Boy Scouts of America
Troop 261, Windsor Locks CT.
Merit Badge Page
Merit Badges can be earned anytime and have no age requirements. Click on one that you are interested in and print out the worksheet. You may start the requirements right away but you must find a counselor for that badge and contact them to set up a time when they can help you with the requirements, and fill out your "bluecard". After you complete the requirements to the satisfaction of the counselor, submit your "bluecard" to the troop's advancement chairman for verification.
You 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 Merit Badge 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, a 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 you to come and see him so he can explain what he expects and start helping you meet the requirements.
When you know what is expected, start to learn and do the things required. 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.
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.
Requirements. You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated -- no more and no less. You are expected to do exactly what is stated in the requirements. If it says "show or demonstrate," that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn't enough. The same thing holds true for such words as "make," "list," "in the field," and "collect," "identify," and "label."
The requirements posted on this system might not match those in your merit badge pamphlet because the pamphlet may not have been recently revised.
American Business (updated )
American Cultures (updated 7/1/2008)
American Heritage (updated )
American Labor (updated )
Animal Science (updated )
Archaeology (updated )
Archery (updated )
Architecture (updated 7/1/2008)
Art (updated 7/1/2008)
Astronomy (updated )
Athletics (updated )
Auto Mechanics (updated )
Aviation (updated )
Backpacking (updated )
Basketry (updated )
Bird Study (updated 7/1/2008)
Bugling (updated )
*Camping (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Canoeing (updated )
Chemistry (updated 7/1/2008)
Cinematography (updated 7/1/2008)
*Citizenship in the Community (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
*Citizenship in the Nation (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
*Citizenship in the World (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Climbing (updated )
Coin Collecting (updated )
Collections (updated )
*Communications (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Composite Materials (updated 7/1/2008)
Computers (updated )
Cooking (updated )
Crime Prevention (updated 7/1/2008)
*Cycling (updated )(Eagle Req'd)
Dentistry (updated 7/1/2008)
Disabilities Awareness (updated )
Dog Care (updated )
Drafting (updated )
Electricity (updated )
Electronics (updated )
*Emergency Preparedness (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Energy (updated )
Engineering (updated )
Entrepreneurship (updated )
*Environmental Science (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
*Family Life (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Farm Mechanics (updated 7/1/2008)
Fingerprinting (updated 7/1/2008)
Fire Safety (updated )
*First Aid (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Fish and Wildlife Management (updated 7/1/2008)
Fishing (updated )
Fly Fishing (updated )
Forestry (updated )
Gardening (updated 7/1/2008)
Genealogy (updated )
Geology (updated )
Golf (updated 7/1/2008)
Graphic Arts (updated 7/1/2008)
*Hiking (updated )(Eagle Req'd)
Home Repairs (updated )
Horsemanship (updated 7/1/2008)
Indian Lore (updated )
Insect Study (updated )
Journalism (updated )
Landscape Architecture (updated 7/1/2008)
Law (updated 7/1/2008)
Leatherwork (updated )
*Lifesaving (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Mammal Study (updated 7/1/2008)
Medicine (updated 7/1/2008)
Metalwork (updated 7/1/2008)
Model Design and Building (updated 7/1/2008)
Motorboating (updated )
Music (updated )
Nature (updated )
Nuclear Science (updated )
Oceanography (updated 7/1/2008)
Orienteering (updated )
Painting (updated 7/1/2008)
*Personal Fitness (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
*Personal Management (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Pets (updated )
Photography (updated )
Pioneering (updated )
Plant Science (updated 7/1/2008)
Plumbing (updated )
Pottery (updated )
Public Health (updated 7/1/2008)
Public Speaking (updated 7/1/2008)
Pulp and Paper (updated 7/1/2008)
Radio (updated )
Railroading (updated 7/1/2008)
Reading (updated )
Reptile and Amphibian Study (updated 7/1/2008)
Rifle Shooting (updated )
Rowing (updated )
Safety (updated )
Salesmanship (updated 7/1/2008)
Scholarship (updated 7/1/2008)
Sculpture (updated 7/1/2008)
Shotgun Shooting (updated )
Skating (updated )
Small-Boat Sailing (updated )
Snow Sports (updated )
Soil and Water Conservation (updated 7/1/2008)
Space Exploration (updated )
Sports (updated )
Stamp Collecting (updated )
Surveying (updated )
*Swimming (updated ) (Eagle Req'd)
Textile (updated 7/1/2008)
Theater (updated 7/1/2008)
Traffic Safety (updated )
Truck Transportation (updated 7/1/2008)
Veterinary Medicine (updated 7/1/2008)
Water Sports (updated )
Water Sports (updated 7/1/2008)
Weather (updated )
Whitewater (updated )
Wilderness Survival (updated )
Wood Carving (updated )
Woodwork (updated )

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