As the 2011-12 school year kicks off, so does the scouting year. In scouting, generally, Cub Scouts don’t start meeting until the first week of September, but New Tampa Cub Scout Pack 142 got an early start this year and stopped by the New Tampa Neighborhood News office to earn beads toward a Tiger Cub Badge. After completing 15 Achievements, earning one bead for each Achievement, the Tiger Cubs each a be awarded the Tiger Cub Badge, their final patch before becoming Wolf Cubs.

Pack 142, a group of mostly 7-year-olds who attend Harold H. Clark Elementary in West Meadows, were led on a tour through the Neighborhood News office by publisher and editor, Gary Nager, who showed the troop the ins-and-outs of our 18-year-old community news magazine. Nager explained the tasks involved with the reporting, editing and art processes, as well as how the the advertisements that go into each issue of the paper are made. Art director Tony Sica also showed the scouts the functions of our website, NTNeighborhoodNews.com.

According to Pack 142’s den leader, Tom Miller, the group of 2^nd graders earned a black bead (for a “go see it” activity) from the tour, which would bring them one step closer to the 15 beads needed for the Tiger Badge.