from USScout.org:
Pick A Subject. Talk to your Scoutmaster 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 from your Scoutmaster. Get in touch with the merit badge counselor 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. (See the list of current merit badge pamphlets.) 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.
Blue Card TIPs for scouts:
For more info, please read the full article "Introduction to Merit Badges" at USScout.org. | For the ParentsThe troop needs merit badge counselors, especially for the Eagle required badges.
Some of you may be interested in becoming merit badge counselors but have questions about how. If you have a particular interest or skill in virtually anything, BSA probably has a merit badge for it. Please share your experience and passion with our scouts.
First,
check the list of merit badges here. Then, o
nce you find what you are interested in, please complete a merit badge counselor application form and provide it to the Scoutmaster. Once your offer is accepted, please provide your contact info for how you want the scouts to reach you; ideally both an email address and a phone number, but either one is acceptable. We'll then update the web page below, and announce to the scouts that you are available to offer this badge. NOTE that YOU still set the schedule of when you hold meetings. And you should have two or more scouts enrolled before you start a class. For more details, ask the Scoutmaster to introduce you to a parent who has experience in being a merit badge counselor. from USScout.org:
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.
Please read the article "A Guide for Merit Badge Counseling" at USScout.org.
More Resources for Scouts and CounselorsCheck out these great links and resources about Merit Badges:
|