From...

Geek scouts earn their merit badges

April 3, 2000
Web posted at: 10:26 a.m. EST (1426 GMT)

by Kathi Black

(IDG) -- Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts across America bear their badges proudly, but what about geek scouts? With computer skills like network administration and Web publishing as necessary for survival as campfire building, the 100-year-old Scout organizations now award high-tech badges.

If your 14-year-old son builds a site that includes, say, content on the history of computers, a database of information on his Boy Scout troop and MP3 bugle calls, he might get "computer," "entrepreneur" and "bugling" badges, respectively.

	MESSAGE BOARD
Internet Society

Some 270,000 Scouts have earned the computer badge since it was created in 1967. But requirements for this badge could use an upgrade: To earn it, a Scout must define "modem" and "e-mail," but isn't asked to demonstrate Internet skills. Last year, 403 Scouts received the entrepreneur badge, a far cry from 1996, the year the badge debuted with only one awarded.

MORE COMPUTING INTELLIGENCE

IDG.net home page

The Standard.com

TechInformer: The Thinking Internaut's Guide to the Tech Industry

Reviews & in-depth info at IDG.net

E-BusinessWorld

Industry Standard email newsletters

Questions about computers? Let IDG.net's editors help you

Industry Standard daily Media Grok

Search IDG.net in 12 languages

News Radio

Fusion audio primers

Computerworld Minute

Meanwhile, the Girl Scouts are getting Net-nutty. Scouts in middle school and high school can earn "desktop publishing," "computers in everyday life" and "exploring the Net" badges. Junior Girl Scouts (third to sixth grade), can strive for two computer-related badges, while Brownies (first to third grade) can adorn their uniforms with the "point, click, go" Internet badge. Starting in April, Brownies can also earn the more-advanced "computer smarts" badge.

The youngest Girl Scout group, the Daisies, wants in on the action, too. "I get e-mails almost every day from troop leaders and girls clamoring for a new badge for these 5-year-olds," says Chris Bergerson, who runs the Just for Girls section of the Scouts' site.

These badges add a whole new meaning to the idea of Girl Scout cookies.

Chaos Club offers hackers holiday
July 29, 1999

Computers for youth: Spreading the Net
Industry Standard
School fundraising - Say goodbye to bake sales
Industry Standard
Stop the violence: The anti-gang bait and switch
Industry Standard
Preparing low-income youth for Internet careers
Industry Standard
First Techies Day to target youth
Computerworld

Girl Scouts of America
Boy Scouts of America

Note: Pages will open in a new browser window

External sites are not endorsed by CNN Interactive.