By Cameron S.

With over 2 million people behind bars, the United States currently has the largest prison population in the world. According to the Bureau of Justice 3,260 of those are on death row awaiting execution. Ironically, the country that provides the most freedom leads the world in locking people up.

Capital punishment has been practiced in America for over 400 years. For centuries people accepted this consequence. In fact, executions used to be held in public squares for all to see. “An eye for an eye” is a belief that has existed since biblical times. But perhaps Gandhi spoke truth when he said “an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind.” Capital punishment eliminates the option for forgiveness, second chances, and repentance.

Death row is corrupt, unfair, and inhumane. Life is a God-given blessing to experience and we, as humans, have no right to take that from somebody, no matter what the circumstance. Let’s not forget the fact that it being in human hands opens up the opportunity for human error.  There are also the rationalizations of it being a deterrent or a cheaper alternative. How can you not question its existence?

From the ages of 13-17 I managed to familiarize myself with the court system. I was selfish, depressed, and angry at the cards life had dealt me. As a result, I turned to things that allowed me to escape, such as drugs and alcohol. Probation, house arrest, juvenile hall – nothing could stop my descent to destruction.

God’s grace and the perseverance of my parents, gave me numerous opportunities to change my life and become a better person. My parents never gave up on me. I always wished they would so that I could do what I want, but that never happened and because of that, today I am completely different. “Don’t quit before the miracle happens.”

Repentance can happen to anyone, and through my experience I know now this to be true. I know there are some of you who are reading this and thinking is this guy serious? These people deserve what they get. But let me challenge that with saying, where would you be if you never had second, third, or fourth chances? Many of us have got away with horrible and heinous acts. People in jail are there because they didn’t get away with what they had done.

Capital punishment is not a deterrent for future murders; studies have shown that capital punishment has no effect at all. According to a 2002 FBI Uniform Crime Report, “. . . the South repeatedly has the highest murder rate. The South accounts for over 80 percent of executions. The Northeast, which has less than one percent of all executions in the United States, had the lowest murder rate.” Texas leads the US in executions. Former Texas Attorney General Jim Mattox, who had presided over many of the state’s executions remarked, “It is my own experience that those executed in Texas were not deterred by the existence of the death penalty law.”

Supporters of the death penalty claim that executing their fellow citizens is cheaper than imprisoning criminals for life. The facts prove the contrary. According to The New Press “it is three times more costly to execute a prisoner than it is to keep them in a single cell at the highest security level for 40 year.” In Texas, “sending a killer to death row costs an average of $2.3 million,” reports the Dallas Morning News.

This method of dealing with criminals only perpetuates the cycle of violent behavior. How can you expect people to listen to you when you’re doing the same thing they were doing? It’s the epitome of hypocrisy!

Capital punishment is faulty in nature, as it relies on the fallible nature of human beings. Room for human error is huge. According to The Nation, “Between 1973 and 1995, seven out of 10 death-penalty cases were thrown out on appeal due to flaws in the trial.”

Countless studies have proven that the death penalty in the United States is riddled with bias – such as class injustices. The facts speak for themselves — Amnesty International reports that “95 percent of all people sentenced to death in the United States could not afford their own attorney.”

Racial injustices are also present. Not only do the poor suffer from our legal system, but minorities do as well. A recent study at the University of North Carolina has proven that the “odds of receiving a death sentence rose 3.5 times among those defendants whose victims were white.” Bias against the defendant as well cannot be hidden. According to the Death Penalty Information Center, “between 1995 and 2000, 75 percent of the federal cases in which juries recommended the death penalty involved black or Latino defendants.”

How can we call ourselves the “land of the free” with a straight face while remaining one of the few first-world countries that still executes its citizens? Is it comforting to know that “the United States, China, Iran and Saudi Arabia account for over 80 percent of executions” according to Amnesty International?

By Cameron S.

Ohio started off the New Year with their 11^th earthquake since March near the Youngstown area. Over the past year Ohio Governor John Kasich has welcomed energy companies with open arms, “I told them if you come to Ohio and you screw up – you’re not going to want to screw up.”

The earthquakes since March have put the 177 deep well injection sites in Ohio under the microscope. According to Columbia University seismic experts, the injection of 100,000+ barrels of oilfield waste fluids into a fault line probably caused the quake. The wells are known as Class II injection wells and the waste they hold contains a brine-water mix that contains chemicals used in the oil and gas production process.

“Pennsylvania only has six injection wells like the one thought to have triggered earthquakes in Youngstown,” said Kent Jackson, staff writer for the Times-Tribune. Because of this Ohio has been accepting much oilfield waste from out-of-state, including Pennsylvania. According to The Plain Dealer Ohio’s disposal wells are needed more than ever, with nearly 37,000 barrels a day, records show a 60 percent increase in out-of-state waste.

Ohio isn’t the only area that has experienced this phenomenon; Oklahoma has endured more than 50 earthquakes this past year alone. The bulk of these occurred within 2.1 miles of Eola Field, a fracking operation in Southern Garvin County, the most recent date being measured at 5.6. This earthquake was Oklahoma’s biggest earthquake to date. “There are 181 injection wells in the Oklahoma County where most of the weekend earthquakes happened,” said Matt Skinner, spokesman for the Oklahoma Corporation Commission, which oversees oil and gas production in the state and intrastate transportation pipelines.

State Rep. Bob Hagan of Youngstown said, “We’re dealing with earthquakes and we’re dealing with a dangerous chemical solution that seems to have found a home in Ohio.”

By Kristin R.

Alongside the bittersweet mood that sweeps over the school every graduation comes a wave of excitement for the new upcoming graduates. At this time of year, internship applications have been turned in, reviewed, and finally, the interns of June 2012 have been selected.

The internship program is a great way to keep seniors busy since most of them already have the credits required to graduate, and it is also a taste of a real job experience. This includes the angry bosses, coffee breaks in the office, and holding themselves accountable at all times to the responsibilities of their jobs. “I am so excited for the opportunity to gain work experience, I have been looking forward to having an internship my entire stay,” said senior Daniel M.  Students who were assigned positions have been training with the previous groups of interns and their new bosses since the jobs were given out.

Interns receive tuition credit for their work in addition to gaining important life skills. “Training in itself has been so much work already, but I’m happy I’ll have something to stay focused on since I’m finished with school,” said Foundation Intern RJ O. The June class is definitely eager to begin the semester ahead, and we all have our fingers crossed for success.

By Cameron S.

The Family School is expanding its services.  Beginning in January eligible students will be able to participate in a new program called The Bridge. This program is a 5^th year program for students ages 18-20 who are struggling to meet the challenges of transitioning from high school to college and are looking for a second chance to rehabilitate themselves academically and socially. It allows students the opportunity to attend college at Broome Community College in Binghamton, NY while residing in a structured, drug free, sober environment at FFS.

Jason Garnar, FFS college counselor, will be organizing, scheduling, and helping the students through the rigorous process of getting ready for college. The Bridge is open to either high school students who attend FFS and have earned all required high school credits, or students between the ages of 18-20 who are looking for an alternative approach to their college career.

Students currently enrolled at FFS can earn up to five college credits: statistics, English composition, sociology, forensics, and mythology. These credits are issued by Lackawanna and St. Cloud University. The addition of The Bridge program expands the available college credits and allows those same high school students to pick and choose from a variety of other classes offered by BCC.

The Bridge offers two scenarios: one for high school students who will receive dual credits and one for full-time college students – enrollment is not limited to FFS graduates but to students from across the United States.

High school students will be introduced and exposed to college life before being a full-time student. “They learn to apply for and schedule classes, buy textbooks, and get a feel for the amount of time studying deserves in college,” said Garnar. In addition to attending classes at BCC these students will participate in FFS activities throughout the semester. They will be treated just like a regular attendee at BCC and are expected to perform at the college level. “The pressure and stress will definitely be there for these students,” added Garnar.

For full-time college students the majority of their time will be occupied with class attendance and studying. Their focus will be on having a successful college experience without the distractions that are prevalent on most college campuses. Immediately upon entering into this program they become an intern at the FFS. Internships are given to students who are expected to step into a leadership role. “The hope is that these students can almost be a big brother or sister to other students and share their experience, strength, and hope,” stated Garnar.

Transported by FFS staff, Mike Losicco and Drew Demetrius, participants will be going to BCC every Tuesday and Thursday for classes and returning to FFS in time for dinner. Prior to the first day of school they will have already applied for and scheduled their classes. As they go throughout their day they receive breaks between some of their classes. While on break they have access to all BBC facilities including a full college library and gym. “I am thrilled to be given the chance to either shoot some hoops or tap into the unlimited information I have at my fingertips between classes,” said Bridge student Daniel M. (Learn more about The Bridge)

By RJ O.

Cold, selfish and unhappy is how I spent my Christmas in years past. My mood and emotions reflected Mother Nature on a cold winter night. I always looked forward to Christmas morning when I would receive many gifts, but I was always ungrateful and all I wanted to do was exchange the gifts I had been given for something “better”. Everyone around me was all smiles and on this beautiful day while I indulged in my own churlish attitude. A part of me knew that I should be thinking about others and focusing on giving rather than receiving, but that part of me was like a mouse trapped in a giant Tupperware bowl scrapping at the transparent wall trying to get out. It took me a full year during my stay to finally allow this seemingly hopeless mouse to see the light of day again.
I arrived at The Family Foundation School on December 14, 2010 I wasn’t looking forward to spending another Christmas away from home. My previous Christmas before was spent in the woods of Vermont in, The True North Wilderness Program provided a Christmas that I would never forget. On Christmas morning I was handed a wooden spoon and five Tootsie Rolls. You would think I would be grateful after graduating from the wilderness program, but after going home and surrounding myself with the same people, places and things, I shut out the new person I had become during my wilderness experience. I put myself in a position where I was going to miss my second Christmas with my family and I was not thrilled to say the least.
I adjusted well to the school, but I wasn’t the most pleasant person to be around during the holidays. Materialistically I was content, but there was something missing. I felt like the Grinch with a shriveled up heart because all I cared about was me and nobody else. I did in fact gain some relationships with kids because I was living with them; the same superficial relationships I shared with friends back home.
Early November 2011 I found out I was going to miss another Christmas at home. My first reaction was to be frustrated and complain about something I couldn’t change. But after thinking about the true meaning of Christmas and saying a prayer I had a change of heart. With a selfless attitude my 2011 Christmas at The Family School was one to remember.
Love spread through Talbot House faster than a blink of an eye. This warm compassion felt like burrowing up in your blanket on a frigid night. Everyone was happy and nothing else mattered besides seeing the expression on the face of the person who was opening up the present you got them. When I went home on December 27 and this selfless, open-hearted attitude traveled with me from the school to my family. These new emotions felt weird at first because I had never showed them in my home or in front of my family. It would be a lie if I said I wasn’t excited to open up presents at my house, but my mind wasn’t consumed by these material things. I was content with being home and being surrounded by people that I love and by people that love me, so opening presents was the icing on the cake of a memorable day.

Amy D.
Class of June 1993

Amy graduated from FFS in 1993 after a two-year stay that she says saved her life.
Amy entered the school as a defiant, angry young woman with violence and behavioral issues. Amy said, “[My experience at FFS] was not easy. I was definitely not one who gave in easily, so my stay was longer. Eventually, though, the values were absorbed, and from that point on I was able to function.”
Amy has been incredibly successful in the years since she was a student here. She is currently married, has three children, and is working as a public health RN in pediatrics.
She showed her deep emotion and gratitude for the school saying, “I know it’s difficult. I know it’s been tough, but the goal of the staff and your parents is that you’re successful and you have a good life.” Her advice to the newcomer is, “Stick with it. You need to learn and absorb as much as you can. You’re not going to be here forever, and there is going to be a time and a place when you’ll be able to put these skills to the test. Believe it or not, this is your life, and you are the one who chooses how you live it.”

Paul P. and Rosie E.
Class of December 2009

Paul arrived at The Family Foundation School on January 25, 2007, and Rosie Enyart arrived on January 16, 2008. They graduated high school together in December of 2009.
Before arriving at FFS, Paul didn’t go to school, got high daily, and didn’t care about his family or future. Rosie had similar issues: she was very unhappy and angry, but she numbed her emotions with drug use and self mutilation.They both had struggles during the beginning of their stays, but they expressed them in different ways.
Paul tried to fly under the radar and didn’t cause a lot of trouble. He “half-measured everything” and did everything he could to get by doing the smallest amount of work. After a while, though, his “flawless” efforts to remain unseen failed. At this point, Paul decided to start to change.
Rosie, on the other hand, acted as if everything was okay and did everything in her power to hide her true emotions. “The reality of the school didn’t hit me until after I was here for a couple of months. At that point, I really expressed my dislike for all of the small rules,” she added.
Paul and Rosie started to turn it around, and eventually, both earned internships and Family School diplomas. Paul even earned the title of Residential Assistant (RA) and received the Student of the Month award.
The key to Rosie’s turnaround was discovering her spirituality. During her stay, she was able to figure out who she really was and what she believed in. However, Enyart says the real work began after she left The Family School.
Paul was tired of the way he was living his life and needed to change. He knew he had to make the decision to turn over his will to his Higher Power.
“I couldn’t have done it without my family at home and Family 6,” said Paul.
After leaving The Family Foundation School, Passaretti remained sober and was involved in Alcoholics Anonymous for a short time. He got emotionally lost, however, and didn’t know where to turn. “I had people around me saying, ‘What are you doing?’ and again, I felt like everyone hated me until I eventually realized that they were right.”
For Rosie, she still had problems that she needed to solve, but once she solved them, it all came together and now she knows what makes her happy and she sticks to it.
Paul and Rosie were welcomed warmly by many staff members and some students who knew them during their stays. “It’s really good to have people excited about how good I am doing and that people have an interest in me and how I feel. It’s even better to hear it from people here because they are my family,” said Rosie.
Currently, Paul lives in New York City. He majors in Liberal Arts at Kingsborough Community College and walks dogs part-time. Rosie also lives in New York attends UConn and is majoring in English with a minor in women’s history. Both of them leave their futures in the hands of God and take life one day at a time.

Dean B.
Class of June 2007

In May of 2004, Dean arrived at FFS, straight from the heart of New York City, in a fit of anger and confusion. He was placed in Family Four but his heart set on leaving as soon as possible and he had no intention of changing his way of thinking.
Dean described his stay as “as hard as I could make it for myself. The first year or so, I was uncooperative and got myself into a lot of trouble.” When asked about what prompted him to change, he said that it was one student who made all the difference. “There was a senior kid in my family who helped me change my mind. He sat in the corner with me all the time and did everything he could to help me. Once I finally found someone I could relate to, I found that I wanted what he had.”
After his graduation in 2007, he continued onto school and started working and continues to work in union construction. His biggest struggle since leaving was “finding where I fit into things. My biggest support is still my dad and my faith, and they keep me going whenever I feel things aren’t going right for me.” Dean’s advice to the newcomer is, “Do what you need to do and everything will fall into place. I’ve been doing that since I left and I have developed a very clean sober life thanks to this principle.”

Ian F.
Class of June 2008

When Ian arrived at The Family School, his energy was invested in drug use. His constant family struggles and desire to get high led him to do things that he would later regret.
During his stay at The Family School, Ian had struggles, but in the end wound up receiving a tremendous amount of support from his peers and staff. “Bill, Rita, and Jan were definitely contributing factors towards my success at the school,” stated Ian.
After graduating in June of 2008 he attended Marywood College in Scranton, Pa. During his stay at college, he felt he was missing something. He was drawn back to The Family School to give back to the community that helped him achieve a life of sobriety and happiness. Ian worked with the students and helped give them advice using his experience. “When I came back to work for the first time, my main purpose was to reconnect with the people that helped me the most but I got a lot out of coming back,” said Ian.
During the interview with Ian, he also said that he would be coming back to work again. He plans to continue his life in sobriety here and aspires to one day have a profession writing screenplays. To the newcomer, he advises, “Keep talking to people about what’s going on inside yourself.”

Chris N.
Class of 1996

Former student and staff, Chris, visited The Family School to catch up with his old friends. Before arriving at FFS, “Nico” described himself as a lost young man who could not cope with his daily issues.
Chris had a knack for acting out on his anger, which led him to get into trouble with the law. When his misbehavior and violence caught up to him, he was sent to FFS in 1993.
After spending three years at FFS, Chris learned about himself and what he needed to change in order to be successful. He credits Terry, Father Stephen, Jan, and Chris S. for helping him work through his dilemmas and showing him how to achieve true happiness.
“A lot of the staff and students from FFS all had morals that I admired. I attribute my success today to people like them,” Chris said.
Thanks to hard internal work, Nico graduated high school in 1996. He returned a year after his departure to give back and work as a staff, but he still struggled adjusting to daily life. “The roots of the real world are different. I had to find the foundation that I wanted to live,” he said.“Life is a long journey, and I acknowledged I had to make the decision which foundations I valued.”

Brandon F.
Class of June 2007

Brandon arrived at FFS in 2003 as an angry and defiant teenager with substance abuse problems and a bad relationship with his family. His stay was long and laborious, like a three-year-long roller coaster ride.
“I finally started to turn around once I got involved. I played sports and did the drama and choir stuff too. I struggled as I went through several different stages, but I was eventually able to find my footing.”
Brandon remained in Family Two for the majority of his stay. He credited Sid and Rita, his family leaders, as his biggest help during his stay at The Family School.
Brandon is currently sober after a recent stay in rehab and is working full-time while living in Long Island. He said that his biggest struggle is staying sober. His advice the newcomer is, “Keep your head up and express your feelings. Always seek good role models and stick with the winners.”

By Kristin

FFS students enjoyed a special Christmas presentation when the Hancock Community Choir came to the school for a Christmas Cantata called Child of Hope. Directed by Brenda Rood and accompanied by FFS alumna Carmen Scott, the show gave a Christmas message of encouragement and peace.

The presentation blended familiar carols with new music, with a narrative in between. FFS students Zoe D’Angelo and Alex Hays participated in the chorus.

“We had two hour rehearsals every Sunday for months. Sometimes I would be tempted to just give it up, but it was really worth it in the end. The effort we all put into the performance definitely paid off,” said D’Angelo.

The two FFS students participating shared the spotlight, singing the Christmas classic “Silent Night” as a duet.

The chorus as a whole was an incredibly diverse group, which made it very special. Participants’ ages ranged from as young as twelve to senior citizens. Grandparents sang next to their grandchildren in worship, and relatives watched from the audience as well. The beautiful show left FFS students speechless, enamored with the powerful spiritual message and hearts full of Christmas spirit.

By Ron R.

As students get ready to apply for colleges, there are a tremendous amount of decisions which need to be made before actually arriving on campus.

In today’s society, the majority of teens feel obligated to attend college because of how common it is to depart from high school and go straight to a high-end university. The process of applying for colleges creates an abundance of stress and confusion which can easily be avoided if the decision is made intellectually. But putting all emotion aside and maintaining full focus on getting into the school which is best fit for your aspiring career can be very difficult.

College takes up such a substantial portion of a student’s life that making this decision is crucial. Students search for schools which will help them find the career that they would like to have for the rest of their lives. Deciding which major the student wants creates added stress to the already demanding high school curriculum.

Teenage life is filled with new experiences and curiosity, which creates a lot of distractions for students getting ready to attend college. The stress students endure throughout high school is a direct result of the struggle to balance academics while maintaining a social life. This added commotion during the pressure to make an imperative decision creates a dilemma. Not only does the decision have to be made about which geographical area the student would like to attend, but making application deadlines, writing college essays, and attaining letters of recommendations is nerve wracking.

As sophomores enter their junior year, they see seniors getting acceptance letters from their schools of choice. They start to feel pressured to choose a school for themselves. Although it is healthy to have a dream, the amount of stress brought upon the students to achieve their goals is immense. Balancing a high school life while keeping up with the résumé-boosting extracurricular activities can be very difficult to cope with. Once a student finds a college that they like they become motivated to achieve academically.

When I started to apply for schools, I had my mind set on one particular university which I was very interested in attending. I was so sure that I would be accepted that I only applied to one safety school which I wouldn’t have been too thrilled to attend. After a couple of weeks the acceptance letter arrived from my safety school. My confidence rose as I awaited the decision from my school of choice. The four weeks were up… I checked the status of my application online and to my surprise saw two devastating words: “Admission denied.” My world shook as I scrambled to find local schools to attend.

After coming to terms with my situation, I began to realize how unimportant it is to attend a high-end university during the first semester of college.

Very successful people have made a living and a name of themselves without having to pay any sizeable amount of money. Renowned Academy Award-winning actor and producer Clint Eastwood attended Los Angeles Community College in Los Angeles before he became such a powerful name in the film industry. Jim Lehrer, famous broadcast journalist during the 1970s, who appeared on MacNeil/Lehrer News Hour, attended Victoria College in Victoria, Texas for two years before he got big in broadcasting. Finally, Gaddi Vasquez, director of the Peace Corps, attended Santa Ana College, in Santa Ana, California, before achieving his title. These people have made significant impacts on our society today, and followed through with their goals without going into financial debt.

A lot of colleges’ academic environment doesn’t match the physical appearance. What looks great on the outside–beautifully cut green grass, newly paved sidewalks, and big buildings –doesn’t match up to the small percentage of people leaving these colleges with careers in line. A comparison of the education that professors provide at “high-end” schools such as Seton Hall or Widener University with various community colleges shows the education quality difference doesn’t match up to the financial dissimilarity.

Through the process of choosing a college, I have learned how important it is to look at what colleges really have to offer rather than looking at the general appearance and size of the school. I have also learned to set priorities on which schools I would like to attend with a secure backup plan and to find out the percentage of students who leave the schools with their career of choice and a degree.

By Becca W.
The much-hyped new Tim Janis musical, “Night of the Shepherds,” premiered at The Family School’s Family Day on Saturday, December 10. Mystical, inspiring, yet just entertaining enough to keep the audience engaged, the production was all it was anticipated to be and more.

The play was preceded by a jazz ensemble playing “Christmastime Is Here” and three dance numbers. Two of the dances were classically Christmas-themed (jazz and tap) and one of which was not holiday-themed but, because of its music and costume choice, had an almost Middle Eastern tone (ballet/modern). These set the mood for the main attraction and whetted the audience’s palate for entertainment.

After the dancers and jazz ensemble were finished performing, the real magic began. The curtain opened to a beautifully ethereal desert scene with ambient music piercing the silence, which carried Anna’s delicate, breathy voice hauntingly. The backdrop, a glowing indigo sky over the silhouette of an Arabian city, contrasted with the set, which was minimalistic (little more than a few rocks) and allowed for much interpretation. This juxtaposition, along with the richly-hued Arabian-style costumes, made the dazzling projection all the more aesthetically enchanting.

The plot, accessing a wide range of emotions with dexterity and élan, managed to be both comical and heartrending while still maintaining a vividly optimistic thread of hope and spirituality throughout. The audience went wild watching the nefarious gypsy Abdul (Lars) in his devious get-rich-quick scheme. They giggled at his giddy, subservient sidekick (Brian), and roared with applause and laughter as Ray Vincent stole the show singing in a hilarious, stylized falsetto.

However, the show switched emotional gears swiftly and successfully: as quickly as one polarized sentiment was achieved, it went the complete other direction and nearly induced tears! Audience members gasped with horror when Abdul sold the camel (George “Holt”) to the three wise kings and embezzled the profits for himself; they wrung their hands when Baba, the lamb (Zoe), was (almost) fatally injured; there were even some tears when Anna was forced to sing against her will for Cæsar’s men and a band of Romans. Another difficult achievement Janis managed was to induce acute and diverse feelings in the audience without sullying them with leftover poignancy or humor. Mood shifts occurred cleanly and smoothly.

Lars, the outsourced professional talent, gave an incredible performance and was a huge asset to the show. With an electric stage presence, intricate hand movements, precision and clarity of speech, a powerful stride, and impossibly detailed facial expressions, he delivered all and more of what would be expected of a professional and more.

Though it culminated and concluded with the birth of Christ, Night of the Shepherds delved into more universal issues: for instance, the value of friendship and faith, and how hatred—even justified hatred—corrodes the heart of anyone who harbors it. Janis’ decision to transfer the focus from the messenger (Jesus) to his true message (peace, love, and kindness), was both tasteful and ingenious, spreading the spirit of Christmas. By expanding the play’s underlying meaning to a universal idea, Janis was able to effectively communicate the crux of Jesus’ teachings without bringing the controversy of religion into the equation.

“I am so blessed by [the students’] skill and talent. I am honored to have this musical presented for the first time here,” Janis said. The feeling is mutual: FFS feels blessed to have been in the presence of such talent as well and was glad to share the afternoon watching such a special performance.

By Jerzey J.

Leading lines, framing, depth, and exposure-aperture… These are some of the things that 23 Boy Scouts from Troops 74 and 174 learned about when they traveled to Kopernik Observatory in Vestal, N.Y. Kopernik Observatory is a science center which opened in 1974 and provides scouts an opportunity to work on various merit badges. On November 4 seven scouts from Hancock Troop 74 and 16 scouts from FFS Troop 174 joined forces to earn their photography merit badge.

Dr. Nicholas enthusiastically explained the various functions of a camera. Scouts were then given a camera of their own which they used to create a story using the “photojournalistic technique” to document the event.

The photos were compiled using PowerPoint and were presented at the following scout meeting.

Although earning the badge was fun – perhaps the highlight of the trip for these teenagers was a late-night stop at McDonalds. Interestingly, the manager of the McDonalds they stopped at was a former Boy Scout himself and is currently a scout leader. He quizzed them on Boy Scout trivia and rewarded correct answers with a McFlurry.

The room filled with laughter as scouts presented their comically amusing PowerPoints. “Trips like this have helped the other scouts gain enthusiasm to attain more merit badges. I’m pleased with the overall turnout of this trip and I look forward to spending more time with my brothers,” said Troop 174 member, Holt.