It is no joke, April 1st the Student Government Association at Louisiana State University School of Public Health hosted the first annual Public Health Merit Badge for local Boy Scouts of America troops on the New Orleans campus. Over 30 Boy Scouts and troop leaders came from all around the state of Louisiana and Mississippi to attend the session.
The daylong session, organized and conducted by student leaders provided public health information and hands on demonstrations. A pair of inflatable lungs demonstrating the effects of smoking was the number one hit among the scouts during breaks. All shared the same sentiments surrounding the horrible effects associated with smoking and vowed not to engage in the behavior. Other demonstrations included alcohol impairment goggles, glow germs, and lead testing. In the next coming weeks, all scouts will be visiting a local water treatment facility to meet additional badge requirements
Parents and troop leaders expressed how pleased they were with the session, especially since the merit badge has not been offered in the recent past. One parent commented, “This is a great opportunity for students to work with kids and expose them to the college campus.”
The attendance at the session and interest among troop leaders proved to be positive and greatly appreciated. Future plans include working with troop leaders to offer additional allied health merit badges at camps throughout the year.
