Merit Badges. |
Merit Badges-You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 135 merit badges, and any Boy Scout or Varsity Scout, or any qualified Venturer or Sea Scout may earn any of these at any time.
Pick a Subject. Talk to your unit leader about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you, and pick one to earn. Your leader will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors. These individuals have special knowledge in their merit badge subjects and are interested in helping you. Scout Buddy System. You must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. This person can be your parent or legal guardian, or another registered adult. Call the Merit Badge Counselor. Get a signed Application for Merit Badge, No. 34124 or No. 34130, from your unit leader. Get in touch with the merit badge counselor and explain that you want to earn the badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected and to start helping you meet the requirements. You should also discuss work you have already started or possibly completed. At the first meeting, you and your merit badge counselor will review and may start working on the requirements. In some cases, you may share the work you have already started or completed. Unless otherwise specified, work on a requirement can be started at any time. Ask your counselor to help you learn the things you need to know or do. You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. Many troops, schools, and public libraries have them. Show Your Stuff. When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment. When you go, take along the things you have made to meet the requirements. If they are too big to move, take pictures or have an adult tell in writing what you have done. The counselor will test you on each requirement to make sure you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required. Get the Badge. When the counselor is satisfied you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application. Give the signed application to your unit leader so your merit badge emblem can be secured for you. Merit badge requirements are revised as needed to reflect updated information and technology. Refer to the latest Boy Scout Requirements book for merit badge requirement updates. The current Boy Scout Requirements book is available from your local Scouting merchandise distributor. It may also be ordered online at ScoutStuff.org. Requirements. You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You must do exactly what is stated in the requirements. If it says “show or demonstrate,” that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn’t enough. The same thing holds true for such words as “make,” “list,” “in the field,” and “collect,” “identify,” and “label.” Updated Requirements. Every year BSA updates a number of merit badge requirements. Once published, they become the current and official requirements of the Boy Scouts of America. Occasionally, the requirements will not match those in the printed Boy Scout Handbook, the annual Boy Scout Requirements book, or some merit badge pamphlets because of the timing of their printing schedules. If a new edition of a merit badge pamphlet is introduced with updated requirements after the Boy Scout Requirements book has been released, a Scout who is starting the badge may choose to follow either set of requirements until the end of the year. At the start of the new year, Scouts who are beginning must use only the new requirements. If a Scout has already started working on a merit badge when a new edition of the pamphlet is introduced, he may continue to use the same pamphlet and fulfill the requirements therein to earn the badge. He need not start over again with the new pamphlet and revised requirements. There is no time limit for starting and completing a merit badge, but all work must be completed by the time a Scout turns 18. Be sure you are working with an OFFICIAL MERIT BADGE COUNSELOR.
Click here for the 2018 Updated Requirements list. |
Merit Badge Requirements-
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Blue Cards-Ask Scoutmaster Neimon to sign your Blue Card prior to starting your Merit Badge work. He will explain the next steps, including finding a list of Merit Badge Counselors from which to choose. You can also ask other adult leaders or scouts for suggested Merit Badge Counselors.
REMEMBER-
Scouts need a buddy to visit with a Merit Badge Counselor. Check that your Counselor has current YPT. Click here for a list of MBC associated with Troop 49
Worksheets-Worksheets are not required but can be found on www.meritbadges.org
Eagle Required Merit Badges-Earn a total of 21 merit badges; including 13 Eagle Required merit badges from the following:
First Aid Citizenship in the Community Citizenship in the Nation Citizenship in the World Communication Cooking Personal Fitness Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving Environmental Science OR Sustainability Personal Management Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling Camping Family Life Troop Library-The Mobile Troop Library in the Black Box is at each Troop meeting.
Sign out a book by writing your name and the date on the book's Red Card and put the card on the clipboard. When you return a book, date the Red Card and return it and the book to the Library. Please DONATE your used Merit Badge Books to the Troop Library- give them to the Troop Librarian to add to the Inventory list. Please look around your house for Troop's Merit Badge books and return them. Merit Badge Booklet Inventory-Merit Badge Clinics-MB Clinics are generally not Troop events. Scouts register individually and may get together with other scouts and attend together. Remember to bring a completed Blue Card and complete any pre-requisites prior to the MB Clinic
Where to find MB Clinics?
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Eagle Required Merit Badges
Working with Approved Merit Badge Counselors-From time to time merit badge clinics and summer camps have individuals helping either teaching skills or testing the scouts for merit badges. This is allowed under BSA National guidelines, but they are not allowed to sign off as approved on the blue card. This part can only be done by a trained and approved merit badge counselor. It is up to the attendees to ensure proper practices are being followed.
Here is an example: Scout attends a merit badge clinic and the merit badge counselor has some of his friends help with the requirements but they are not trained or approved to be counselors, this is allowed. The helpers are now signing off that the individual requirements are being completed, this is not allowed, helpers are to let approved counselors know the requirement has been fulfilled and that person signs as approved. The individual who is the actual counselor signs off as merit badge completed, keeps his copy and returns the remaining 2 blue card portions to the scout, this part is correct. Merit badge clinics in our Council, Potawatomi Area Council, need approval through the Council office and the Council Advancement committee. Also if poor practices are being displayed during the merit badge clinic there is a form that can be filled out and submitted to our Council office to help this from not happening again. The form is found below. Proper practices are taught during the training of merit badge counselors. If you would like to be trained as a merit badge counselor contact Ed Marek: ph:(262) 327-2776 or epmarek@wi.rr.com Merit Badge Counseling Concern Form:
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As a merit badge counselor, you have the opportunity to teach skills and introduce concepts that may change the course of a Scout’s life. Many Scouts have been guided to their chosen careers or discovered lifelong hobbies through the Scouts BSA merit badge program. This opportunity would not exist without adult volunteers giving of their knowledge and time selflessly to help shape the leaders of tomorrow.
There are five basic steps required to be a merit badge counselor:
• Fill out a Boy Scouts of America Adult Application
• Take Youth Protection Training or be current within two years
• Fill out a Merit Badge Counselor Information form
• Complete on-line merit badge counselor training
• Submit applications to the council service center for approval by the Council Advancement Committee
There are five basic steps required to be a merit badge counselor:
• Fill out a Boy Scouts of America Adult Application
• Take Youth Protection Training or be current within two years
• Fill out a Merit Badge Counselor Information form
• Complete on-line merit badge counselor training
• Submit applications to the council service center for approval by the Council Advancement Committee
Special Qualifications for some MB Counselors-
Follow the link below to find out which merit badges require that Counselors have special qualifications or certifications in order to be an approved Counselor: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/guidetoadvancement/themeritbadgeprogram.aspx