Merit Badges: Advancement vs. Interest

[Herms]

On the previous thread there was talk about permission for boys to do a particular merit badge, which brought to mind incidents I have seen in troops over the years and the underlying question:

 

What is the purpose for a boy doing a Merit Badge?

 

To me the Merit Badge System is a way for boys to try new things, and explore new interests. I encourage my boys to try merit badges that they may not know anything about (and one picks Atomic Energy!).

 

But many times over the years I have heard parents, and leaders, guiding boys to focus on merit badges that that they need for advancement and do the ones they already know something about, rather than letting the boys try something new (which may be harder). You see it at summer camps, Take the merit badges that you can complete at camp or That is not really a good merit badge for a first year camper. I recently had a run in with a parent/councilor who told a new scout to wait until he was First Class before starting merit badge work. So I ask, what is the philosophy of scouters out there?

 

Are merit badges for advancement or to explore new interests?

 

 

 

 

[acco40]

Yes.

 

That is like asking why do students in school study? To make good grades or to learn? Sometimes, grades, sometimes learn, sometimes both and sadly, somtimes neither!

 

 

[eisely]

I think the correct answer is - both.

 

Boys should be encouraged to take advantage of opportunities to earn eagle required badges when those opportunities present themselves, and such opportunities may be rare. Given the option of fulfilling an eagle required badge over a badge in which the boy is interested, I would most likely push the boy to work on the required badge, particularly if the opportunity to work on the required badge does not recur often, such as at summer camp. Having said that, a boy should work on at least one badge at summer camp just for fun.

[EagleInKY]

I'll take the easy answer... BOTH.

 

Some Merit Badges are for the continued development of basic Scout skills. First Aid, Citizenships & Camping come to mind. These are Merit Badges that build on basic scout skills and try to take their understanding to a deeper level.

 

Other Merit Badges, Atomic Energy is a good example, offer a chance for boys to learn about areas that they have never been exposed to. Or, to enhance their interest in a particular area.

 

An example of each.... One, we offered a MB day last winter. We offered two different MBs for the boys to get started on. The MBs were Photography & Atomic Energy. There was one boy who wasn't interested in either, but decided to come anyway and signed up for Atomic Energy. He loved it. He completed the requirements within a few weeks.

 

I have another boy that is interested in landscaping as a potential career. He's only 14, so his mind may change many times before then. But, he wants to earn the Landscape Architecture badge. He's trying to find another scout to buddy with him, but hasn't found one yet. That's a great example of a boy wanting to enhance his interest in a particular area.

[Twocubdad]

I see no reason not to guide boys toward certain badges. At its most basic level isn't that the purpose of having required badges?

 

My son's troop encourages all new Scouts to take First Aid and Swimming at their first summer camp. The thinking is that in addition to earning two Eagle-required bagdes, that cover two big sections of the First and Second Class requirement. Sounds logical to me.

 

I will add, however that the logic is based on our council camp having a rather lousey First-Year-First-Class program. But since the troop is going out of council this year, that thinking may not hold up.

[EagleInKY]

2CD - Agreed. Our troop also encourages First Year scouts to take Swimming at SC, for much of the same reason (good Eagle MB, SC & FC requirements, poor FY program). We are fortunately enough to have an EMT on our committee who teaches First Aid MB. SO, we organize First Aid Training in the Fall, as soon as things get settled back in after the sumer. (Note, I know I'll catch some heat for working a MB into our program, but we try to integrate it into troop meetings as well as a campout. We also try to use it as refresher time for the older scouts.)

[Fat Old Guy]

I'd be happy if the Scouts in my troop would just pursue merit badges without being led by the hand.

 

I've ranted about this before but I'll go again.

 

There are so many merit badges that can be earned just for what they are doing anyway. Nearly everyone plays sports but very few have the sports merit badge. Scholarship? With half the high school on the honor roll, you'd think that was a shoe in. Music? Our bugler plays trumpet, trombone, french horn and a few others. Does he have the music badge?

 

I hear so many feeble excuses like, "they already have to do so much for school, they don't have time for merit badges" What time? They're already doing the work.

 

Argh!

[EagleInKY]

FOG - I feel your pain.

[LPC_Thumper]

In my district we run a Merit Badge Pow Wow. This past year, we had 275 Scouts show up to register in 38 classes. Now let's ask the easy question...

 

Did every boy earn at least one badge? NO

 

Since not every boy earned at least one badge was the event a failure? NO

 

Here's the thinking at least from the Los Padres Council... Merit Badges give boys an opportunity to learn something they didn't already know. Some times this learning will turn into a badge. In that case GREAT, good work. In other cases the boy may find that there is absolutely no way they are going to these events again. In fact they are so opposed to thse events, they aren't going to even finish them. In this case GREAT, good work. It's easy to work on something that you care about, it's an entirely different animal to work in areas where you have fears. It is also a totally different skill to realize that the task looks fun, but now is just boring.

 

Hope I've stirred some thought with this.

[whitewater]

The merit badge program also encourages the boy to show some initiative and pursue individual interests. Its hard to get some boys to show initiative, especially when they are often used to having everything done for them.

 

 

[EagleInKY]

Had a conversation with two of my more mature scouts last night (my son and the other PL). They were over at the house making some plans for an upcoming campout. We got to talking about Merit Badges and how there are so many opportunities that match their interests. For example, they are both in band and love music. We pulled up the requirements for Music MB. What do you know? They have already done everything required for the MB. I encouraged them to get a counselor and work on completing it. We then looked at a few more. Hopefully, with school getting out, they'll have time to act on their interests. And, in turn, inspire the other boys in the troop to do likewise.