A very large number of the Scouts in the Troop have not yet earned their Personal Fitness Merit Badge. Personal Fitness is one of the Eagle required merit badges.
On Saturday morning, January 21, 2023, we will have our first of two Personal Fitness Merit Badge classes at the Troop 129 Scout Hut. As explained below, the second class needs to occur at least 12
weeks after January 21 (that is, a date in late April or May, 2023).
We need to get a list of interested Scouts as soon as possible. With that in mind, please take a moment to fill out the sign-up sheet linked below.
[Sign-up For Personal Fitness MB Class]
Everything else you need to know has been detailed out below. Please take a moment to read through each section.
Parents should please do the following before January 21:
- Make sure that your son is up to date on having a recent physical examination by your family’s health care provider. Likewise he should be up to date with his recent dental care exam. These are prerequisites for this merit badge.
- Sign up your Scout on the Troop website so that we know how many participants to expect (use the link above of go to the [Sign-up Page] and access the link there).
- Mr. Jim Carey, Mr. Bill Penkava, and Ms. Jean Hilyard will be three of the adults leading this event. However, we need at least one more adult volunteer to assist. If you can help, please contract Mr. Carey during one of the Tuesday Troop meetings. Many, many thanks!
- Make sure that your son studies and is fully prepared to answer all the discussion requirements for this merit badge BEFORE he arrives to class on January 21. Requirements and a worksheet are available online here: [Personal Fitness Merit Badge (usscouts.org)]. If desired, merit badge pamphlets can be purchased here: [Results for personal fitness merit badge pamphlet (scoutshop.org)] (available in English and Spanish paper versions, as well as an online e-book edition).
Schedule on January 21:
- Scouts should arrive at the Troop Scout Hut between 8:00 AM and 8:10 AM on January 21. Please do not be late — that will delay the class for everybody! After each Scout completes his merit badge “blue card,” we will begin the class promptly at 8:30 AM.
- Parents should come back to the Hut no later than 12:00 noon to pick up their sons.
- During class we will organize the participating Scouts into subgroups. At least two adults will work with each group to cover all the discussion requirements (#1 through 5, and 9). Meanwhile, at least two other adults will supervise completion of the baseline physical fitness requirements (#6 and 7, and explain to the Scouts what they need to do for #8). Then we will switch groups. This organization plan will ensure that all Scouts efficiently finish everything we need to accomplish that morning.
- We will be running the discussion requirement and many of the physical fitness baseline groups inside the Hut. We will need to complete some of the physical fitness requirements outside in the athletic field next door to the Hut property. Scouts (and adult helpers) should be prepared for potentially cold January weather outside.
What Scouts should bring on January 21:
- Eat breakfast before the class. We are not providing any food during this event.
- Wear sneakers and clothing appropriate for doing physical exercises.
- A large and full water bottle. We do NOT want anyone to become dehydrated.
- A genuine commitment to work on this merit badge. We will have many requirements to finish on January 21. Moreover, each boy must be motivated to finish his subsequent 12 week personal fitness and healthy eating plan, and record his progress in his log.
What happens after the January 21 class:
- As part of requirements #6, 7, and 8, each Scout will create their own personal plan for improving their physical fitness and healthy eating. Each boy will implement his plan for at least 12 weeks, and record his progress in a log. This log can be on paper or in a computer spreadsheet (for example, in an Excel file).
- Towards the end of April or in May, 2023, we will identify a date for a second class at the Hut. During the second class, we will re-do the baseline physical fitness measurements. We also will examine each Scout’s 12 week personal fitness and healthy eating log. Finally, we will discuss how things went for each boy and compare his “before” versus “after” personal fitness and healthy eating improvement plan.
