We Own Adventure

Scouting News for the DC Metro Area

Scouting At Home

USPTO invites Scouts BSA to learn about Inventing

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This summer, the United States Patent & Trademark Office will host a 2-day virtual event for Scouts BSA to earn the Inventing Merit Badge. This event is organized by the Eastern Regional Outreach Office at the USPTO, and several USPTO employees (now registered Merit Badge Counselors) who are volunteering!

The USPTO’s Inventing Merit Badge program will include two synchronous sessions for youth:

  •  July 17, 2021: the virtual class
  • August 28, 2021: the virtual inventions showcase

Between the two sessions, youth will design and build prototypes of their inventions. They will have the opportunity to consult with USPTO employees and Inventing Merit Badge Counselors via ‘virtual office hours’. Youth will all submit videos of their presentations by August 27, to be included in the virtual inventions showcase!

Agenda for Inventing Merit Badge class 

July 17, 2021

12:30 – 1:00 Opening remarks

1:00 – 1:30 The Impact of Invention & Inventing

1:30 – 2:00 An Introduction to Intellectual Property

2:10 -2:30 Invention Case Study

2:30 – 3:15 Why do you invent: panel discussion

3:15 – 4:15 Break-out sessions, interactive discussion

Registration details:  https://scoutingevent.com/082-inventing

In the past, the USPTO had held an Inventing Merit Badge class on site in Alexandria, VA. Below are some photos from the past events! We can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with this year – join us in this summer’s Inventing Merit Badge series!

 

DC Scout Serves His Community

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I wanted to share some great news and say how proud we are of one of our scouts, Dakota Mills, who did something special to serve his community.

Here’s the story as relayed by his mom Ailena:

“Several years ago when we moved to our current home Dakota became annoyed about the older guys hanging out and leaving trash. We began cleaning the blocks once weekly and whenever needed, especially if trash, liquor bottles, etc. were left in front on the senior’s step. Many times we would clean while the guys were outside due to daylight hours. After 1.5 years of consistency some guys recognized his efforts and would attempt to clean up before they would go home, donated gloves and pick up sticks.

On the morning of March 9th one of those same guys knocked on our door to tell Dakota that his sign was up and they are proud of him.”

Cryptology and Codes in STEM@Home

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On February 6, NCAC kicked off the first STEM@Home of 2021! STEM@Home is a online Nova program that enables Cub Scouts to learn Novas from the comforts of their homes! To start off the year we had two cub scout Nova classes:

Nova 1-2-3 Go!

Cub scouts had the tremendous opportunity to learn about secret codes with the NSA National Cryptologic Museum. Ms. Jen Wilcox and cameraman Mr. Craig taught live from the museum, demonstrating the NSA cipher, Navajo Joe, and railroad codes. The NSA National Cryptologic Museum in Annapolis Junction in MD has taught the 1-2-3 Go Nova on-site pre-pandemic.  Thankfully NCAC Nova Counselor Ms. Plano-Faber made the connection to Ms. Wilcox who practiced and tweaked the museum’s program for our STEM@Home virtual format, and together they guided cubs through a fantastic worksheet deciphering codes! (Have you ever heard of a rail fence cipher? ) We can’t wait to visit once the museum reopens!

In another section, the Senior Director of Innovation Research & Development from Intelligent Waves LLC, Mr. John Hammes taught cub scouts about the history of secret codes. Mr. Hammes was a cub scout as a youth and volunteered to give back as a SME (subject matter expert) guiding these cubs through the emergences and industry uses of codes.

NCAC Nova Counselor Dr. Jason Kralj then met with the combined cub scout group to teach the other elements of the 1-2-3 Go Nova Award: statistics! Cub scouts had submit survey questions in advance, which we ran as a poll in ZOOM so everyone could collect data from their peers to meet requirement 2 of the Nova. They then learned how to display the results before moving into the fun coin toss experiment!

 

Cub Scouts Can Code

In another class, cub scouts learned to code with NCAC Nova Counselor Mr. Mark Bruno. This is the second time Mr. Bruno taught this class in STEM@Home and the screenshot is from a step-coding game that he created and facilitated for the whole group! As you might imagine, this Nova Award covers a different type of codes than those in 1-2-3 Go. These cub scouts walked away with a better understanding of binary codes and algorithms; and those who completed the post-requisites even earned their full Nova Award!

Thank you to our guests, Mr. Hammes, Ms. Wilcox and Cameraman Craig as well as our very own NCAC Nova Counselors Dr. Kralj, Ms. Plano-Faber and Mr. Bruno for putting on this excellent event! 


The next STEM@Home will be on April 17, 2021. This event will include Novas for Cub Scouts as well as Scouts BSA — be sure to check it out! https://scoutingevent.com/082-stemnova

Astronaut Charlie Duke to talk to Scouts in STEM Speaker Series

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Image Credit: NASA “Astronaut Charles M. Duke Jr., Apollo 16 Lunar Module pilot, is photographed collecting lunar samples at Station No. 1 during the mission’s first extravehicular activity at the Descartes landing site. This picture, looking eastward, was taken by Commander John W. Young. Duke is standing at the rim of Plum crater, which is 40 meters (131 feet) in diameter and 10 meters (about 33 feet) deep. The lunar rover can be seen in the background.”

STEM Speaker Series is an online event for youth to hear from and engage with STEM professionals. Created by the NCAC STEM Committee, this Series has been running since May 2020 on Thursday evenings, and has since welcomed dozens of STEM experts to share career talks.

We hosted a medical physicist, statistician, USCG pilot, nuclear scientist, veterinarian, pathologist… and now we are excited to welcome an astronaut on March 18th!

Join us LIVE for STEM Speaker Series with Astronaut Charlie Duke. Astronaut Duke will present in this virtual event, then take questions from the virtual audience. Watch the live event here on Facebook! https://fb.me/e/20FDBvfJv

Do you want to ask Astronaut Duke a question?

Complete this form, and our moderators will select two questions to ask the Astronaut!

 

Update on Resuming In-Person Scouting Activities

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As the weather starts to warm, many units have been contacting us about when they should restart in-person activities. We are grateful to all the leaders, families, and Scouts who have helped their units follow COVID-19 protocols over the past year. The health and safety of our Scouts is our collective highest priority, and everyone’s continued adherence to safety protocols helps us to fulfill that promise.  While there has been very good news about vaccination progress in our communities, unfortunately, the current models suggest at least several more months of primarily digital program delivery.

Due to significant variance in the state and county phased reopening programs being implemented across our Council’s territory, it is difficult to provide an “all-inclusive” recommendation for all NCAC units. As such, we would like to reinforce the following guidance regarding resumption of in-person Scouting activities.

  • The Unit Key Three should determine what activities and in-person gatherings are permitted for the county in which the unit is chartered. 
  • The Key Three should then work with the adult committee to determine if the unit is prepared to begin in person meetings or activities. 
  • If consensus exists among the adult committee members, the Key Three should consult with the Chartered Partner to secure their support for the resumption of in person meetings or activities.
  • It is the responsibility of the unit’s Key Three and adult committee to understand and ensure all state/county restrictions and required Covid-19 safety precautions are taken.  Units traveling to other states/destinations for camp/activities are responsible for knowing and adhering to the restrictions and precautions of those areas.
  • Units following the restrictions and administering the precautions are covered by the BSA insurance program.
  • In addition to precautions required by states and counties we ask you to incorporate the processes included in BSA’s Restart Scouting Checklist and use the Pre-Event Medical Screening Checklist.

For more information about BSA’s response to COVID-19, please read the National Statement on COVID-19 and the COVID-19 FAQ.

We know everyone is excited to begin outdoor, in-person Scouting activities.  We ask that you “do your best” to follow the guidance provided here, and work with your adult committee and chartered organization, as well as your local protocols, to ensure a safe Scouting experience.

Cub Scout Novas in STEM@Home

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On February 6th, STEM@Home returns to offer Cub Scouts the opportunity to work on Nova Awards! Each class will run from 1-3PM, guiding you through the fun and interactive requirements of each award.

Read more about each class and register here: https://scoutingevent.com/082-stemnova

 

1-2-3 Go! Nova Class

  • Meet a real cryptography expert
  • Learn statistics with the flip of a coin
  • How much does the air in your bedroom weigh?
  • Make your own 5e¢ret c0de

 

Cub Scouts Can Code Nova class

  • Learn about binary code, and write a message in it
  • Use and explore algorithms
  • Start coding!

 

A tremendous thank you to NCAC STEM Nova Counselors, Dr Jason Kralj and Mr. Mark Bruno, for developing and teaching these classes!

Both Dr. Kralj and Mr. Bruno have taught multiple times in STEM@Home during the past year, and we appreciate that they continue to create these opportunities for our cub scouts!

Special thank you as well to Ms. Susan Plano-Faber and Dr. Hatcher Tynes for coordinating guests (cryptology experts)  for these presentations!

Finally, if you are a STEM aficionado and can help out as a guest speaker or by teaching a Nova class in a future STEM@Home, we would greatly appreciate this! We are looking for volunteers to lend their expertise for all the Cubs, Scouts BSA and Venturing Novas this spring.

Interested to volunteer but not sure how to get started? Please send us an email at stem@ncacbsa.org and we will connect you.