

January, 2016
Citizenship In The Community Worksheet
Requirements for the Citizenship In The Community merit badge:
- 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.
- Do the following:
- On a map of your community or using an electronic device, locate and point out the following:
- Chief government buildings such as your city hall, county courthouse, and public works/services facility
- Fire station, police station, and hospital nearest your home
- Parks, playgrounds, recreation areas, and trails
- Historical or other interesting points of interest
- Chart the organization of your local or state government. Show the top offices and tell whether they are elected or appointed.
- On a map of your community or using an electronic device, locate and point out the following:
- Do the following:
- Attend a meeting of your city, town, or county council or school board; Or attend a municipal, county, or state court session.
- 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:
- Find out which branch of local government is responsible for this issue.
- 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.
- 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.
Some suggestions:- Follow Me, Boys (G)
- It's a Wonderful Life (G)
- Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (G)
- Remember the Titans (PG)
- October Sky (PG)
- Mr. Holland's Opus (PG)
- Hoosiers (PG)
- Pay It Forward (PG13)
- Braveheart (R)
- The Patriot (R)
- 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:
- 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.
- Pick ONE of the organizations you chose for requirement 7a. 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.
- 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. 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.
Citizenship In The Community Worksheet
Comments:
Jan 16, 2014 - Cubmaster Duff
I love this site. It has been the #1 resource for me now for over 6 years!!!
Jun 06, 2014 - armando montoyaThis site is very resourceful. I've used it since my kid was a Tiger and now is in boy scouts. I've printed forms to help me with my presentations in leading the scouts for over four years now. Thank you founder of this site.
Jul 17, 2014 - Mary Should the suite of "Citzen" merit badges be earned in any particular order? Ie Cit of Community before Nation?
Jul 18, 2014 - Scouter Paul@Mary - They can be earned in any order. One does not build upon the other.
Sep 21, 2018 - zeeshan dharaniThis is very helpful and resourceful site. I am using first time
for my son is now in boys scouts, and will going to do first merit
badge such a very educated helpful resource. Thanks founder of
this site.
Mar 28, 2020 - MatthewI appreciate that you've listed a few of the movies that are
deemed appropriate to check off requirement 5
Apr 02, 2020 - Ms. CatalanoI updated this list for troops with mixed girls and boys.
a. A League of Their Own (PG)
b. Blind Side (PG13)
c. Braveheart (R)
d. Gravity (PG13)
e. Hidden Figures (PG13)
f. Hoosiers (PG)
g. Iron Jawed Angels (PG13)
h. Mr. Holland's Opus (PG)
i. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (G)
j. October Sky (PG)
k. Pay It Forward (PG13)
l. Persepolis (PG13)
m. Remember the Titans (PG)
n. She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (no rating)
o. Suffragette (PG13)
p. The Patriot (R)
Apr 22, 2020 - Ms. Jena. A League of Their Own (PG)
b. Blind Side (PG13)
c. Braveheart (R)
d. Gravity (PG13)
e. Hidden Figures (PG13)
f. Hoosiers (PG)
g. Iron Jawed Angels (PG13)
h. Mr. Holland's Opus (PG)
i. Mr. Smith Goes to Washington (G)
j. October Sky (PG)
k. Pay It Forward (PG13)
l. Persepolis (PG13)
m. Remember the Titans (PG)
n. She’s Beautiful When She’s Angry (no rating)
o. Suffragette (PG13)
p. The Patriot (R)
Another good movie for younger entry level scouts is "Because
of Winn-Dixie"
May 11, 2020 - Andrea LukenCurrently with the COVID-19 Pandemic occurring what are some ways
the scouts able to volunteer at least eight hours of their time,
while not out in public? Some of our scouts and parents are afraid
to have their child physically helping out currently in the
community.
May 22, 2020 - Sarah KnoxI also have a question about volunteering during COVID. I have a
scout who had done 6 hours at one organization, and 5 hours at
another. The MB says 8 hours a "that location" which sounds like
it MUST be at one location. What if a scout has helped in two
community locations? Could that combined volunteering before COVID
closed down our community be considered for the MB?
May 22, 2020 - Scouter Paul@Andrea - Requirement 7c has the scout contact the charitable
organization and find out how they can help, and then volunteer
the hours. So, the organization has told the scout what work
they can do to volunteer. If it is now not possible to do that
work, the scout should contact the organization to find out what
other work can be done. It is up to the organization and scout
to define the volunteering tasks.
@Sarah - The requirement says "one organization" and I would enthusiastically encourage the scout to contact them to find appropriate volunteer work to fill out that last 2 hours.
Jun 01, 2020 - Kathryn Goldstein@Sarah - The requirement says "one organization" and I would enthusiastically encourage the scout to contact them to find appropriate volunteer work to fill out that last 2 hours.
During this time of Covid 19, would attending a televised meeting
of a city council or school board qualify for requirement #a?
Would a phone interview, Zoom meeting or email exchange with the appropriate government official qualify as meeting requirement #4?
Jun 01, 2020 - Scouter PaulWould a phone interview, Zoom meeting or email exchange with the appropriate government official qualify as meeting requirement #4?
@Kathryn - The scout needs to discuss with their merit badge
counselor what would be accepted.
Requirement #3a is to attend a meeting. If meetings are being held online (as they are in my city) then attending in the manner directed by the city council makes sense to me.
Requirement #4b doesn't specify the manner of the interview, so I'd think a phone interview or any other interaction facilitating an interview would be fine.
Jun 17, 2020 - Ryan HauckRequirement #3a is to attend a meeting. If meetings are being held online (as they are in my city) then attending in the manner directed by the city council makes sense to me.
Requirement #4b doesn't specify the manner of the interview, so I'd think a phone interview or any other interaction facilitating an interview would be fine.
Regarding service projects during a
pandemic: my suggestion would be the
local SPCA/Humane Society. They may have
projects that lend well to social
distancing: dog walking, kennel
cleaning, etc. But maybe best of all
would be animal fostering. That last one
alone would knock out 8 hours of service
in one night AND you do it right at
home. And it's harder than it sounds,
while also being a desperately needed
service! Another one: in my state (SC),
there is an organization called Palmetto
Pride which is basically a litter
cleanup campaign. Trash cleanup
accommodates social distancing well,
whether you're cleaning up a road or a
park, and in my particular case this
group is flexible about the venue.
Volunteering 2 hours for 4 weekends (or
4 hours for 2 weekends) would meet the
requirement easily. Last suggestion:
contact your city or county parks and
rec department. They may have service
projects in some of their properties,
such as trailblazing or maintenance,
that would let volunteers spread out.
The only catch there is that it might
take a few months to log 8 hours.
Sep 23, 2020 - Compton ReevesWriting as a professor of medieval European history, I suggest you drop
BRAVEHEART from the list of movies. It is full of historical inaccuracies
and is anachronistic in its presentation of nationalism. I do not recommend
the movie to Scouts doing Citizenship in the Community with me.

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