Fingerprinting Merit Badge

[bluepanda]

Can someone please tell me where the fingerprinting merit badge counselor is and what his/her phone number is? I need this merit badge to rank up. I live in La Crescenta, CA.

[ScoutNut]

Talk to your Scoutmaster. He/she will give you your "blue card", and contact information for the merit badge counselor.

[bluepanda]

But I'm afraid my counselor wanted me to find the counselor on my own, and get the merit badge with no help whatsoever getting it. My council number is 058, but they also said to contact my scoutmaster. Now what do I do?

[bluepanda]

I meant scoutmaster instead of counselor on the first one. "But I'm afraid my counselor*" I meant scoutmaster

[The Blancmange]

Why are you afraid he might tell you to find the counselor on your own? Has he told you or other scouts to do this in the past?

 

Those who have told you to ask your scoutmaster to assign a counselor are correct. It is the SM's job to assign a counselor from a list maintained by your district. Talk to your SM again and see if maybe there is some misunderstanding between the two of you. If he does insist that you find your own, you should politely refer him to his scoutmaster handbook. I actually just looked through the scout handbook thinking there would be a simple statement explaining the process, but there is not. You could also refer him to this page: http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/MeritBadges.aspx

 

Good luck.

[CalicoPenn]

Blue - welcome to the forums.

 

It sounds as if your Scoutmaster has said you need to find the counselor and that you contacted the council and they suggested you need to talk to your Scoutmaster - is that correct? I'm guessing (and only guessing but giving your Scoutmaster the benefit of the doubt) that your district doesn't have anyone on their list that is a Fingerprinting Merit Badge counselor which has stumped your Scoutmaster.

 

Do you know if your Troop has an Advancement Committee Chair (someone who keeps all the records)? If so, you should start by asking this person if they can contact the District Advancement Chair to find out if maybe there is a Fingerprinting Merit Badge Counselor in another district. The District Advancement Chair should have contacts with the other District Advancement Chairs and should be able to find out.

 

If you're not getting anywhere with your Troop leadership, then you may need to call your Council office again, explain that you're looking for a Fingerprinting Merit Badge Counselor, that your Scoutmaster isn't able to help, and could you please get the phone number for the District Advancement Chair so you can ask for his/her help.

 

There is another option. Is one of your buddies interested in earning this merit badge? It's possible that the district just doesn't have one but that's not something that should prevent you from earning the merit badge. With your buddy and an adult from the Troop (and ASM, the Scoutmaster, a member of the committee, even one of your parents), you could call the La Crescenta station of the Los Angeles Conty Sheriff's Department and make an appointment to see someone in charge - bring them a Fingerprinting Merit Badge book, and Merit badge Counselor application (you can get that from your Scoutmaster) at the appointment and explain that you're interested in earning this Merit Badge but your district doesn't have any counselors for it and ask if someone at the sub-station might be interested in being the Merit Badge Counselor for the badge. If I know my law enforcement officers, someone will jump at the chance to help out the Boy Scouts (chances are pretty darn good that a number of the officers were Boy Scouts one themselves). It might take a little time, but the effort will be worth it, and you'll not only be helping yourself, but any other Scout in your district that might want to earn the badge.

 

 

[bluepanda]

Thanks guys, but I meant that the scoutmaster wanted us scouts to try finding merit badges we wanted to do, and try to see what it was like getting your own merit badge all by yourself. Thanks anyways.

[Lisabob]

Then there is no problem. It sounds to me like your Scoutmaster wants you to experience working on a merit badge in a setting other than group classes at summer camp. And there's a good reason why he might want you to do that.

 

This is not hard. Go to your scoutmaster. Tell him "I'd like to earn the fingerprinting merit badge." Ask him to give you a blue card and the contact info for a local counselor for that badge. Call the counselor and arrange a meeting directly with him or her. Attend. Be prepared to talk about fingerprinting (it might help if you read the merit badge book first). Then do whatever the counselor tells you to do next.

 

Go for it!

 

 

 

 

[ScoutNut]

One thing to keep in mind - you must always have a buddy with you at any merit badge session. You are not allowed to meet with a counselor by yourself.

 

This buddy can be another Scout from the Troop who is also interested in earning the merit badge, one of your parents, brother or sister, another relative, or even a non-Scout friend of yours (who knows it might get him interested in joining the Troop!).