School of Health Science Hosts Merit Badge Camp
The Emory & Henry School of Health Sciences Physical Therapy Program is hosting a Merit Badge Camp to assist members of local Boy Scout Troops in earning at least two merit badges on Nov. 3. Scouts will have opportunities to complete badges towards their ranks, including Personal Fitness, First Aid and Emergency Preparedness. These badges will be taught primarily by students in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program with some assistance from students in the Master of Occupational Therapy Program.
Inspiration for this event came from Dr. Jean Irion, chair and program director of the Physical Therapy Program. “Offering a Merit Badge Camp streamlines the process and provides assistance to the boys, and their troop leaders, to more efficiently complete badges,” Irion noted. She saw the need for such an event to assist local scouting programs to have more cost effective and accessible means for the boys to complete their required badges. Irion is the mother of two Eagle Scouts herself and assisted her sons’ troop members by offering the Personal Fitness badge.
Many times scouts completion of badges depends on attending the various week-long summer camps. These are not available to all scouts because of financial obstacles and the camp hosted by the Health Sciences School hopes to eliminate these challenges. “Emory & Henry’s efforts to become involved and attempts to expand the camp’s reach are essential in encouraging the scouts to work hard on badges and recognize the importance of higher education,” remarked Scoutmaster Michael Bush, who helped plan the event.
This program allows scouts to pursue badges needed to reach the rank of Eagle, the pinnacle of all scouts achievements, which provides essential life lessons and opportunities for service to the community. The Doctoral and Master’s students strive to inspire youth and demonstrate the importance of service to the community. This outreach exemplifies on service and civic engagement. The first badge camp held last year attracted 12 scouts with current advanced registration this year of nearly 50 attendees.
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Emory & Henry’s efforts to become involved and attempts to expand the camp’s reach are essential in encouraging the scouts to work hard on badges and recognize the importance of higher education
-Dr. Jean Irion