Are you are new to Boy Scouts or are you unfamiliar with what you have to do, as a scout, to start earning Merit Badges? This introduction will give you the steps you need to do it!

Merit Badges are the second main area of the Boy Scout advancement program. Unlike ranks, there is a degree of choice in the merit badge program. A subgroup of merit badges are known as Eagle required merit badges. To earn Eagle Scout, most of these badges must be earned although some are either/or badges. The remainder of the badges help with earning ranks as well as Eagle Palms after the Eagle Scout award has been earned.

Boy Scouts may work on merit badges from the time they join a Scout troop until they turn 18 years old. There is no time limit for completion of merit badges other than age 18.
You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 120 merit badges. Any Boy Scout may earn any merit badge at any time. You don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible.

On the following web site are the current requirements for all of the current merit badge subjects. In addition, there are worksheets, which you can download and print, to facilitate working on each merit badge. With an adults permission check out: http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Merit_Badges.

Also, any scout shop has the Merit Badge books for every Merit Badge around! They can also be ordered on-line at (go to Literature and then Merit Badge Pamphlets): http://scoutstuff.org.

Pick A Subject - Talk to your Scoutmaster or Assistant Scout Master(s) about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you. Pick one to earn. Your Scoutmaster will give you the name of a person from a list of counselors. These counselors 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 another Scout, your parents or guardian, a brother or sister or other relative, or a friend.

Call The Counselor - Get a signed merit badge application (Blue Card) from your Scoutmaster. Get in touch with the merit badge counselor*(see below) and tell him or her that you want to earn the merit badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected of you and to start helping you meet the requirements. You should also discuss work that you have already started or possibly completed.

Unless otherwise specified, work for 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 and school or public libraries have them. (Be sure to see the list of current merit badge pamphlets posted on the website as requirements change.)

Show Your Stuff - When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment to meet the requirements. 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 ask you to do each requirement to make sure that you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required.

Get The Badge - When the counselor is satisfied that you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application. Give the signed application to your Scoutmaster so that your merit badge emblem can be secured for you.

Requirements - You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated — no more and no less. You are expected to 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."

Some tips:

Completing the requirements for a merit badge is totally up to you--your available time, drive, and interests will help determine how long it takes to complete a merit badge. Some merit badges require a great deal of work, trips, tours, interviews, or other activities. You may want to work with your merit badge counselor on setting up a time frame for doing these things.

For merit badges, only the merit badge blue cards and advancement award cards serve as the official record. When applying for Eagle, the records that are accepted are the handbook and cards. Please take care of the book and cards! (Tip: Get a three-ring binder with baseball card pocket inserts. The card inserts make excellent holders for blue cards and advancement cards.)

Different merit badge counselors handle their merit badges differently. They should not vary from the requirements but they will definitely be different in how they counsel you on the subject. Merit badge counselors are people who have a sincere interest in the subject, work with the subject, or have had some special training. They want to pass on their love of their work, hobby, or interest to others.

It’s that simple! And the cool thing is there are so many merit badges available to you! You can learn more about something you are interested in. Or you might find something new that really surprises you that becomes a life-long hobby or even a career field you end up working in.

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* Scoutmasters, Assistant Scoutmasters and Committee Chairpersons - an updated Merit Badge Counselor listing is available to any registered Chesapeake District Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, or Committee Chairperson by submitting a request to meritbadgelist@chesapeakedistrict.com.

 

Interested in becoming a Merit Badge Counselor?  Click here to learn how!