Citizenship in the Community

From MeritBadgeDotOrg

Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge
	Field of study:	Personal Development
	Status:	Eagle-required	BSA Advancement ID:	002
	Created:	1952	Requirements Revision:	2005
	Discontinued:	N/A	Pamphlet Revision:	2005

Contents 1 Citizenship in the Community Requirements 2 Notes 3 Requirement resources 4 Related awards 5 See also 6 External links 6.1 Links to movies for requirement 5

This is the Boy Scout Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge. Webelos Scouts can earn the Webelos Citizen Activity Badge. Cub Scouts & Webelos Scouts can earn the Cub Scout Citizenship Belt Loop & Pin.

Citizenship in the Community Requirements

Discuss with your counselor what citizenship in the community means and what it takes to be a good citizen in your community. 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. o the following: a. On a map of your community, locate and point out the following: 1. Chief government buildings such as your city hall, county courthouse, and public works/services facility 2. Fire station, police station, and hospital nearest your home 3. Historical or other interesting points b. Chart the organization of your local or state government. Show the top offices and tell whether they are elected or appointed. Do the following: a. Attend a city or town council or school board meeting, or a municipal; county, or state court session. 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. Choose an issue that is important to the citizens of your community; then do the following: a. Find out which branch of local government is responsible for this issue. b. 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. c. Share what you have learned with your counselor. 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. Discuss with your counselor what you learned from the movie about what it means to be a valuable and concerned member of the community. List some of the services (such as the library, recreation center, public transportation, and public safety) your community provides that are funded by taxpayers. Tell your counselor why these services are important to your community. Do the following: a. Choose a charitable organization outside of Scouting that interests you and brings people in your community together to work for the good of your community. b. Using a variety of resources (including newspapers, fliers and other literature, the Internet, volunteers, and employees of the organization), find out more about this organization. c. With your counselor's and your parent's approval, contact the organization and find out what young people can do to help. While working on this merit badge, volunteer at least eight hours of your time for the organization. After your volunteer experience is over, discuss what you have learned with your counselor. 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. Stage your presentation in front of your merit badge counselor or a group, such as your patrol or a class at school. The official source for the information shown in this article or section is: Boy Scout Requirements, 2008 Edition (BSA Supply No. 33215) The text of these requirements is locked and can only be edited by an Administrator. Please make a note of any errors in the requirements on this article's Talk Page

Notes

Click here for the Citizenship in the Community Worksheet. Optional Adobe Reader pdf worksheets can help you organize notes, listen actively, find resources, and document your work. See the Merit Badge Worksheets (FAQ), Webelos Worksheets, or Cub Scout Worksheets for more information.

1. Per the BSA: You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. Merit badge pamplets are available at your local Scout Shop or online at ScoutStuff.org.
2. Citizenship in the Community merit badge is on the Eagle Scout required list (requirement 3.b.).

Requirement resources

Related awards

See also

Boy Scout portal

• An Introduction to Merit Badges
• Other Merit Badges

External links

• Living in an American Community
• US Community Page Index - more about your city and lots of links, too

Links to movies for requirement 5

(Note: Do not add links for anything above PG.)

• 12 Angry Men One man, Henry Fonda, sways a jury and saves an innocent man. NR but would be G today.
• Amazing Grace Chronicles the struggle of William Wilberforce to stop the British slave trade in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. PG for disturbing images of slavery.
• A Man For All Seasons The story of Sir Thomas More, who challenged King Henry VIII when the King discarded the Roman Catholic Church in order to divorce and remarry. Rated G.
• America's Godly Heritage Chronicles the faith of the nation's forefathers. Not rated.
• Fly Away Home An adventure to save orphaned geese. PG.
• Follow Me Boys The story of how one guy starts a Boy Scout troop to help the town. NR.
• Forrest Gump One slow-witted but good-hearted man is at the center of key events of the 20th century. "Stupid is as stupid does." PG-13.
• Gettysburg Great historical account. Focuses on Colonel Joshua Chmberlain who held Little Round Top though greatly outnumbered. Out of ammunition, Chamberlain orders a charge instead of retreating. PG.
• Gods and Generals Stonewall Jackson and the Battle of Manassas. PG-13 for violence.
• The Great Escape WWII POW escape. NR, but some violence.
• Guns of Navarone WWII Allied soldiers attempt to destroy the German big guns. NR. Some violence.
• High Noon A marshall must face a vengeful man just released from prison where he was put by the marshall. He finds that his own town refuses to help when the odds are high that he will not live. NR. No violence except gunfight at the end.
• Hoot Saving a population of endangered owls. PG for mild obscenities.
• I, Claudius Historical fiction about the Roman Emperor. NR.
• Invincible The true story of Vince Papale, a 30-year-old bartender from South Philadelphia who overcame long odds to play for the Philadelphia Eagles. PG.
• It's A Wonderful Life Try to get the colorized version for younger Scouts. The message in this film is one of courage and sacrifice for the greater good as George Bailey, a man with big ideas about seeing the world, continually forsakes his own desires to do what is right for the town. The second message is that each life important. No matter how insignificant we feel we are, we are all inextricably linked to each other and play an important part in the fabric of one another's lives.
• Luther All about Luther, the father of the Reformation. Rated PG-13 for violence.
• The Man Who Planted Trees A lone shepherd changes the character of an entire valley.
• Mr. Smith Goes to Washington One of Jimmy Stewart's signature roles as an idealistic senator caught in the corruption of the political machine. NR.
• October Sky The true story of Homer Hickam, a coal miner's son who was inspired by the first Sputnik launch to take up rocketry. PG.
• One Night with the King The story of Esther. Rated PG for mild violence, suggestion of sensuality.
• The Prince of Egypt Animated story of Moses. Rated PG for violence.
• Remember the Titans The true story of a newly appointed African-American coach and his high school team on their first season as a racially integrated unit. PG.
• Rock and a Heart Place Volunteering never sounded so good.
• Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves
• Spartacus The slave, Spartacus, leads a revolt against a corrupt Rome. NR.
• The Ten Commandments The story of Moses. NR.
• The Three Musketeers Comedic interpretation of the classic novel.
• We Are Marshall When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team's new coach and his few surviving players try to keep the football program alive. PG.
• Zulu 1964 epic masterpiece portraying the Battle of Roarke's Drift, 140 British soldiers against 4,000 Zulu. NR, but there is the violence you'd expect in a war movie.