FAQ's
Merit Badge Counselor Guidelines
Troop 7 Merit Badge Counselor Guidelines – 03/12/09
Who can be a Troop 7 Merit Badge Counselor?
Any adult over 18 that is registered with the Troop, who has completed Youth Protection Training* within the past 2 years (YPT is available on-line), and who has an interest in helping the boys with the subject of a Merit Badge can be a Troop 7 MB Counselor.
What does an MB Counselor do?
The MB Counselor might teach a Merit Badge at a Troop meeting or on a Troop trip. The MB Counselor can work with the Patrol Leadership Council (PLC) to develop activities for Troop meetings as well as Troop Outings related to Merit Badge completions. A weekend trip focusing on Astronomy, or Citizenship in the Nation, or Biking MB are a few examples. Further, a series of weekend outings could contribute to the earning of Hiking or Camping Merit Badge. Such opportunities should be reminded to the PLC whenever possible.
The Troop will occasionally schedule Merit Badge Cleanup Night at a Troop meeting. These are not teaching events, but can be used to initiate Merit Badges, or to sign off completion of Merit Badge requirements.
The MB Counselor assists any scouts who need help in completing the requirements for a Merit Badge (these might be Merit Badges that were partially completed at Summer Camp or at Merit Badge University (MBU). Scouts might ask the MB Counselor for guidance at any time.
The MB Counselor “signs-off” the scout’s satisfactory completion of the Merit Badge Requirements on a Requirements Worksheet. The MB Counselor or the Scout forwards the signed Worksheets to the Advancement Coordinator (Mrs. Kupchella) who records the completion and obtains the Merit Badge patches to be awarded at the next Court of Honor.
Materials
A Requirements Worksheet (available on-line) should be initiated and dated by the MB Counselor for each boy when he begins work on a Merit Badge. This should not be done by parents, or by the boy on his own without consulting the MB Counselor.
Merit Badge Booklets are published by BSA in hard copy only. These books are re-usable and do not go out-of-date quickly. The MB Counselor should read the entire booklet before teaching or signing off on a Merit Badge. Even if the MB Counselor is a professional in the subject, the booklets can help set the MB Counselor’s expectations at an appropriate level. We have copies of many Merit Badge booklets under the stage at FTCC. Supplying these booklets to the boys, or using supplemental information should be at the discretion of the MB Counselor.
Consumable materials should be specified by the MB Counselor. When practical they should be provided by the boys. If they are provided by the MB Counselor, the Troop treasurer will reimburse the cost.
Partials and Completions
Worksheets with complete or partial signoffs are given to the Advancement Coordinator after Summer Camp and MBU. These are entered in the Troop software (TroopMaster). The Advancement Coordinator will provide reports of these partials and completions to the MB Counselors and scouts upon request.
If the MB Counselor has led a Merit Badge teaching event which resulted in partial completions, they can forward the partially completed Requirements Worksheets to the Advancement Coordinator. But these should also be kept by the scout until all requirements are complete.
Other Resources
http://scoutmaster.org/usscouts/boyscouts/mbcounseling.asp This page (in a great site) describes how to be an MB Counselor in more detail. It also describes additional registration for MB Counselors who would like to work with Scouts throughout the District .
http://www.meritbadge.com Another great resource, see <Boy Scouting> then, <Merit Badge Worksheets>
* Remember - Buddy system, no one-on-one counseling.
Troop 7 Merit Bagdes with no Counselor
05/26/10
Merit Badges With No Counselor
American Cultures Crime Prevention Journalism Reading
American Heritage Dentistry Landscape Architect Rifle Shooting
American Labor Disability Aware Law Rowing
Animal Science Energy Leatherwork Sculpture
Archaeology Family Life* Mammal Study Shotgun Shooting
Archery Farm Mechanics Metalwork Signaling
Architecture Fingerprinting Model Design Skating
Auto Maintenance Fire Safety Motorboating Soil and Water
Bird Study Fish and Wildlife Music Sports
Bugling Fly Fishing Pathfinding Stamp Collecting
Carpentry Forestry Plant Science Surveying
Cinematography Geology Plumbing Tracking
Climbing Graphic Arts Pottery Truck Transport
Collections Horsemanship Public Health Veterinary Medicine
Communications* Indian Lore Pulp and Paper Whitewater
Composite Materials Insect Study Railroading Wilderness Survival
How To Be A Merit Badge Counselor
Merit Badge Counselors Guide for Merit Badge Clean Up Night
Or “Oh my, why did I sign up to do this?”
Your duty is to confirm that each Scout who comes to you has met all of the requirements for the merit badge that they are seeking. The Boy Scouts of America (BSA) print Merit Badge (MB) pamphlets or booklets that Scouts may use in conjunction with you, the counselor, to work on and earn their MB. In addition to material or information specific to each MB, there is a list of MB requiremnts at the beginning of each pamphlet. You may not add or subtract from the list of requirements for the Merit Badge (MB). Please be aware of the MB pamphlet dates as the BSA reprints them annually and sometimes there are changes in requirements. Scouts who have partially completed work on a MB at MBU or summer camp, will receive a MB worksheet listing the unfinished requirements (these are circled items). While you may guide, clarify and instruct a Scout on the subject matter, the Scout must demonstrate that he has adequate knowledge or skills required for the MB and has completed the work himself.
Listed below are some of the general requirements from MB booklets or worksheets;
“Do the following” the Scout need to complete all the items listed (1a,b,c, 2a, b, c, 3a & b, etc.).
“Do One (or Two, Three, etc) of the following” the Scouts may choose which of these items they want to complete from the list.
“Describe, Learn and Explain, Discuss or Report” the Scout will need to describe, explain, discuss or report (either verbaily or in written form) the item(s) to you.
“Prepare, Make, Build or Demonstrate” the Scout may need for example to prepare a float plan for a canoeing trip, assemble a First Aid Kit, build a bird house or demonstrate how to tie a knot, etc.)
“Write a letter” the Scout may need to write a letter to a Congressman or Senator, etc. and show you that he completed this work.
“Visit or Attend” the Scout may need to visit a museum, Firehouse or attend a Town Metting, etc. The Scout needs to show some sort of proof that they where there. (Museum ticket stub, photo of the Fire House, agenda or signature from someone at the Town Meeting, etc.).
“Identify” The Scout may need to identify local plant, animals, wildlife or parts of a sailboat.
“Keep a log or Record” the Scout for example may need to keep a expense log for 30, 60 or 90 day or record his exercise program for a certain period of time.
These are a few of the basics listed in the MB pamphlets/booklets and MB Partial Worksheets. Our goal as Merit Badge Counselors is to encourage and assist the Scouts along their own path and help them to development into well-rounded, mature, young men.
As each requirement is completed, you may quiz the Scout individually on Clean Up Night. When the Scout demonstrates that he has completed each requirement, you may sign off on those items. If the Scout fails to complete the items to your satisfaction, please advise them that they need to do a bit more work before you feel comfortable on signing them off on that item. If the Scout completes all of the items to your satisfaction, please sign off the MB worksheet or use the Troop7 Merit Badge Partials Completion Form and return it to Mrs. Benoit, Troop7’s Advancement Coordinator. The Scout will receive his Merit Badge at the next Court of Hornor. Above all, remember to have some fun and get to know the Scouts. Our sons will be thankful for your time and dedication as their Merit Badge Counselor. RJK 02/02/2010
