Discus Awards

I want to introduce you to a new award for video game players created by Boy Scouts of America. Scouts can now be awarded a belt loop and academics pin for playing video games. This brings a whole new point to the popular argument that video games can be educational, it also means that video games are becoming more mainstream.

Available to the Tiger Clubs, Cub Scouts, and Webelos Scouts, each scout must meet specific requirements to earn the award. To win the belt loop, there are three requirements that must be met. One of the requirements is that the scout has to learn how to play a new video game. Imagine not having to do chores because your parents knew you had to play video games all day for an award.

To earn the academics pin, they must have obtained the belt loop and meet five of nine additional requirements. Some of these requirements are quite fun. For example, in one requirement they have to teach an adult or friend how to play a video game. You can tell your grandparents to set aside their backgammon board game because it is time for a lesson in video games!

For more details of the requirements go to their video games award page. It is always exciting to see awards that recognize students for skills beyond good grades and test scores similar to the Discus Awards.

Filed under: Johnny 5 • College Prep • Outside the Classroom • The Extracurricular Experience