September 21, Howdy!

Transcription

1 September 21, 2004 Hwdy! Running a Merit Badge University is a challenging and rewarding experience. An APO-spnsred MBU is ften the nly pprtunity lcal yuth have t wrk n multiple badges simultaneusly apart frm summer camp. An MBU gives them a valuable advancement pprtunity, as well as allwing the Brthers in yur Chapter t put their cllege educatins t wrk in a strng well-appreciated service setting. Fllwing is a best practices guide t pulling ff a MBU. It is rganized timeline-style, t let yu plan ahead. As yu ll find, the success f this event relies heavily n the planning. The day itself will be ver and dne with befre yu knw it. It s the befre- and after- that take time. As yu g, remember t take advantage f the resurces available n the Regin 1 Scuting & Yuth Services site: This will keep yu frm reinventing the wheel and allw yu t fcus n the task at hand. I hpe yu find this guide useful in the rad ahead. YiS, Adam Ritchie Scuting Crdinatr Regin 1, Alpha Phi Omega APO Merit Badge University Guide 1

2 (One way t) run a By Scut Merit Badge University At the end f the semester When the whle Chapter is tgether usually during electins pass arund a list f every merit badge in the catalgue. Tw great sites fr this list, merit badge requirements and Eaglerequired badges are: Ask that the Brthers write their names next t all badges that they think they can teach, based n their majrs, hbbies and interests. During semester break Using the list that yu cmpiled at the last chapter meeting, pick badges that yu feel Brthers wuld be able t teach based n their strengths and ppularity f the selectins Use the Interactive Regin 1 Scuting & Yuth Services Map n: t btain cntact infrmatin fr the BSA cuncils nearest yu. At yur first Chapter planning meeting Present the available dates fr Merit Badge Day and pick ne with the Chapter. Make sure yu give yurself at least tw mnths fr planning and preparatin. During the Spring semester Find ut what badges are mst apprpriate fr peple t teach, and wh wuld be available fr what. Begin t whittle it dwn t between eight and 10 badges r mre if yu ve gt the interest frm the Brtherhd. It is recmmended that yu duble the amunt f required badges than nn-required. The required badges typically get the mst participants. Create a flyer advertising the event. An example can be fund n the Regin 1 Scuting & Yuth Services site. It shuld cntain the fllwing infrmatin: The lcatin The date A time schedule fr the day, including: Registratin APO Merit Badge University Guide 2

3 An APO inf meeting fr leaders and parents early n in the day Badges and times ffered The APO Brther s address wh is rganizing Merit Badge Day fr further infrmatin. The ceiling n class size. This is based n vlunteer interest. Try nt t assign mre than five scuts t ne Brther. A request that the bys cmplete all lng-term requirements, requirements invlving travel and requirements invlving a written reprt befre the event. This way, they can bring everything fr the Brthers t inspect and sign, cmpleting the badge that day. Online registratin infrmatin: Create a dedicated Htmail r Yah address with a passwrd that bth yu and the Brther handling registratin can manage. Smething alng the lines f [ap_badge@htmail.cm] wrks best. A request that scutmasters submit the fllwing: A list f all the bys attending frm their trp The badges each ne wants t take The rund they d like t take the badge The scutmaster s name, phne number, address and snail mail address. Get the wrd ut in the Scuting cmmunity Submit the flyer t the main cuncil ffice fr distributin. The ffice shuld d all the wrk getting it ut t the trps fr yu. Appint a Brther wh will handle registratin, use the htmail accunt and cmpile an Excel spreadsheet like the ne fund n the Regin 1 Scuting & Yuth Services site. Send cuncil a request fr X number f merit badge bks fr yur cunselrs t use and X number f cunselr registratin frms (which every Brther teaching a badge must fill ut). Ask that they be dnated. This prject shuld nt cst the Chapter a dime. The Chapter is prviding the cuncil a fantastic service fr which they shuld be very supprtive bth in attendance and financially. Once the materials cme in frm cuncil, distribute them t the Chapter by placing the fllwing in the APO ffice: An envelpe fr persnalized, blank cunselr registratin frms An envelpe fr cmpleted cunselr registratin frms A bx with all the merit badge bks with the cunselr s name written in the inside cver. As sign-ups rll in, finalize yur list f cunselrs. Try t adhere t the five-scuts-t-a-cunselr rule f thumb Open the prject t the Pledges Remind the merit badge grups t meet and cme up with a plan fr hw t teach their badge. Clear a plicy with the vice president f service that they ll receive service hurs fr the meeting, in additin t the prject itself. Make this knwn. APO Merit Badge University Guide 3

4 Visit yur student center and prgramming service ffice t reserve rms in a lecture hall that has the space and equipment yur cunselrs will need. Dn t knw hw many rms t reserve? A sample rm rster can be fund n the Regin 1 Scuting & Yuth Services site. Designate rms fr: The classes (make sure these have cmputer cnsles in them) A Cunselrs Lunge (make sure this has a cmputer cnsle in it) A Parents Place (stck it with cffee and/r dnuts if pssible) An APO inf meeting As the event gets clser Cntact the scutmasters and request adult leader and parental aid in crwd cntrl and help filling ut blue cards. Ask yur Chapter s crrespnding secretary t write up a news release abut the event and distribute/pitch it t the campus newspaper, the assignment desk f the twn s lcal paper, the newsdesk f the twn s lcal bradcast affiliates and any ther media utlet yu can think f. An example f an MBU news release can be fund n the R1 Scuting & Yuth Services Site. Request guest lgins and passwrds fr classrm cmputer systems frm Campus Media Services. Als request cmbinatin cdes fr the cmputer media cabinets if yu will need t pen these t access the cmputers. Ntify the Campus Parking and Transit Services and ask that they issue a waiver fr whichever lt yur attendees will be using that day. Ntify Campus Public Safety and make sure they knw what time t have the building unlcked fr yu. T be extra-safe, have a Brther run a cpy f yur rm cnfirmatin t their ffice the weekday befre the event. Print ut signs detailing the schedule f events in each classrm. Print ut a master itinerary fr the day and make at least ne cpy fr every trp yu re expecting. Examples f bth can be fund n the R1 Scuting & Yuth Services Site. The day f the event Head dwn t the APO ffice at least an hur and a half befre the event begins and pick up the fllwing: All the prm materials yu wuld use fr a Rush table, i.e. scrapbks and pamphlets. Walkie-talkies (if yur Chapter has them) A rll f tape fr hanging signs APO Merit Badge University Guide 4

5 On yur way t where the event is being held: Pst signs frm the parking lt t the hall, pinting attendees in the right directin Upn arrival at the hall: Hang yur Chapter s APO banner in the entranceway Pst signs guiding attendees t the registratin desk Set up yur registratin table, t be manned at all times by the Brther yu ve placed in charge f registratin Pst a few cpes f the full-day itinerary n the wall f either side f the registratin desk Pst signs utside the classrms, detailing the rm s schedule fr the day Pre-bt and lgin all cmputers fr the cunselrs use Set up the Cunselrs Lunge On the rm s LCD prjectr, display the Example f a Blue Card file fund n the Regin 1 Scuting & Yuth Services site This will let the cunselrs knw hw t prperly fill ut the cards Designate an area where the cunselrs will drp ff all their cmpleted blue cards/partials and inspected wrk fr each badge. Make sure they knw t srt the piles by trp number. A NOTE ON BLUE CARDS: Dn t even think f trying t get anything back t the scuts the day f the event! Nt blue cards, nt inspected wrk and definitely nt badges,. It is a majr headache, as there will be dzens upn dzens f scuts running arund, making it nearly impssible t track dwn individuals. Make n exceptins, and abve all, be patient with inpatient parents! Have yur cunselrs cllect everything blue cards, wrk, etc. Tell the scutmasters, parents and bys that cuncil ffice will be mailing everything t their trps. Have yur cunselrs leave everything in rderly piles rganized by trp fr yu in the Cunselrs Lunge. At the end f the day Organize and separate all the wrk and blue cards in the Cunselrs Lunge. Pack up and clean up. Leave the building in better shape than yu fund it. The fllwing day Run all the piles dwn t cuncil ffice. Ask that they ntify all trps that it is there fr pickup, r t be mailed at the scutmaster s request. yur list f scutmasters, letting them knw that everything has left yur hands and is at their cuncil ffice. Send a big Thank Yu! t yur cunselrs and any Brthers wh helped ut with rganizing the prject. Engage in super-relaxing activities fr several days, befre laying plans fr yur next Scuting and Yuth Services prject! APO Merit Badge University Guide 5