What Is a Merit Badge?
A merit badge is an award that is presented to a Scout when he completes the requirements for one of the merit badge subjects. The badge is only a small piece of khaki cloth with a design embroidered in color, but its significance is as large as the interest of the merit badge counselor who helps a Scout earn it.
Millions of Scouts "browse" among the more than 100 subjects, choosing those that seem most interesting to them. Some subjects are in craftwork, some in vocational fields, some in service to others, and many in cultural or self-improvement areas. In addition, certain merit badges are required for the Eagle Scout rank.
It is in the career fields that adults can make a vital impact on the life of a Scout by helping him with merit badges. Badges such as Entrepreneurship, Graphic Arts, Engineering, Chemistry, and many others provide the finest kind of orientation toward a possible career for the Scout.
Service clubs, unions, and professional societies often support the merit badge program through their vocational guidance committees. Members offer their services as counselors, and the group as a whole may help recruit and train counselors for districts or councils.
Merit badge counselors provide the means for Scouts to explore many subjects that may not be available to them otherwise. The Scout who has earned a number of merit badges gains confidence, finds greater purpose in life, and becomes a better person from his experience. This cannot happen without the service of thousands of merit badge counselors expert in particular subjects and interested in helping Scouts grow into men of character who are ready to take their place in the world of work as participating citizens. You're probably saying, "That's all great, but what do I do, and how do I do it?"
A part of the advancement program of the Boy Scouts of America, the merit badge plan is one of the most unique educational tools ever devised.
Merit badge counselors are the key to success in the merit badge plan. They offer their time, experience, and knowledge to help guide Scouts in one or more of the merit badge subjects.
The counselor's responsibility is to
The Patuxent District lists merit badge district counselors so that Scouts may call for appointments. "Troop Only" counselors are known only by the Troop with which they are affiliated. A couselor may revise his affiliation or change from "Troop Only" to District merely by calling the Merit Badge Dean.
The number of Scouts requesting help is usually no burden to the counselor, since the number of counselors is normally determined by the popularity of the badge. Counselors schedule appointments at their convenience.
Your job is to satisfy yourself that each Scout who comes to you meets all the requirements for the merit badge. In this sense you are an examiner. But, your larger opportunity ties in coaching -- helping the Scout over the different hurdles of the requirements and making him aware of the deeper aspects of the subject from your knowledge and experience.
As a merit badge counselor, I agree to:
These are the steps that a Scout takes to earn a merit badge, as outlined in the Boy Scout Handbook. The Scout --
Throughout your association with the Scout, keep in mind that you are in reality assisting the Scoutmaster, the Varsity Scout Coach, and other troop and team leaders in the program of advancement which the Scoutmaster or Varsity Scout Coach helps each of his Scouts plan. Often, the Scoutmaster or Varsity Scout Coach will help the Scout select the merit badges he will earn for a particular award. Whether he does or not, he is always interested in the Scout's progress. You should feel free to discuss his work with the Sooutmaster or Varsity Scout Coach at any time.
The Scout is expected to meet the requirements as stated -- no more and no less. Furthermore, he is to do exactly what is stated. If it says "show or demonstrate," that is what he 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." On the other hand, you cannot require more of a Scout than stated. You must not, for example, say, "I want to be sure you really know your stuff, so instead of the 20 items in your collection, you must have 50 to get my signature." You can suggest, encourage, and help the Scout to get 50 things, but you must not require it.
You might wonder, then, if the requirements as stated are the limits, what there is for you to do other than help the Scout with the specifies of these requirements. Actually, you can go far beyond them in your discussions with the Scout. He probably will welcome your willingness to share with him your knowledge well beyond the requirements, and you will be making a real contribution to him by doing so. But it isn't required. That's the key. The Scout does not have to show his knowledge of those things beyond the requirements. You might stress the fact that while knowledge is necessary, whether he can put his knowledge to work is the important thing in life.
As you work with the Scout you can give him indirect career guidance. Many merit badge subjects can acquaint a Scout with the job opportunities in various fields, In these cases the merit badge work is a real exploration in an adult work experience, showing him whether or not he has the interest or ability along such lines. His activity also can show him what educational requirements a subject area has. You can provide the Scout with valuable information on job possibilities, show him what is most interesting to you and what is difficult. The final choice -- the selection of what he is going to do with himself in life -- is up to one person. That person is the Scout himself. However, he will appreciate your help in showing him the relationship of his merit badge work to his life as he goes to school, into business or a trade, and on into adult life.
If the merit badge subject relates to your job or profession, then your place of work is probably the place to meet with Scouts. Subjects that are related to your hobbies usually will be handled in your home. Here you will have hobby-related materials to use in your coaching of Scouts. For a few subjects, mwhmg will happen in the field or where special equipment is at hand. Rowing, Rifle Shooting, Swimming, and Astronomy are good examples.
Frequently the skills of a subject can he taught to several Scouts at one time. This has a time advantage for you. However, the completing of the requirements always must be done on an individual basis. Scouts may not qualify for merit badges by just being members of a group that is instructed in skills. They must qualify by personally satisfying you that they can meet all the requirements. It's pretty hard to do this in a group. When one Scout in a group answers a question it can't possibly prove that all the others in the group also know the answer. Then, too, each Scout learns at his own pace. He should not be held back or pushed ahead by his association with a group. So remember -- you can coach more than one at a time, but only one Scout at a time can satisfy you that he can meet the requirements.
Scout troops and Varsity Scout teams are constantly seeking program material for meetings. If you would like to expand interest in your subject and to attract more Scouts to earn the merit badge, contact Scoutmasters and Varsity Scout Coaches in your area and offer to come to a troop or team meeting to "sell your subject." All Scouts won't be interested in the subject, so plan an exciting 10- or 15-minute presentation designed to tickle the fancy of your audience. Then, offer to meet with those who are really interested after the meeting to plan for your next get-together.
The information in the pamphlet is probably familiar to you, but it will help you to know what the Scout is told. They are written for Scout-age boys. They also contain suggestions for projects that might give you ideas for being helpful.
It's a good idea to obtain the latest printing of the pamphlet on your subject. It will contain the latest requirements and information on meeting them. The printing date is in each pamphlet.
A complete list of merit badge pamphlets is printed on the inside back cover of all pamphlets with the latest revision date of each. By checking this list in any current year's pamphlet, you can find out whether your pamphlet is updated. Most pamphlets are reprinted each year, and the contents are updated periodically.
If you have suggestions for improvements in the requirements or pamphlet, please send your comments to: Boy Scout Division, Boy Scouts of America, 1325 West Walnut Hill Lane, P.O. Box 152079, Irving, TX 75015-2079.
Please take note of the following information:
The requirements in the merit badge pamphlet may NOT be the current ones, even if the pamphlet is current. Please check the requirements listed in the current Boy Scout Requirements Book (No. 33215D), which is issued annually, to verify that you are using the current requirements, Unless a new pamphlet is issued AFTER the Requirements Book, the requirements listed in the Requirements Book are the controlling requirements.
Once you start working with a Scout, if the requirements change, you should continue to use the requirements in effect when the Scout began, unless the SCOUT desires to use the new requirements. However, if he wishes to use the new requirements, he must use ALL of the new requirements. He may not pick and choose a selection from the old and new requirements.
NOTE: Although the information above refers only to Boy Scouts and Varsity Scouts, male members of BSA's Venturing Division, called Venturers, who have achieved the rank of First Class Scout in a Boy Scout Troop or Varsity Scout Team may continue to advance toward the ranks of Star, Life, and Eagle Scout, and earn Eagle Palms, by earning Merit Badges within their Venturing Crews until their 18th birthday.
In addition, ALL members (including female members) of Sea Scouting Ships, which are actually specialized Venturing Crews, may advance toward the Sea Scout ranks of Apprentice, Ordinary, Able, and Quartermaster until their 21st birthday. The requirements for those ranks include meeting the requirements for certain Merit Badges including First Aid, Swimming, and Lifesaving, or demonstrating some of the requirements from a number of others. Note that they use the same requirements and process, but, except as noted in the preceding paragraph, do not actually "earn" the merit badges. Merit badges are not worn on Sea Scout uniforms.
<Back to the Patuxent Merit Badge Page>
