How to run a Merit Badge Midway?

[Shell in WA- USA]

I've been looking for ideas on how to run a good Merit Badge midway at a Camporee setting. Perhaps you have some ideas? My thought is to provide a good place to introduce the boys to new ideas and to take Merit badges in subjects they may otherwise not have considered. I'm not to sure after that which way to go. Either set things up for them to actually earn partials of merit badges. OR to simply introduce them to the subject and have them do the actual merit badge later. Have handson projects in each of the chosen MBs?

 

If anyone here has actually put together a Merit Badge Midway, I'd be interested in knowing how you set yours up also.

 

Thanks in Advance,

Shell in WA, USA

[purcelce]

Go to http://www.okawbsa.org/ and look under Council Staff. Send an email to the St Clair District Director and ask for information on NESA Merit Badge Day.

 

This is put on every year at our council.

 

Hope it Helps

 

Cary P

[LauraT7]

We just had a district camporee that had a 'Merit Badge Midway'

 

the theme of the camporee was 'Backpacking' and troops were requested to leave their trailers and heavy equipment behind - everything had to be treked in from the parking lot.

 

We still had alot of wagons and dolly's, but the boys did pack up all their stuff and carry it all in backpacks.

 

They set up an area that had counselors manning it to cover 'paperwork' requirements in Camping, Hiking, Backpacking, Pioneering and Orienteering. they did not try to do the entire badges, but rather to give the boys a start on them with skill areas that were easy to set up and work in a few hours or part of a day. They had no intention of completeing an entire badge - as many of these had requirements that could not be completed in one day - long hikes, extra nights of camping, etc.

 

To me, this especially worked as many of the younger scouts are interested in camporee /patrol competitions, but the older ones sometimes get bored with doing the same knot tying relays, axe throwing contests, and string burning competitions year after year.

 

As a counselor for the 'camping' badge - I was asked to help out in the camping area - as they were woefully shorthanded. they had a good plan, but not enough people to man the station. they had the worksheets so they could fill out the straight question and answer stuff, an area set up for the boys to see and use topographical maps of the area, another to bring their backpacks and bedding for checking and to make up a ground bed, etc. they just didn't have enough adults counselors to man the badge area and check work.

 

It also helped that some boys who HAD started the badge and brought trop records showing nights of camping or a long backpacking trip, could finish up their badge there, without having to track down a badge counselor. (Badge counselor lists in our area are way outdated and it's sometimes tough to find counselors for some badges)

 

But I would make sure that you have LOTS of counselors/ help on hand. Merit Badge opportunities in group situations in our area have always been more popular than expected when set up.