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Boy Scout Troop 1882
(Haymarket, Virginia)
 
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ADULTS -- We Need Your Help!



Troop 1882 is actively seeking Merit Badge counselors who can assist our scouts.  This is absolutely critical for our Troop to thrive and grow.  Please see the attached Merit Badge Counselor Application and informational forms below and let us know what Merit Badges you would be able to assist with.  This is a minimal time commitment but extremely important for our scouts. A scout can earn a merit badge at any age under 18 and any rank in Scouting. After a scout earns the rank of First Class, Merit Badges become a primary part of his advancement path. The Merit Badge program is an opportunity for our youth to be exposed to new things that he may otherwise not encounter outside of scouting. Merit Badges center around but not limited to hobbies, different types of careers, life skills and citizenship, sports and other topics. Currently there are 130 merit badges for a scout to select from, however we need a counselor to be available for the scout to complete the merit badge. A Merit Badge Counselor is an expert in the topic that the merit badge covers. This gives our youth an opportunity to meet and interact with an expert in an area that the scout want to learn more about through the Merit Badge Program.

You must complete Youth Protection Training, which can be completed online by creating an account on MyScouting.org Website and then go to E_Learning link on the left of the page after you log in.

A complete list of Merit Badges available can be found at http://www.scouting.org/meritbadges.aspx. In addition to that there are links to You-Tube presentations about Merit Badge Counseling at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/GuideforMeritBadgeCounselors/Resources/advancement_presentations.aspx.

Please complete the 34405 form below along with pages 1 & 2 of an Adult application, then submit to these forms with a copy of your Youth Protection to either Assistant Scoutmaster Scott Hoge (scott.hoge@gmail.com) or Committee member James Chaplin (jhchaplin@comcast.net). Due to District policy, you are only allowed to serve as a counselor for up to seven merit badges. Please select what you feel your skill set can help with the most. The position of a merit Badge Counselor is not a troop position, but that of Council, managed by the District.

Thanks in advance for your help and commitment to Scouting!
Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
34405.pdf Fillable Merit Badge Counselor Application (2010)  
Adult_Application.pdf Page Two of a Fillable Adult Application for Merit Badge Couselors  
Adult_Application_pg1.pdf Page One of a Fillable Adult Application for Merit Badge Couselors  
MBC Instructions.pdf Instructions on being a Merit Bage Couselor  
Merit_Badge_Topics.pdf List of Merit badges as of 12/2012  
The_Essentials_Presenters_Notes.pdf Presentor's notes for a Powerpoint Presentation from BSA "The Essentials of Merit Badge Counseling"  

Scouts -- An Introduction to Merit Badges


 

Scouts can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 100 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.

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.

Discuss with your Scoutmaster. The scout must approach the Scoutmaster or his assigned Assistant Scoutmaster to discuss the merit Badge he wishes to complete and receive a recommended Merit Badge Counselor's contact information from the Scoutmaster or his Assistant.

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. Our troop has some books and school or public libraries have them as well.

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.

A list of available Merit Badges, including the requirements to earn each one, can be found at http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx

There is a great YouTube presentation for scouts on the process of completing a merit badge done by a group of scouts. Scouts, please check with your parents first, then view this video with your parent's permission. The video is a little corny with a touch of humor and includes all the important steps a scout must go through to complete a merit badge. The video story is about two scouts that decide that they are bored with video games and they decide to work on "Rat Study Merit Badge", walking the viewer through each step of the merit badge process.

Attachments
Icon File Name Comment  
Merit-Badge-Blue-Card-Infographic.pdf A Blue Card InfoGraphic by Clarke Green of Scoutmastercg.com about the process to completed a Merit Badge Blue Card (not an official BSA source)  

Infographic on how to use a Merit Badge Blue Card



Source: Clarke Green, http://www.scoutmastercg.org