STEM NOVA FOR BOY SCOUTS

[1eaglehead 10]

It appears that the STEM NOVA award program is welloutlined. How can i get started. Who should I contact to get a particular scout interested in this award, started.

 

[AZMike 173]

Here's some articles from Scouter Mag that you may find useful:

 

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2012/04/ideas-for-teaching-stem-subject-merit-badges/

 

http://scoutingmagazine.org/2012/04/former-astronaut-shares-how-to-get-scouts-hooked-on-stem-subjects/

 

 

 

 

[Basementdweller 608]

Why not talk to the "particular scout" show him the outline and see if he is interested??????

 

 

I you have to sell it then he probably isn't interested.

[Eaglemom2b 10]

Is this scout showing interest? If so, I would contact the District to see if a NOVA counselor has already been registered. If not, I would try to find someone willing to take on that responsibility. The counselor list for the STEM merit badges is a great place to begin your search.

 

My understanding is a general counselor is required for the four basic NOVA awards (shoot, start your engines, whoosh and designed to crunch). If the scout chooses to move on to Supernova he is required to work with a mentor.

 

Does the scout have a copy of the guidebook? Getting that into his hands is important. Once he knows the reqs and can determine which subjects he is interested in studying, it might help narrow down the choices of counselor/mentor. There is little benefit in selecting a counselor whose main interest is microbiology if the scout is interested in physics.

 

Have the scout look through the MBs required for the awards. If he is a strong STEM candidate he may be surprised at how many of the MBs he has earned. This might encourage him to move forward through the four awards and shoot for Supernova.

 

Good luck! Please keep us posted about what happens. I am curious to see how many scouts choose to persue NOVA.

[suzisk8 12]

On a Cub level I am super excited about this award and I am going to be encouraging my Den and Pack to get it.

[dfolson 70]

Requirements are on line here:

 

http://scouting.org/stem.aspx

 

David

[Austinole 43]

Books are arriving at your local scout store. I picked up my books last week. I've been busy lining up fun events for my cub scouts to work on their nova awards.

[advancement lady 10]

This does look interesting ..... how or where do they get a mentor? There are quite a few scouts in our troop which are no longer interested in working on merit badges (15 & 16 year old Eagles).

 

Has anyone tried this yet?