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merit badge

n. a badge award to Boy Scouts in recognition of special projects

Wikipedia
Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)

Merit badges are awards earned by youth members of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), based on activities within an area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements. The purpose of the merit badge program is to allow Scouts to examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or vocation. Originally, the program also introduced Scouts to the life skills of contacting an adult they hadn't met before, arranging a meeting and then demonstrating their skills, similar to a job or college interview. Increasingly, though, merit badges are earned in a class setting at troop meetings and summer camps. Each merit badge has a pamphlet (booklet) published by the Boy Scouts of America associated with it; the pamphlet contains information on completing the requirements for the badge. Scouts must meet up with their Scoutmaster to receive a signed blue card in order to begin working on a merit badge. The Scout then contacts an adult who is registered as a counselor for that merit badge in order to learn which badge requirements they must complete before meeting up with the counselor. Once these requirements are completed, the Scout meets with the counselor to demonstrate that he's completed the requirements. The counselor then 'signs off' on each requirement. After completing the merit badge, the Scout can then buy his merit badge patch.

The award of a merit badge is represented by circular patch with an image representing the badge's topic. The patches for the Eagle-required merit badges are distinguishable by the silver ring on the outside edge. Merit badges are displayed on a sash which can be worn with the Boy Scout uniform on formal occasions. Every year the National Council reviews and updates a certain number of merit badges.

Scouting organizations in other countries issue or have issued merit badges, including Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Austria has a program similar to merit badges for certain age groups.

Merit badge

Merit badge may refer to:

  • Merit badge (Boy Scouts of America)
  • Merit badge (Scouting Ireland)
Merit badge (Scouting Ireland)

Merit badges were awards earned by youth members of Scouting Ireland, the Irish national Scout organisation, based on activities within an area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements. These are different from Attainment badges, also awards earned by youth members of Scouting Ireland, based on activities in 14 different areas of outdoor activities.

Merit badges were a universal award for achievement within the Scouting movement. The purpose of the merit badge programme was to allow Scouts to examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or as a vocation. Originally, the programme also introduced Scouts to the life skills of contacting an adult they hadn't met before, arranging a meeting and then demonstrating their skills, similar to a job or college interview. Increasingly, though, merit badges were earned in a class setting at troop meetings and summer camps.

Many of the badges are more advanced versions of Cub Scout (Macaoimh) badges.

Name

Section

Further reading

Map-maker

Scoutcraft

Cartography

Pioneering

Scoutcraft

Pioneering

Signalling

Scoutcraft

Signalling

Camper

Camping

Camping

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Camping

Camping

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Camping

Campfire

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Camping

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Camping

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