YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Richard Pirko was eight years old when he joined the local pack of the Cub Scouts in Niles. "Everything about it was of interest to me," says Pirko, a technician in the Ward Beecher Planetarium at Youngstown State University. "They were doing all of the things I liked camping, travel, boating. I loved it."And he still does.This spring, Pirko will share his love of scouting with other youths in a first-ever program at the YSU planetarium. Scouts from throughout the region will be able to earn merit badges in astronomy and aviation during a series of classes between April 16 and May 22. Each class will consist of three sessions at the planetarium and one field trip.To earn the astronomy badge, scouts will attend classes at the planetarium on April 23, May 7 and May 21. The classes will cover topics such as constellations, star maps, star classifications and telescopes. The program also calls for Astronomy Day activities at YSU on April 24, an observing session at Scenic Vista Park in Lisbon on the evening of May 22 or an observing session with the Mahoning Valley Astronomical Society in Braceville Township on a night to be announced.The aviation classes will be in the planetarium April 16 and 30 and May 14 and will cover topics focusing on the history of flight, aviation basics like identifying the parts of an aircraft and aerodynamics. Field trip opportunities include a visit to the Youngstown-Warren Regional Airport or the Warren Skeets Airport, a small community airport in Southington. All participants in the aviation class will get the opportunity to fly in an aircraft.Class size is limited to 25 scouts, Pirko says.Registration for the class is free. For information, call Pirko at (330) 941-7278 or contact him by e-mail ([email protected])."