Boy Scout Troop 100 - Merit Badges

Merit Badges

There are more than 100 different Merit Badges! Some of these are "eagle required" which means exactly what it sounds like - to achieve the rank of Eagle Scout you must earn 12 "eagle required" merit badges plus nine more elective merit badges. Actually, "eagle required" and elective merit badges are needed to earn all of the upper ranks: Star, Life and Eagle.

New Scouts and their families often have questions about how to begin working on merit badges. Merit badges are earned by completing requirements listed in a merit badge pamphlet under the guidance of a merit badge counselor. Merit badges may also be earned at Summer Camp, or at other special Scout functions, such as "Merit Badge University." This page explains how to get started working on merit badges.

Ask Your Scoutmaster

The first step in working on a merit badge is to get approval from your Scoutmaster. Just tell your Scoutmaster what merit badge you want to work on and why. Some merit badges have an age requirement or may not be easy for young scouts - your Scoutmaster will offer you good advice. Your Scoutmaster will sign and give you a "blue card" to keep track of your merit badge work.

Find a Counselor

Once your Scoutmaster has approved you to work on a merit badge, the next step is to find a Counselor. We are fortunate in Troop 100 to have many Counselors available. Within the Troop, we have Counselors for ALL the "eagle required" badges as well as many others. Your Scoutmaster will either give you the name of a counselor (if we have one in the Troop); or direct you to the Scout Office to find one (if we don't have one in the Troop.)

If we do not have a Counselor in the Troop for the merit badge that intrests you, you must go to the Scout Office on Betsy Drive. They have a book that has Counselors for virtually every merit badge. Try to find one in your area, because you will have to meet with the counselor (at least) several times. Copy down contact information for several counselors in your area. Give the Counselor a call and see if they are available to work with you. You may have to call several Counselors before you find one who has time to work with you.

Either way, it is always nice to invite other scouts from your Troop to work on the merit badge, too. Most counselors do not mind working with several scouts at the same time. This can even make things easier in terms of getting rides and completing requirements. It is always more fun to work with a buddy or two!

Get the Pamphlet and Get Started

After you have found a Counselor, s/he will set up a meeting. This may before or after the Troop Meeting or on another date. Before your first meeting, it is a good idea to get the pamphlet or to at least get the requirements off the internet (ask your parents first!) Troop 100 has a library with all the merit badge pamphlets so just ask the Troop Librarian if you want to "check out" a pamphlet.

Each counselor and each merit badge are unique. You may be taught some requirements or you may be told to find out things on your own. Some requirements require discussion, some doing or making things, some require writing. Your Counselor will guide you. As you complete requirements. your Counselor will "sign off" on them on your blue card. When all requirements are signed off, you turn in the blue card to your Scoutmaster and Congratulations! You have eared a merit badge. The merit badge will be presented to you at the next Court of Honor!

DOs and Don'ts!

The biggest mistake a Scout can make when working on merit badges is not following directions. If you don't follow the directions, you might do the requirement wrong and have to do them all over again! Some merit badges take a long time to earn, so it is very important to do things right the first time. Here is a list to help you get the most from merit badges:

DO ask your Scoutmaster for approval before starting any merit badge.
Don't start on any merit badge until your Scoutmaster has approved it and signed your blue card.

DO find a Counselor and work under his/her guidance.
Don't try to do requirements without first discussing with your Counselor - you may end up having to redo them!
DO make appointments to meet with your Counselor.
Don't be late and don't forget your appointment.

DO invite other scouts to work on the merit badge at the same time (if the Counselor is willing.)
DO follow the directions and do what the requirements say.
DO have fun and learn, and ...

DO YOUR BEST !!

A word about partial merit badges.

Oftentimes at Summer Camp, a scout may get a "partial" in a merit badge. This means that the scout did not complete the requirements and has not (yet) earned the merit badge. There could be many reasons for this - some requirements can't be done at camp; weather or lack of equipment might not have allowed you to complete some requirements; you may have run out of time, or missed a class; etc. When this happens, the Camp Staff will send a report to your Leaders with a list of the requirements you need to complete. The process of completing these is the same as for starting on a new badge, except, you don't need approval - you have already begun it at camp. Your Scoutmaster will still tell you who you must work with to complete the requirements. It may be a counselor for that badge or it may be another leader. Either way, make sure you work closely with the Counselor so that you understand the requirements and do them right the first time!