Troop 51 Merit Badge Briefing

1

• Troop 51 Merit Badge Briefing

2

• Purpose To provide information on earning Merit
  Badges to the Scouts of Troop 51.

3
Important Point

• A Scout does not need ANY Merit Badges in order
  to advance from Basic Scout through First Class
  Scout.
• In other words, focus on rank advancement as a
  New Scout.

4
Ways to earn Merit Badges

• With a Merit Badge Counselor
• Summer Camp
• Merit Badge University

5
With a Merit Badge Counselor

• Determine what Merit Badge(s) you would like to
  earn.
• Identify the Merit Badge Counselor from the Troop
  List (if the Troop does not have a counselor for
  the Merit Badge, we may be able to find one from
  the District list).
• Get a Blue Card. You can get the Blue Card
  from the Blue Box in the Scout Room where the
  Troop Flags are kept. Your Patrol Leader may
  also have some.
• Introduce yourself to the counselor and fill out
  the Blue Card. (See the Blue Card examples on
  slides 8-9) Make sure the Scoutmaster signs the
  card .
• Determine a schedule with the Merit Badge
  Counselor to work on your Merit Badge.

6
With a Merit Badge Counselor (Continued)

• Merit Badge requirements are in the Merit Badge
  Books which are in the Blue Box. You can also
  print out the requirements at the web site
  www.Meritbadge.org . However, almost all the
  answers and how to do the requirements can be
  found in the Merit Badge book. You can also buy
  the Merit Badge book at the Scout Shop.
• Call or e-mail your Merit Badge Counselor when
  you want to go over a Merit Badge task. Do not
  assume that the Counselor will be available
  whenever you want.
• Before or after Troop meetings are good times to
  meet with your counselor. Also, you may meet on
  a different day. You can meet at your house or
  the counselors house. Insure someone is with you
  when you are meeting with the counselor .
• When you complete a task, insure the counselor
  signs off and dates the Blue Card. This is the
  Scouts responsibility.

7
Blue Card Example
8
Blue Card Example
9
Summer Camp

• Summer Camp allows the Scout to earn many
  different types of Merit Badges. Many are
  outdoor specific (Canoeing, Shotgun, Rifle,
  Wilderness Survival etc).
• The Scout picks his MBs from the Summer Camp
  pamphlet.
• Summer Camp is a good opportunity to earn Eagle
  Merit Badges such as Swimming, Lifesaving, First
  Aid, and Environmental Science.

10
Summer Camp (Continued)

• If a Scout does not complete a Merit Badge at
  Summer Camp, he receives a Partial. The Scout
  will then fill out a Blue Card. The tasks that
  were completed are entered in the Blue Card and
  dated. The Scout can then finish the Merit badge
  with a Merit Badge counselor.
• NOTE New Scouts (Scouts who have not been to a
  Summer Camp) will not sign up for Merit Badges at
  Summer Camp. The New Scout will attend the
  Ranger Program which focuses on Scout Rank
  advancement. However, during the Ranger program,
  the New Scout has an opportunity to earn up to 2
  Merit Badges Swimming (done every day during
  Ranger training), and a Craft Merit Badge such
  as Art or Pottery.

11
Merit Badge University (MBU)

• Merit Badge University is held twice a year
  (usually May and November). MBU is a one day
  event that usually starts at 8 AM and ends around
  4 PM
• The Scout signs up online to attend MBU (This is
  a Scout responsibility). Go to http//www.alamoare
  a-boyscouts.org/ for online registration, and
  look under advancement.
• During MBU a Scout can earn 2-3 Merit Badges.
  The MBU day is broken down into Merit Badge Class
  periods from around 1-2 hrs in length.
• New Scouts (Scouts who have not been to a Summer
  Camp) should not go to an MBU. Their focus is on
  Rank Advancement.
• We do not recommend that a Scout take an Eagle MB
  during MBU. The reason why is that it is very
  hard to complete an Eagle MB during the MBU time
  frame due to the more detailed nature of Eagle
  Merit Badge requirements.

12
Merit Badge University (MBU) Continued

• MBU is a great way to earn some fun MBs such as
  Reading, Scholarship, Electronics, Genealogy,
  Crime Prevention, etc.
• The key to earning Merit Badges at MBU is to
  complete the Prerequisites. A prerequisite is
  a task or tasks you must complete prior to the
  MBU.
• When you get your MBU schedule, the prerequisites
  for each Merit Badge (if any) can be seen at
  http//www.alamoarea-boyscouts.org/ . Look under
  Advancement and there will be an MBU
  Prerequisite link. Prerequisites can be reviewed
  by the Troop Advancement Chair (Mr Driscoll), or
  a Merit Badge Counselor familiar with the Merit
  Badge.
• Again, coordinate with the Scout leader to
  schedule a time for him/her to look at your
  prerequisites.
• NO Blue Card is needed for MBU- however if you
  dont complete the MB at MBU, then we fill out a
  Blue Card with the tasks that the Scout
  completed, and finish up the MB with an MB
  Counselor.

13
Conclusion

• Merit Badges are Earned by the Individual Scout,
  parents are encouraged to support the Scout, but
  the Scout does the work.
• If you have any questions, see the Troop
  Advancement Chair (Mr. Driscoll, also known as
  Jacks Dad).