Merit Badge Information
Tips and Procedures for Merit Badges
Helpful (hopefully)
information on merit badges --
Merit badges are a great way to
learn about a new subject, or to delve a little deeper into an area that
interests you. While none is overly difficult, some require more preparation
and time to complete than others. If you need a particular badge for
advancement, make sure you allow enough time to complete it. (If there’s a
requirement to keep a log for 90 days, for example, allow yourself longer than
that to complete the merit badge).
Big Hint!! --
The internet is a fabulous
source for merit badge information. There are checklists, worksheets,
background materials, and outlines available online for almost every merit
badge. As I run across merit badge sites, I put links on the
"links" page on this web site. Check it out . . . it may jump
start your merit badge work.
Procedures for getting a merit
badge are as follows:
1. Pick a merit badge. Sounds easy doesn’t it? It is, but make sure you have access
to the merit badge manual and an approved counselor for that merit badge. Also,
it's very important to make sure that the requirements of the merit badge are
within your capabilities. For example, the Chemistry merit badge is best
obtained after taking high school chemistry. Finally, a word of caution .
. . merit badge requirements change from time to time, so make sure you have
the most current edition of the merit badge book. If you need help finding a
counselor, ask one of the troop’s adult leaders.
2. Get a blue card. Fill in your
name, address, and the name of the merit badge (on all three parts).
3. Get the blue card signed by Brother
Froelich or one of the assistant scoutmasters.
4. Familiarize yourself with the
requirements and contact the merit badge counselor. Ask for guidance on any
areas you don’t understand. Remember, the counselor is there to provide
assistance and to steer you in the right direction, not to serve as a
substitute for studying the book. You and your counselor may decide on a number
of progress checks to sign off on requirements as they’re accomplished
(particularly on some of the more complex or lengthy requirements).
5. IMPORTANT! If you visit a
counselor you MUST always go with a buddy. This can be a friend, parent, or
sibling, but you cannot go alone. A counselor cannot, by Boy Scout regulations,
meet with a Scout (other than his/her own son) without another person present.
When you visit, you’re expected to be prepared, polite, and dressed in a Class
A uniform.
6. What’s expected? You’re
expected to fulfill the requirements of the merit badge -- nothing more,
nothing less. The merit badge book has the background needed to answer
questions relating to the requirements -- use it as your guide. Pay careful
attention to the requirements. If it says, "demonstrate", this means
"demonstrate", not "discuss".
7. After you have completed all
requirements, the merit badge counselor will sign your blue card. He/she keeps
one part, you keep one part, and the third part is turned in to the Advancement
Chair (Brother Harvey). The ultimate responsibility for doing this rests with
YOU! Until a blue card is properly completed and turned in, you have NOT
completed the merit badge. Keep your copy! It’s your record in case something
gets lost (and that has been known to happen).
8. Your merit badge will then be
presented at the next Court of Honor.
From my experience, the most common
mistakes people make are 1) not having the Scoutmaster sign the blue card when
starting to work on a merit badge, 2) not properly filling out the blue card or 3) not
reading the merit badge book -- the book is specific and comprehensive, and
it’s pretty obvious when a Scout hasn’t taken the time to read it.
A few more tips . . .
1) Merit badge workshops are
generally "self-contained" -- that means they teach you what you need
to know, give you materials to complete all projects, and evaluate your work.
The idea is to walk away with a signed blue card. But, sometimes, there are
requirements that must be completed in advance -- unless you do so, you’ll walk
away with a "partial" and could likely find it very difficult to get
back with a counselor to complete the requirements.
2) To maximize the number of
badges you get at summer camp, look carefully at the requirements and complete
as much in advance as possible. At camp you will have access to a wide range of
counselors who are more than happy to sign you off . . . but obviously can’t
sign off that a badge is completed until all requirements have been met. Leaving even one requirement incomplete means finding a counselor
when you get home to sign off that last requirement -- far better to walk away
from camp with a completed blue card.
3) When you complete a merit
badge at camp, give the blue card to your acting scoutmaster. That way all blue
cards get handed in and processed at the same time. Otherwise, they tend to
disappear into corners of backpacks, jean pockets, or other strange places.
Good luck!!
SM Shaun Froelich