A Question

[NickP412]

I was wondering if the few people who earn all 121 merit badges get a special award or square knot? i know very few people do but don't you think we could if nothing else pass out a special palm? I'm not anywhere close to this ill be happy with my gold palm but i think for all the awards we pass out we could make one for this?

 

your thoughts? ....I'm just trying to stir up new conversation.

[Beavah]

Yah, hmmm.

 

I'll be honest, I've never been too impressed by da notion of earnin' all the merit badges.

 

Always struck me as a sign of Advancement Method run amok in a program.

 

Very wide but shallow as a puddle.

 

I'm much more impressed by the lads that do a smaller number of badges really well, and dig into 'em deeply. Especially when they hit a subject that really tickles their fancy and they take it well beyond the requirements into the beginnings of a career or lifelong hobby. That's more what the program is for to my mind. Less broad, but more rich and deep.

 

Beavah

 

[sherminator505]

I've seen some suggestions floating around to do something in this area, but they never seem to come to fruition. I often wonder if it's necessary, since it seems that a relatively small number of Scouts have done this and have seemed to be happy doing it for the notoriety.

[Eamonn]

I'm very much with Beavah on this.

 

While of course each and every Scout at some point in time chooses what goals he wants to set and aim for. Which is fine and dandy.

 

Some years back a Scout in the Troop I was Scout Leader of got into Plane Spotting in a big way. There was a badge for it in the UK.

One year a company offered a two week pass with unlimited flights within the USA. There were some restrictions, which I don't remember. Steve (The Scout) before he went spent many happy hours planning and working out his route. The goal was to visit as many different airports as possible in the time allowed.

He ate on the planes and at airports, slept in airports. He crisscrossed the USA, very nearly making it into the Guinness book of world records. Of all places he nearly got arrested at the old Pittsburgh airport! For getting to near the military planes that were there at that time.

He had the best of times.

He can say that he has been all over the USA.

But what did he see?

Only the Airports.

This is how I feel about people trying to collect all the MB's.

Sure they can say that they have them all, but what have the got from it all?

Steve went on to become an Air Traffic Controller in the UK. His son is the SPL of a Troop in the UK.

Eamonn

 

[SSScout]

Let's see now...

 

121 MB, divided by 3, that's 41 rows.

Allow 2" per row, that's, umm, 82 ".

 

One long, drag-on-the-ground sash.

 

Or two sashes.

 

Custom make a four across sash, that's 31 rows, 62" long, not including the pointy bottom and shoulder curve.

 

I hope our over acheiver Scout is tall.

[BadenP]

I too agree with both Beavah and Eamonn, its all about quality not quantity. I have seen more than my fair share of merit badge mill troops and camps during my many years in scouting and the boys learn and retain virtually nothing. So I would rather see a boy have a good solid scouting experience and work on the 21 required Eagle merit badges than be impressed with a sash full of merit badges the boy raced through to get, rather than truly earn. These other achiever scouts remind me of those adults with row after row after row of knots on their uniform, but that's another topic, lol.

[eghiglie]

My opinion is similar to Beavah.

 

Not sure that earning all 121 is really the point of the program. I would not stop someone though from going for it.

 

We encourage boys to try a variety of badges from different topics and try different things. We have one boy who has earned every aquatic and nature badge and has had a great time doing so. Now he is trying working on the "trades" and science series of badges. He has told me that he can't play music or do the "artsy" badges.

 

But he is the exception, the other 9 are just after the magic 21.

 

[OldGreyEagle]

I think we pretty much all say something along the lines of "You can't judge a book by its cover" and we try to impress on the scouts not to prejudge others based on their appearance. So, why is it ok to do so based on the number of merit badges a scout wears or knots an adult does?

 

[Eamonn]

Following SSScout

Lad joins Scouts at 11 years old is there for 7 years.

Needs to "Earn?" 17.28 MB's a year.

About one every 3 weeks!

I kinda like the idea that MB's can enhance the program. When they become the program? Something is not working!

Ea.

[FScouter]

Yeah, merit badges become the program when we insist that the boy fully and completely master the material and retain it. Rather, merit badges are a tool to expose a boy to a variety of interests, to teach him that there are many facets and complexities to each subject, to enable him to more fully develop a budding interest. I don't think it's important that he master any of them. 121 is a lot and there are that many so that any boy can find several that float his boat. More exposure is best, better than becoming extra proficient in only a few.

[NickP412]

You guys bring up some valid points. I've got 25 badges right now and getting 3 more this fall when we have our court of honor this September. After that im going to go out for 2 more so i can snag a golden palm then ill more than likely quit working on merit badges. I'll be 18 this may so i wont have much time left anyways. I was just wondering your thoughts.

[OldGreyEagle]

Nick, two items

 

First, The line up of Palms is Bronze, Gold, then Silver.

 

Next, why would you base how many merit badges you earn on a mass of faceless bits of data procured on the internet? Earn as many or as few merit badges as you want for whatever the reasons you have. If you want to stop after the Silver Palm, thats fine if that's what YOU want to do.

[nolesrule]

25 + 3 + 2 = 30. That won't get you a second palm. You'll need 31.

[Beavah]

Yeah, merit badges become the program when we insist that the boy fully and completely master the material and retain it.

 

Yah, but that's da Boy Scouting program, eh?

 

Badges in Boy Scouting aren't supposed to be awarded for "exposure" to material or what a boy has done. Badges are only supposed to be awarded for what a boy is able to do (ACP&P) or in other words for proficiency (Rules & Regulations). That means some retention and mastery, eh? At least of the requirements for the badge.

 

Da requirements are of course only a small part of the discipline the badge represents. That's where "exposure" comes in. We expose lads to the bigger issues of emergency response and first aid while helping them become proficient in aspects of it laid out by the First Aid MB requirements. We expose lads to the issues of World Citizenship and international relations while helping 'em become well versed in da basics set out by the Citizenship in the World MB requirements.

 

A badge every three weeks doesn't get a boy the full benefit of the mentoring and skill of each counselor, nor is it enough to help a boy develop da real skills and understandin' set out by the badge requirements, nor is it enough to really expose him to the fun and complexity of the topic beyond the requirements.

 

I'd never judge a lad based on having a huge number of badges on his sash, of course. But I confess I would make some negative judgments about the program the lad was part of, and would want to think about how to get the adults in it some more trainin' and support. Advancement is just a method, but we should try to use it in da best way possible, eh?

 

Beavah

 

[Eagle732]

Check out this thread:

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=193028&p=1

 

and this site:

http://www.meritbadgeknot.com./