National Historic Landmark Hosts Boy Scout Merit Badge Workshop

For the third time since 2010, staff and volunteers hosted a one-day Nuclear Science merit badge workshop for area Boy Scouts onboard the historic Nuclear Ship Savannah. The Savannah, which last operated in 1970, is berthed in Baltimore and maintained in protective storage by its owner; the Maritime Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Nearly 100 Scouts from three states have earned the badge since the annual Nuclear Science Week workshop began.

Savannah was constructed in the late 1950s as part of President Eisenhower's Atoms for Peace program, and opening the ship to Boy Scouts (and other members of the public) continues to promote Ike's vision and the AFP themes that resonate to the present day. As an added bonus, the Scouts can take credit for other merit badges when visiting the Savannah, in particularly Citizenship in the Nation, which requires Scouts to visit a National Historic Landmark and a federal facility, among other things.

The workshop is a full-day affair, with pre-requisites completed before the visit. Scouts are able to tour the ship including the Control Room and Engine Room; receive a narrated virtual tour of the Reactor Compartment; and enjoy lunch in the Veranda with its sweeping views of the outer harbor. The next workshop is planned for October 25, 2014. There is a limit of 50 Scouts. Information can be obtained by email at savannah@dot.go.

The Savannah will be open to the public on Sunday, May 18, 2014 for National Maritime Day. For more information about the ship, please visit the N/S SAVANNAH Association website at www.ns-savannah.org. The Maritime Administration website is www.marad.dot.gov; information about the Savannah can be found under the Ships and Shipping tab.