This October and November, North Shore District Community Ties is bringing Scouts into the heart of their communities with two special opportunities to experience local government firsthand!
Scouts and families will be invited to attend a Cedar Park City Council meeting with Mayor Jim Penniman-Morin and a Leander City Council meeting with Mayor Na’Cole Thompson and their respective City Councils.
These opportunities are open to Scouts of all ages. Whether your Scout is just beginning to learn what it means to be a good citizen or is working toward advancement, this is a chance to see community leadership in action.
Scouts Can Take Part
We want our Scouts to do more than simply sit in the audience! At each meeting, there will be opportunities for Scouts to signup to participate in the opening flag ceremony, representing Scouting before their community leaders.
Scouts will also get to observe how a City Council meeting works, hear issues affecting their community discussed, and learn more about the responsibilities of the mayor and council members.
Have a Question for Your Community Leaders?
Scouts who would like to ask a question will have an opportunity to submit their questions in advance. This is a great way for young people to think about what matters to them in their community and hear directly from the people elected to serve it. Instructions and deadlines for submitting questions will be provided with the individual event details.
Connect the Experience to Advancement
These evenings may also help all Scouts work toward advancement. The exact requirements completed will depend on the Scout’s program, participation, and approval from the appropriate leader or merit badge counselor.
For Webelos – My Community is an especially strong connection. Requirement 2 asks Webelos to speak with someone who is elected to their position and discover the type of voting used to elect that person and why. A City Council experience provides a natural opportunity to learn directly from elected local leaders.
For Scouts participating in the opening flag ceremony can practice important flag skills and leadership while representing Scouting in a public setting.
The meeting also provides an excellent opportunity for Scouts working on the Eagle-required Citizenship in the Community Merit Badge. Current Requirement 3 includes attending an in-person city, town, or county council meeting—or another qualifying government meeting approved in advance by the counselor—and discussing an issue from the meeting with the counselor.
Scouts working on the Eagle-required Communication Merit Badge may also find the meeting useful for requirements involving observation and communication in a public setting. Scouts should review the current requirements with their merit badge counselor beforehand.
Scouts should speak with their den leader, Scoutmaster, or merit badge counselor before attending if they plan to use the experience toward advancement.
Specific dates, meeting times, locations, flag ceremony sign-ups, and instructions for submitting Scout questions will be announced soon.
All event details and sign-ups will be posted in the NSD Community Ties BAND. Families and unit leaders are encouraged to join now so they don’t miss these opportunities.
NSD Community Ties
Invite Code: 7P6-BBP-1R
Join NSD Community Ties on BAND
Come learn. Come participate. Come represent Scouting.
