As a Cub
Scout Pack Leader you can emphasize citizenship in your program by planning
activities that include citizenship skill building opportunities. For example,
in your annual planning meeting you may want to make sure that one or more of
the Pack's activities include or feature citizenship skill building activities.
But what are some of these activities?
1.
Pack Service Projects
can teach the duty of service and good citizenship to the community and country
in a variety of ways.
a.
Flag care and the destruction of soiled
or damaged flags at a community site can emphasize to scouts the proper care and
treatment of the flag.
b.
Flag ceremonies for PTA,
PTO, and other community organizations give Scouts the opportunity to develop a
sense of patriotism.
c.
Scouting for Food, visits to
nursing homes, convalescent centers, shelters; and participation in clothing
drives; disaster relief collections; and community service projects teach the
duty of a citizen to help the less fortunate.
d.
Recycling projects
can teach the duty of a citizen to protect the environment and preserve
resources for future generations.
2. Pack
Fun Activities
a.Participation in a parade or other ceremonial observances on a patriotic
holiday, while being fun can also be used to remind scouts of the reasons for
the celebration; e.g., Veteran's Day, Memorial Day and the sacrifices of
thousands of American in responding to their duty as citizens to serve in the
defense of their country.
b.
Historic hikes
such as the trails at Alexandria, Annapolis, battlefields, the C&O canal,
Harper's Ferry, Mount Vernon, Gettysburg (illustration to the right), Antietam
or historic sites in your Council can help a Scout to learn more about local
history and the history of our country. While learning this history, Scout can
learn about outstanding citizens from the past and the contributions they made
(which encourages Scouts to adopt some of these figures as role models).
3.
Pack advancement and recognition ceremonies
provide excellent opportunities to encourage good citizenship by rewarding
individual actions and group activities with a pat on the back or special
awards.
4.
Special awards
can be used to promote citizenship. For example, presenting a special ribbon
for a den flag reinforces the value of a den's participation in a flag ceremony,
or other citizenship activities.
5.
Citizenship Night:
A Pack could decide to focus one of its Pack meetings on a citizenship theme in
lieu of the regular theme. The Pack Meeting could feature posters, displays,
skits, demonstrations, ceremonies, stories, and games with citizenship values
predominant. At the closing each Scout could be presented with a United States
Flag Poster, a small flag, a copy of the Declaration of Independence, a pocket
copy of the United States Constitution, or some similar item.
6.
Tours: Take a
Pack tour of a government building and meet with local, state, or federal
officials to learn more about how the government serves its people and how
citizens can help. Alternatively try a tour of a local museum or monument.
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