Merit badge

Merit badges
Fish and Wildlife Management merit badge
Owner	Boy Scouts of America
Created	1972
Scouting portal

For history regarding merit badge types, see History of merit badges (Boy Scouts of America).

Merit badges are awards earned by youth members of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), based on activities within an area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements. The purpose of the merit badge program is to allow Scouts to examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or avocation. Originally, the program also introduced Scouts to the life skills of contacting an adult they hadn't met before, arranging a meeting and then demonstrating their skills, similar to a job or college interview. Increasingly, though, merit badges are earned in a class setting at troop meetings and summer camps.

Each merit badge has a pamphlet published by the Boy Scouts of America associated with it; the pamphlet contains information on completing the requirements for the badge. There are designated merit badge counselors for each badge, and a Scout would meet with a counselor to demonstrate that he's completed the requirements. The counselor would then 'sign off' on each one.

All Merit Badge pamphlets (books) were reprinted in August of 2008 in full color through-out. Glossy paper is also used through-out making the books more resistant to wear and water.

The award of a merit badge is represented by circular patch with an image representing the badge's topic. The patches for the Eagle-required merit badges are distinguishable by the silver ring on the outside edge. Merit badges are displayed on a sash which can be worn with the Boy Scout uniform on formal occasions.

Every year the National Council reviews and updates a certain number of merit badges. The newest is Scuba Diving merit badge in December 2009, with GPS, Robotics and Scouting Heritage scheduled to be release in early 2010.

Aside from the BSA, Scouting organizations in the following countries issue or have issued merit badges: Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Austria has a program similar to merit badges for certain age groups.

A sample merit badge sash: From left to right, starting at top; 1 Swimming, Mammal Study, Environmental Science; 2 Basketry, Wood Carving, Dog Care; 3 Wilderness Survival, Emergency Preparedness, Bird Study; 4 Public Speaking, Scholarship, Law; 5 Rifle Shooting, Archery, Metalwork; 6 Fish and Wildlife Management, Citizenship in the Nation, Orienteering; 7 Citizenship in the Community, Communications, Personal Management; 8 Soil and Water Conservation, Reptile Study, Lifesaving; 9 Forestry, Citizenship in the World, Safety

Eagle Scout requirements

The current requirements for Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouting, includes earning 21 merit badges, including twelve from a required list:

• Camping
• Cycling or Hiking or Swimming
• Citizenship in the Community
• Citizenship in the Nation
• Citizenship in the World
• Communications
• Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving
• Environmental Science
• Family Life
• First Aid
• Personal Fitness
• Personal Management

List of current merit badges

The last revision date indicates the date of the latest requirement changes; the copyright or printing dates of merit badge pamphlets may have a different date.^[1]

Merit badge colleges

Merit badge colleges (or merit badge universities), which are also called merit badge weekends or merit badge midways when held at a camporee or jamboree, are events held where several troops or merit badge counselors come together and focus on teaching merit badges. There is some controversy whether Eagle-required merit badges should be available. Some believe that Scouts wishing to earn the prestigious rank of Eagle Scout should be able to seek out counselors for those badges themselves and do the requirements solo. Others believe all merit badges should be available to all Scouts.

Merit badge workbooks

Into the 1990's, a number of merit badge counselors developed worksheets as a way for Scouts to document their work. Counselors could teach to a group but still verify each Scout's progress. Today, worksheets have given way to workbooks with added graph paper, blank maps and diagrams, logs, charts, checklists, links, and other resources as needed. Merit badge workbooks are used by counselors, summer camps, and merit badge colleges. Workbooks have also been developed for ranks, Cub Scout belt loops, and Webelos activity pins.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)

• Discontinued merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)
• Eagle Scout rank
• History of merit badges (Boy Scouts of America)
• Scout merit badge (Ireland)

Footnotes

1. ^  "Requirements for new Composite Materials merit badge". US Scouts.org. http://www.usscouts.org/advance/boyscout/advchanges06.html#Composite. Retrieved 2006-01-18. 
2. ^  "Merit Badge Requirements". US Scouts.org Advancement section. http://www.usscouts.org/advancementTOC.asp#merit. Retrieved 2006-02-09. 

References

• "Merit Badge Library". Boy Scout Requirements. Boy Scouts of America. June 2007. http://www.scouting.org/boyscouts/resources/32215/mb/library.html. Retrieved 2007-06-06. 
• "Current Merit Badge Pamphlet and Merit Badge Requirement Revision Dates". U.S. Scouting Service Project. June 5, 2007. http://www.usscouts.org/mb/mbbooks.html. Retrieved 2007-06-06. 
• Steve Henning (July 20, 1999). "Merit Badges, Past and Present". Henning's Scouters' Pages. http://home.earthlink.net/~scouters/mb.html. Retrieved 2007-06-06. 

External links

• "Introduction to Merit Badges". Boy Scouts of America. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx. 

• "MeritBadge.org". http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page. 

• "Merit Badges". U.S. Scouting Service Project. http://www.usscouts.org/. 

• Badge Program: Boy Scouts of America at the Open Directory Project

• Scouting: Collectibles: Virtual Collections: Badges and Patches at the Open Directory Project

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