Need volunteer help for National Robotics Merit Badge Kick off at Disney ESPN!  Central Florida Council – Orlando is one of three sites hosting the new Robotics Merit Badge Kickoff.  We need help with manning the National BSA booth – Thursday (4-14), Friday (4-15) is 8:30am to 6pm and Saturday (4-16) is 8:30am to 5pm.  We are seeking volunteers available for 4 hours shifts.  If you can help, please contact me at matt.ragan@cflscouting.org!

Also, this event is open for Scouts and their families to visit a National Robotics competition in the Orlando area!  Please plan to visit if you would like to see Robotics creations and comp etitions among youth!

Thanks!!

Matt Ragan | Director of Support Services

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA
Central Florida Council | Leonard & Marjorie Williams Family Scout Reservation | Tipisa Lodge1951 S. Orange Blossom T rail

Apopka, Florida 32703
P 407.703.0244 | C 352.552.7711 | F 407.889.4702
matt.ragan@cflscouting.org

 Merit Badge University

Merit Badge University is an opportunity for scouts to earn merit badges in a university setting at Florida Tech in Melbourne, Florida. Organized by Alpha Phi Omega in cooperation with BSA, and Florida Tech faculty and students, MBU is bound to be an educational, fun-filled day.

Scouts are expected to review their Merit Badge Handbook prior to attending the course. Most material is highly academic and scouts are advised to be prepared to be familiar with the material in order to gain the most from the MBU experience. More hands on time will be spent on projects if the scout is prepared with a basic knowledge of the subject provided through the handbook.

MBU is for registered Boy Scouts. Classes are assigned on a first come – first served basis. Limited space is available.

Day of MBU:

Sign-in is from 7:30-8:45 a.m. in the Olin Engineering Building, but we’ll be at the “HQ” in Skurla Lobby throughout the day. A brief opening ceremony at 8:45 a.m. will commence the day’s events. Most classes are from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (1-hour lunch is anywhere from 11:00 – 2:00 p.m. depending on class). Lunch is at the infamous Evan’s Dinning hall: all-you-can-eat and price is included. Pick-up will be from 4:00 to 4:30 p.m. (note: Space Exploration may be launching rockets until possibly 5:30 p.m. and Astronomy continues into the night (dinner included).)

Check out the Courses Page to see the list of classes that were offered at the 2010 MBU.

For more information about classes, times, locations, costs, uniform, etc. see the FAQ Page.

Interested in Volunteering with MBU? We need Merit Badge Counselors, classroom assistants, general purpose volunteers etc. Visit our Volunteer Page.

February 12, 2011

Florida Institute of Technology  “FIT”

http://activities.fit.edu/apo/MBU/

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Melbourne-FL/Merit-Badge-University-Florida-Tech-Alpha-Phi-Omega/159405407420357

Emblem	Course Name	Time	Open Seats	Covered Reqs.	Instructor Organization
	Art	Morning	2	All	Nancy Stark Troop 37
	Art	Afternoon	0	All	Nancy Stark Troop 37
	Astronomy	All Day	13	All but 6, 7a, 7b	Crystal Latham Astrophysics student, Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech
	Automotive Maintenance	All Day	0	All	Ken Clarke, John Kisor & Matt Cyr ASE Certified Master Technician / Troop 314, Riverside District, CFC & Troop 314, Riverside District, CFC
	Aviation	All Day	2	All	Geoff Stevenson, et. al. Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech, FIT Aviation
	Chemistry	All Day	0	All	Kelsey McMullan Biochemistry Student, Florida Tech- Alpha Phi Omega
	Citizenship in the Nation	All Day	2	All (if HW assignments are done)	Mike Marzec Asst. Advancement Chairman, Troop 373 / Industrial Engineer, Rockwell Collins
	Citizenship in the World	All Day	0	All	Jason “Chief” Stansfield Riverside District Scouter, BSA
	Communications	All Day	1	All but 5 and 8	Will Stephenson Retired US Navy Avionics Technician / Riverside District Scouter
	Computers	All Day	4	All	Ed Ghiglieri Lockheed Martin / Scoutmaster, Troop 809, CFC
	Electricity	All Day	1	All but #2 and #8	Tim Davis President, TADCO Electrical Services Inc. (Business Card)
	Electronics	All Day	2	All	David Kverek / Bill Felski / Dr. Susan Earles Electrical Engineer, Northrop Grumman Corp., SM Troop 57, Riverside District / Senior Engineer, General Electric Corp., ASM Troop 369, Challenger District / Assoc. Professor of Electrical Engineering, FIT
	Engineering	All Day	1	All	Cheryl Skibski & Samantha Silva Ocean Engineering, Tau Beta Phi, Florida Tech & Electrical Engineering, Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech
	Environmental Science	All Day	3	All	Kelsey Cyr, et al. Environmental Science Student / Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech
	Environmental Science	All Day	0	All	James Rayfield & Donna Rayfield Eagle Scout, ASM Troop 48, Valencia Community College & Nature Instructor, City of Orlando
	First Aid	All Day	1	All but #1	Jon Sciance
	Law	All Day	0	All	Robert Moletteire Board Certified Civil Trial Attorney (Moletteire and Torpy P.A.) / Scouter, CFC
	Nuclear Science	All Day	0	All except #2 and #3	Jim Gering & George Rybicki Physics Lab Director, Florida Tech / Troop 734, Riverside District, CFC & USAF / Troop 330, CFC
	Oceanography	All Day	1	All; HOWEVER, scouts are strongly encouraged to complete Requirement 8, a 500-word book report and bring it with them.	Dr. John Trefry, et al. Dept. of Marine & Environmental Systems
	Pathfinding	Afternoon	-1	All	Doug Nickerson & Jean Perdue Eagle Scout, ASM Troop 314 / Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech
	Personal Management	All Day	3	All but 2, 8, and 9	Gary Beatovich Troop 369 US Air Force Program Manager, Retired
	Photography	All Day	0	All but #4	Pat O’Neill Troop 362, Challenger District, CFC
	Public Speaking	Morning	3	All	Joanne Corby Councilwoman
	Scoutmaster / Asst Scoutmaster Specific Training	All Day	0	Complete Course	RJ Martin, Dave Kneessy and Bill Papp Scoutmasters and Scouter for Riverside District, CFC
	Scuba Diving	Afternoon	12	All but 2 and 4	Dave Speer, SCUBA Crew 820 Adults and members National Jamboree Scuba Staff / PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
	Scuba Diving	Morning	15	All but 2 and 4	Dave Speer, SCUBA Crew 820 Adults and members National Jamboree Scuba Staff / PADI Master Scuba Diver Trainer
	Signaller	Morning	0	All	Doug Nickerson Eagle Scout, ASM Troop 314 / Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech
	Soil and Water Conservation	All Day	9	All but 7e	Mike Deliz NASA Environmental Assurance Branch / Troop 369 Committee Chairman, Challenger District
	Space Exploration	All Day	7	1, 3, 4, 5c, 6, 7, 8	Chris Arnold Eagle Scout, Alpha Phi Omega, Florida Tech
	Weather	All Day	2	All	Dr. Sen Chiao, et al. Dept. of Marine & Environmental Systems

 Below is information on how the BSA is addressing requests for reinstating the Beekeeping merit badge. We have carefully considered how the beekeeping hobby and industry can have a more integral presence in the BSA’s merit badge program.

Background
The Beekeeping merit badge was offered from 1915 until 1995. From 1980 to 1994, the number of youth earning this merit badge ranged from 700 to 1,000 per year. That decline in interest eventually led to its demise in 1995.

Future
After receiving input from youth members and review by merit badge volunteers and professionals, we have formulated a way to bring greater exposure of beekeeping to youth. The plan includes the following:

• Emphasis of the importance of bees and their symbiotic relationship with humankind may be added to or enhanced in as many as eight existing merit badges.

Merit Badge – Estimated Revision Date

Environmental Science – 2011-2012

Pulp and Paper – 2011-2012

Bird Study – 2012-2013

Insect Study – 2012-2013

Forestry – 2013-2014

Plant Science – 2013-2014

Gardening – 2014-2015

Nature – 2014-2015

• The first merit badge to receive the addition will be Environmental Science, which is requried for all Eagle Scouts. Annually, nearly 73,000 youth earn this merit badge.
• When fully integrated into the targeted merit badges, more than 100,000 Scouts each year will discover the importance of bees and beekeeping as part of a larger environmental picture.
• Beekeeping projects, such as working with a colony or harvesting honey, will be considered for addition to one or more existing merit badges so that highly motivated youth members can use their beekeeping activities to help fulfill merit badge requirements.

We believe this plan will increase the awareness of honeybees and their critical impact on our environment, and prepare America’s young people to help care for this important natural resource.

If you have any further questions, please contact merit.badge@scouting.org.

Jerry Brady

Program Director

Central Florida Council

BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA

Wayne Densch Boy Scout Service Center

1951 S. Orange Blossom Trail

Apopka, Florida 32703-7747

407.703.0266 • Office

407.435.8634 • Cell

407.889.4406 • Fax