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2 merit badge questions


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1) When is a good time for a new scout to beging working on merit badges?

 

2) What is a good one to start with?

 

If you want any other information, please just let me know.

 

kittle

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A Scout can begin working on MBs as soon as he wants to. I'd advise a first year Scout to strike a proper balance between MBs and advancement requirements through First Class, though.

 

As far as Eagle-required MBs are concerned, Camping is a great one to start with, for several reasons. One, many of the requirements are direct tie-ins with rank advancement requirements, so he's already working on it; he just doesn't know it. Two, he needs 20 nights for the MB, so he might as well get started. Three, the things he'll learn in the pamphlet will make him a better camper, faster.

 

As far as elective MBs go, I'd find out something he's already doing as a hobby, whether reading, a sport, taking care of a pet, collecting coins, what have you. Show him the MB requirements for whichever badge or badges seem to fit his hobbies or pursuits, and you'll see his face light up...

 

KS

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Sounds like great advice so far.

 

Shooting for 'easy' badges or working on the some artificial schedule will likely turn the boy off.

 

As noted above, the Camping badge is popular because it dovetails so nicely with the program in general.

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It varies Troop to Troop. Our Troop, where I am ASM does not allow Scouts under the Rank of Second Class to earn Eagle Required MB's except for Swimming. The summer camp our Troop uses has a "Trail to 1st Class" where the Scout can either earn Swimming MB or 2 other MB's. Which is great,by earning Swimming MB the Scout has also fulfilled the 1st Class swimming requirements.

 

As a MB counselor for 5 Eagle required MB's including Camping I totally disagree with KoreaScouter in regards to Camping.

 

Yes the Scout is acquiring his nights without realizing it and there is a lot of information in the MB book that is useful. What KoreaScouter forgot is that MB's test the scouts proficiency of the subject matter.

 

The requirements for Camping MB to me are based on experience. The 20 nights equate to 7 weekends and 1 summer camp. Requirement #1 is a combination of 1st Class and First Aid MB which as an EMT I take very seriously. There are a couple of other requirements that can be very frustrating to a young Scout.

 

In my unit I do not start working with a Scout on Camping MB until they have earned First Aid MB, which I do not do, and have 16 nights camping.

 

 

 

 

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"Our Troop, where I am ASM does not allow Scouts under the Rank of Second Class to earn Eagle Required MB's except for Swimming."

 

Does that mean a Tenderfoot is not permitted to work on Citizenship in the Community? Why has your troop made such a rule?

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Many troops discourage merit badge work by boys under the rank of first class because it distracts them from working on first class requirements. Every boy is different, and if a boy wants to start working on merit badges right away, there is no BSA rule prohibiting him from doing so.

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The two we encourage early are Swimming & First Aid. We recommend swimming because so much of scouting is done on and around the water, it's good for the guys to get those skills (and for us to know their limits). First Aid because it is something that can be put to use anytime.

 

With that said, these aren't required and others are not prohibited, it's just two that we encourage them to work on.

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We have 4 boys that just crossed over last month.

They all wanted to get started on Merit Badges.

I recommended that they do Reading since they are actually doing the work in school. One is also doing Pets and two more are doing Dog Care.

But like has already been said. Start on ones that interest the boy. Then start with Eagle required. We recommend for each three badges a boy earns one should be Eagle. Kevin has 12 badges as of now, has 4 in the works. 4 of the completed ones are Eagle and two of the pending one are. He is 12 and is working on Star.

He also loves the concept of badges.

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In reply to FScouter:

 

I am a currently registered MB counselor for Cit Community,Cit Nation,Cit World,Camping,Hiking and Personal Management.And have done First Aid,Safety and Personal Fitness. I am a CPA w/ a MBA in Taxation. I also hold a current EMT certification. I earned Eagle Scout in 1971, along with Scouter Training award,Scoutmasters Key and have served as an instructor for both Youth and Adult Training in my district. I am not new at this.

 

We meaning the Troop committee,Advancement Chair and the Uniformed Leaders did this 8 years ago. We did this for a few reasons. The main one being basic scouting skills/advancement was not being done. Some boys were working on MB's and NOT working on 2nd or 1st Class requirements. The idea behind this is to give the boys a firm base of scouting skills to work from.

 

To quote from a Boy Scout Handbook:"Your first steps in Scout advancement brought you through the the basic Scout ranks of Second Class and First Class"."Your next step is to set out to earn merit badges in special fields that interest you as well as the specific merit badges required for Eagle".

 

You mentioned Cit Community, lets look at that one. A prior requirement was to obtain a copy of a budget either for the town or school board and explain/discuss it with your counselor. Do you actually believe an 11/12 year old could do that?

Personally I am glad that requirement was removed with the Jan 1 2005 revision. I had many 15-16 year olds that it took me over an hour to explain that one with until they could understand I wouldn't want to try with an 11-12 year old.

 

Have you seen the new requirements? Take a look at #7 and #8. #7c choose a charitable organization outside of Scouting that interests you and brings the community together to work for the good of your community and volunteer at least 8 hours of your time for the organization. #8 develope a public presentation about important and unique aspects of your community. Include information about its history, cultures etc. Stage your presentation in front of your counselor or a group. I figure those 2 requirements will take a minimum 11 hours and he still hasn't finished the badge.

 

Would you rather have a Tenderfoot spend 11 hours on this or spend the same amount of time working on 2nd Class/1st Class Requirements? Also remember that service hours used for 1 requirement can't be used again for another.

 

I know what my choice will be.

 

 

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The short answer is any time they want to and whatever badge they want .

In our troop scouts work on merit badges independantly. We might schedule 1 or 2 merit badges to work on as a troop, but this is done at the behest of the PLC. Most of our first year scouts who attend summer camp will, with guidance, choose 1 or 2 'fun' merit badges to earn.

We do spend meeting time and campout time working on scout skills though.

Personally, I think scouts should begin working on some of the 'easier' required merit badges as soon as they feel capable. By the time a scout enters high schoo the demands on his free time becomes enormous. It's not fun to watch a scout stress out about all the required merit badges he has to earn to reach 'his' goal of becoming an eagle. Just my $.02

 

Ken

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Wholly schmoolly! I get to state that Bob White, KoreaScouter, FScouter, Torveaux and Spiney Norman (I love that moniker) are dead wrong! A Scout should not work on a merit badge any time he wants to.

 

He should first let his Scoutmaster know he is interested and then contact a MB counselor given to him before starting to work on the MB. ;-)

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