Saturday Feb 23, 2013

Troop 175 Scouts attended a geology merit badge event that was sponsored by the Santa Clara Valley Gem and Mineral Society, which was hosted at the Santa Clara County Fairgrounds. There were 90 boys in attendance from all over the Bay Area in each of the 2 sessions that were run during the day.

The boys were split into small groups and took turns rotating around 9 different areas. They learned about the difference between rocks and minerals and the uses of both. They also learned about asphalt and the different types, the MOHS hardness scale, looked at local geologic maps, and were given an insight into careers in geology. It was a very well run event, put on by people who were enthusiastic to share their passion. At the end of the session, the boys had to pass a test of their skills, and how much they remembered from all the rotations they did. Thank you to Mr. Klinghagen who was the second driver/chaperone for this event. ~ Mrs. Thomas