price for this game at three different stores. Decide which store has the best deal. In your decision, be sure to consider things like the store return policy and manufacturer’s warranty.
9. With an adult’s supervision, install a gaming system.

I don't see it as a problem, frankly. It's a fact of life today and electronics/computers are here to stay. While I'd prefer that a scout be involved in fire making, knots, canoeing or other outdoor activities, not all scouts have that opportunity. So it's better for them to follow the guidelines above and be engaged with parents and siblings, in my opinion.

[BENESSE]

Computers are a fact of life but there are more appropriate ways
to utilize their computer skills than through video games.
JMO.

[nell67]

I think it's crap,putting my boy's in scouting was an attempt to get them AWAY from video games,to get them off their butts and OUTDOORS..
This is a step in the wrong direction IMHO.

[panch0]

Now if that isn't a sign of the time I don't know what is. I don't see it as a bad thing either but Nell I feel the same way about the two being separate for a reason.

[Justin Case]

That's right folks.



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What do you all think about this?

Are you sure this is for real ?

[roar-k]

To me Scouts was about getting off my butt and doing something. But like others have said I guess it's a sign of the times.

[nell67]

To me Scouts was about getting off my butt and doing something. But like others have said I guess it's a sign of the times.

I don't think we should be so complacent,and can not beLIEve the scout leaders are taking it seriously!

[trax]

I think Rick has a point about the games/computers being here to stay and definitely part of a young person's day to day reality, however, I think that those things are such a big part of young people's days that it's the last thing the Scouts need to focus on and there are a lot of outdoor physical activities I'm sure they could participate in, even if they aren't easily availed of canoeing and camping trips. I disapprove, but then I have a history.....

[Rick]

What would you all suggest for scouts that are part of the inner city? Or scouts that are primarily composed of disabled youngsters? What about lone scouts? Not every scout den is next to the Rocky Mountains and not ever scout den is chock full of rambunctious, healthy kids.

There are and always have been awards for coin collecting, genealogy, photography, theater and reading, to name a few. Those have nothing to do with the outdoors either. I just think it's better to attract kids based on their interests then introduce them to other things like fishing, shooting, hiking, etc. than to simply rely solely on outdoors activities to entice kids to join. If you do that, you'll miss a lot of kids that have no experience and no opportunity in that realm but would have loved it if they had been given the chance.

[trax]

Geez, I don't know Rick, maybe environmental cleanup campaigns, anti-graffiti projects, going to senior's centers and helping out the old folks, maybe teaching/tutoring other kids, wasn't there something about building character supposedly part of the organization's mission? I'm just saying that video gaming is something they were already doing and they'll be doing plenty of on the way to and from their Scouts meeting.

By the way, those are all projects that I've run out of my youth center here, aside from all of the cool outdoor stuff they get to do even though the Rocky Mountains are a thousand miles away and....the young people enjoy it....and they've got PS3 and Wii and Internet access at the center as well. They also hosted a dinner for the Mayor and City Council to let them know what the center is all about and they just last night sat in on a presentation by the Dakota Ojibway Police Service and next month are putting on another dinner with the detachment commander of the RCMP as the guest of honor. So, yeah I guess I could think of a few possibilities.

[preachtheWORD]

I am feeling less and less deprived that I was never a scout ...

[Rick]

But do they get a cool badge for any of those things? I don't think so.....

[trax]

But do they get a cool badge for any of those things? I don't think so.....

The community based activities come with certificates for participating. They get things like: an awareness of doing something for somebody without particularly selfish ends is its own reward, recognition from the City that a bunch of underprivileged (mostly) Indian kids can accomplish as much as or more than anyone else, and some of them are just happy to get the free food and safe environment that accompanies the activities because there isn't always a lot to eat where they're coming from and it's often an unpleasant place. I guess if any of them ever think cool badges are important to go along with those things, I'll find them some cool badges, but I'm not making 'em wear those weenie uniforms either.

[Justin Case]

Holy Cow,,,, Has anyone ever gotten all those badges ?

[trax]

Looks to me like there's plenty to do besides video gaming, and I never noticed it on the list.

[BENESSE]

Next thing you know there'll be one for pimping for inner city kids.

[trax]

Next thing you know there'll be one for pimping for inner city kids.

yeah, along with...carjacking, fundamentals of bomb making, popping a cap in a cracker's a$$, all the general survival skills for urban inner city living.

[BENESSE]

yeah, along with...carjacking, fundamentals of bomb making, popping a cap in a cracker's a$$, all the general survival skills for urban inner city living.

Hell, I can use those skills.

[Justin Case]

Theres a Badge for that listed,

"Citizenship in the Community "