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Or Playwicki.org news item if you forget 2

Cub Scout Belt Loops: Art, Astronomy, Compass, marbles, Map, Music, and Science Shooting Sports Boy Scout Select merit badges Building Competition Hotdog Eating Contest Venture Scout Non-Specific Venture Program 3

Early Fee for Weekend (by Mar 1) Youth $25, Adult $10 Regular Fee for Weekend (after Mar 1) Youth $30, Adult $15 Day Pass (by Mar 1) Youth $20, Adult $10 Day Pass (after Mar 1) Youth $25, Adult $15 4

Scoutmaster Award of Merit replaced with Unit Leader Award of Merit Available across all branches of Scouting Requirements are profoundly doable 5

Submission Reviewed by Council and submitted for recognition If earned, District would be glad to aid in presentation to recognize excellent leaders Form available Online, click on title 6

Awards and Recognitions Information Outline of available awards for youth and adults Includes unique district awards Online Sign-Up for District Dinner To Sign-Up for Event, click on event title Meetings – No Registration Events by 3 rd Parties – No Registration 7

Why? Fun – Some activities are enjoyable even without getting a badge Economies of Scale – Instructors time is valuable, large groups can be more efficient Promotes year round advancement – Prove theres more times to get badges than camp Ensures quality of instruction – Unit leaders see every step of instruction, can help set standard Fits into troop program – some regular troop activities are also requirements 8

How Merit Badges Work Pick a Subject Get Buddy Contact Counselor Show Your Stuff Get the Badge Steps for Troop-organized Badges May Be Different But All Parts Still Present 9

Time available Time Intensive Badges – Personal Management, Personal Fitness, American Business Logistics Intensive Badges – American Cultures, Backpacking, Cycling, Athletics, Public Speaking Short Badges – Textiles, Fingerprinting, Pets, Electricity, Golf, Indian Lore, Mammal Study, Music 10

Difficulty Whitewater – Contains some of the hardest badge requirements, period. Other Designed by Zealots – Plant Science (try Gardening), Medicine, Nature (trust me) Lesson: Not every kid can earn every badge 11

Difficulty List of alternate requirements for Scouts with special needs: 12

Necessary Resources Require Tools – Woodworking, Photography, Hard to Get Experts – Cinematography, Genealogy Required Trips – May not have local resources that fit with troops schedule. Getting Counselor – contact AnnaMarie Pepper at for list. 13

While any Scout may attempt a badge, some are best done by certain age ranges. Social Development - Auto Mechanics, Traffic Safety, Personal Management, Family Life Physical Development – Climbing, Archery, Shotgun Shooting, Rifle Shooting, Athletics, Whitewater Change badge options based on ages Have alternate program for those who wont benefit. 14

Dont assume that every Scout will attend every meeting. Try to complete whole requirements Plan out several meetings for time-intensive requirements Limit meeting pre-requisites except when easy to do at home or impossible to do at a meeting 15

Very easy in 1-to-1 to check every kid, not always case in troop Try: Individual review while doing troop activity Take advantage of discuss requirements Use patrols with adult supervision to verify Worksheets + Group Discussion 16

Entirely during troop meetings Engineering Nuclear Science Fingerprinting Textiles Art Electricity Electronics First Aid 17

Entirely during troop meetings plus a trip Astronomy Bird Study Forestry Composite Materials Archaeology Wilderness Survival Fire Safety Fishing, Fly Fishing Graphic Arts Pioneering 18

Finish during troop meeting after many trips Hiking Backpacking Canoeing American Cultures Orienteering 19

Disabilities Awareness Drafting Model Design and Building Radio Space Exploration Law Theater Journalism (two trips) 20

Cooking (requires each Scout to serve three people) Nature (a lot of requirements) Genealogy, Family Life (very personal) Citizenship in the World and Nation (a lot of definitions that Scouts need to prove they know) American Business (kids must run a business) 21

National Offering Four Historic Badges Carpentry Pathfinding Signaling Tracking 22

Requirements: Make an electric buzzer outfit, wireless, blinker, or other signaling device. Send and receive in the International Morse Code, by buzzer or other sound device, a complete message of not less than 35 words, at a rate of not less than 35 letters per minute. Demonstrate an ability to send and receive a message in the International Morse Code by wigwag and by blinker or other light signaling device at a rate of not less than 20 letters per minute. Send and receive by Semaphore Code at the rate of not less than 30 letters per minute. Know the proper application of the International Morse Code and Semaphore Codes; when, where, and how they can be used to best advantage. Discuss briefly various other codes and methods of signaling which are in common use. 23

Badge Reviews – Mr. Ds Merit Badge Reviews on Usscouts.org. Outlines and Help – New meritbadge.org supplemental guides, meritbadge.org/wiki Age Appropriate Activities – Guide to Safe Scoutings Age Appropriateness Chart 24