Many Waters District’s “Missing” Merit Badges [ Also Included: How to sign up to be a Merit Badge Counselor, and what to do once you have! ]

There are currently 127 BSA Merit Badges approved by the Boy Scouts of America. Many Waters District

has 29 Troops, about 800 Scouts. Our Merit Badge Counselors are also: Parents of current and former Scouts, Scoutmasters and Asst. SMs, Troop Committee Members, former Scouts (boys are eligible to sign up at age 18!), artists, business owners,

coaches, college professors and students, cooks, conservationists, crafters, day care professionals, entrepreneurs, environmentalists, farmers, fisher-folk, foresters, gardeners, hobbyists, home-makers, inventors, IT professionals,

landscapers, musicians, naturalists, professionals, scuba divers, shooting sports specialists, teachers, trades-people, truck transporters, wood carvers and woodworkers ...And many are RETIREES...

The entire List of Merit Badges is on the back of this sheet.

We all have a special skill or hobby that we enjoy teaching others about, what is yours?!

MMaannyy WWaatteerrss DDiissttrriicctt hhaass 00 MMeerriitt BBaaddggee CCoouunnsseelloorrss ffoorr tthheessee BBaaddggeess:: AAmmeerriiccaann LLaabboorr PPootttteerryy SSccuullppttuurree WWeellddiinngg ((nneeww 11--1122))

MMaannyy WWaatteerrss DDiissttrriicctt hhaass oonnllyy 11--22 MMeerriitt BBaaddggee CCoouunnsseelloorrss ffoorr tthheessee BBaaddggeess:: AAmmeerriiccaann CCuullttuurreess FFoorreessttrryy LLaannddssccaappee AArrcchhiitteeccttuurree RRaaiillrrooaaddiinngg

AArrcchhaaeeoollooggyy HHoorrsseemmaannsshhii pp LLeeaatthheerrwwoorrkk RReeppttiillee//AAmmpphhiibbiiaann SSttuuddyy AAtthhlleettiiccss IInnddiiaann LLoorree MMeettaallwwoorrkk SSooiill && WWaatteerr CCoonnsseerrvvaattiioonn BBaasskkeettrryy IInnsseecctt SSttuuddyy OOcceeaannooggrraapphhyy SSuurrvveeyyiinngg

CChheessss ((nneeww 1100--1111)) IInnvveennttiinngg ((nneeww 1100--1100)) PPllaanntt SScciieennccee VVeetteerriinnaarryy MMeeddiicciinnee CClliimmbbiinngg JJoouurrnnaalliissmm PPuullpp aanndd PPaappeerr WWhhiitteewwaatteerr

CCoommppoossiittee MMaatteerriiaallss Scouts! Your teachers may sign up to become Merit Badge Counselors. Check with your Principal to make sure it’s OK. Many subjects fit the criteria for a Merit Badge. When you take a class with a curriculum that contains info close to the requirements for a Badge, ask your Teacher if they would like to become a BSA Merit Badge Counselor!

How to Sign Up [ There is NO FEE! ] Northern Star Council considers your service to Scouting to be payment enough.

District Advancement needs to receive 4 (four) things from each new or renewing Merit Badge Counselor:

1. To complete the BSA Adult Application, copy and paste this URL into your web browser: < http://www.northernstarbsa.org/Forms/Membership/ApplicationAdultEnglish-28-501105.pdf > Fill in and print three copies of the application page... The only signature needed on the applications is yours! Keep one copy for your records, turn two in.

2. ...And one copy of the page of the BSA Application that asks for your signature to authorize a background check.

3. To complete the BSA Merit Badge Counselor Application, copy and paste this URL into your web browser: < http://www.northernstarbsa.org/Forms/AdvAwards/MeritBadgeCounselorApplication.pdf > Fill in the front (back needed only if you have more to add RE your expertise). If you are registered with a Unit, please include your Unit #. Add your email address as well. Print three copies. Keep one copy for your records, turn two in.

4. Go to the Northern Star Council website at www.northernstarbsa.org > Training, and complete “Youth Protection” training. Print two copies of the Certificate. Keep one copy for your records, turn one in. You may not Counsel Merit Badges in Many Waters District w/o this Training. It should be updated every 2 years. If you are a current registered adult leader, you may use the “My Scouting” link on the NSC website to see when you last completed YP training, and update your “Training Profile.” Your BSA ID# is on your BSA Member Card.

These applications are also available at RoundTable Meetings. Give/send the 2 copies of the BSA Application, the 1 copy of the background check page, the 2 copies of the MBC Application, and 1 copy of the Youth Protection Certificate to the District Advancement Chair, at 6548-141st Avenue, Columbus, MN 55025, or bring to the next * RoundTable Meeting on the 1st Thursday of the month from August to June, 7:30 PM, Maranatha Church, Wyoming

The District Advancement Chair keeps the copy of the BSA App that does NOT include your SSN, and 1 copy of the MBC App, in Many Waters. The remaining 4 parts of this packet go to Council Advancement.

After Signing Up• Counselors should be familiar with the current

version of the Merit Badge booklets for the Badge(s) they counsel. These are available at Scout Shops, Council Service Centers, online Scouting stores, and in Troop Libraries.

Scouts may continue to use the book they began the badge with, so some older req’s may still be in place as you work with the Scouts.

• Troop Advancement Chairs should have a current edition of “Boy Scout Requirements” (#33216). This annually-updated booklet contains Rank Advancement info, the most current Merit Badge Req’s, and Special Awards that Scouts may earn.

• Counselors should review how to fill out the blue Merit Badge Card. Please keep the “Counselor” section of the card for future reference.

Baseball card plastic sleeves make a good storage device, and are readily available.

• Every Scout Deserves a Trained Leader! A 20-30 min. PowerPoint Training slide show: “Many Waters Merit Badge Orientation,” is available at www.manywaters.nsbsa.org. Click on “District Committees > Advancement/ Awards > Merit Badge Info.” Training is also available at RoundTable* meetings, and at the spring and fall University of Scouting events.

Please let the District Advancement Chair know when you’ve completed Merit Badge Counselor Training, and add it on your “My Scouting” training profile, found on the NSC website. • There are many online Scouting resources for

background info, project ideas, worksheets… www.scouting.org

www.meritbadge.org www.northernstar.bsa.org

• Counselors should plan to have worksheets and projects ready for “The Call!”

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125 BSA Merit Badges Listed by Group. Scouts interested a certain career or hobby may wish to take Merit Badges offered in the same group.

See the annually-printed Boy Scout Requirements booklet for current Requirements and Alphabetical Listing for Badges (available at Scout Shops, and Troop Advancement Chairs and the Troop’s Library should have a current booklet).

GGrroouupp 11:: AAggrriibbuussiinneessss Animal Science, Farm Mechanics, Plant Science

GGrroouupp 22:: AArrttss && CCrraaffttss Art, Basketry, Bugling, Leatherwork, Metalwork, Music, Pottery, Sculpture, Theater, Woodcarving

GGrroouupp 33:: BBuussiinneessss aanndd IInndduussttrryy American Business, Entrepreneurship, Pulp and Paper, Salesmanship, Textile

GGrroouupp 44:: CCoonnsseerrvvaattiioonn EEnnvviirroonnmmeennttaall SScciieennccee,, Fish and Wildlife Management, Forestry, Soil and Water Conservation

GGrroouupp 55:: HHoobbbbiieess Backpacking, CCaammppiinngg,, Chess, Coin Collecting, Collections, Composite Materials, Cooking, Dog Care, Gardening, Geo-Caching, HHiikkiinngg,,**** Home Repairs, Indian Lore, Inventing, Model Design and Building, Pets, Pioneering, Radio, Rowing, Stamp Collecting

GGrroouupp 66:: NNaattuurraall SScciieenncceess Archaeology, Astronomy, Bird Study, Geology, Insect Study, Mammal Study, Nature, Oceanography, Reptile and Amphibian Study, Weather

GGrroouupp 77:: CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnss Cinematography, Journalism, Photography Newest Badges are shown in red. Grey Underlined Badges are Eagle Required’s. An Eagle candidate must earn 12 of the 15. For those marked with * or **, ONE of the group must be earned.

GGrroouupp 88:: PPeerrssoonnaall DDeevveellooppmmeenntt American Cultures, American Heritage, CCiittiizzeennsshhiipp iinn tthhee CCoommmmuunniittyy,, CCiittiizzeennsshhiipp iinn tthhee NNaattiioonn,, CCiittiizzeennsshhiipp iinn tthhee WWoorrlldd,, CCoommmmuunniiccaattiioonnss,, Disability Awareness, FFaammiillyy LLiiffee,, Genealogy, PPeerrssoonnaall FFiittnneessss,, PPeerrssoonnaall MMaannaaggeemmeenntt,, Public Speaking, Reading, Scholarship, Scouting Heritage, Traffic Safety, Wilderness Survival

GGrroouupp 99:: PPhhyyssiiccaall SScciieennccee Chemistry, Computers, Electricity, Electronics, Energy, Nuclear Science, Robotics, Space Exploration

GGrroouupp 1100:: PPrrooffeessssiioonnss Architecture, Dentistry, Engineering, Landscape Architecture, Law, Medicine, Surveying, Vet. Medicine

GGrroouupp 1111:: PPuubblliicc SSeerrvviiccee Crime Prevention, EEmmeerrggeennccyy PPrreeppaarreeddnneessss,,** Finger printing, Fire Safety, FFiirrsstt AAiidd,, LLiiffeessaavviinngg,,** Public Health, Safety

GGrroouupp 1122:: SSppoorrttss Archery, Athletics, Canoeing, Climbing, CCyycclliinngg,,**** Fishing, Fly-Fishing, Golf, Horsemanship, Motorboating, Orienteering, Rifle Shooting, Shotgun Shooting, Skating, Small-Boat Sailing, Snow Sports, Sports, SSwwiimmmmiinngg,,**** Water Sports, Whitewater

GGrroouupp 1133:: TTrraaddeess American Labor, Automotive Maintenance, Drafting, Graphic Arts, Painting, Plumbing, Welding, Woodwork

GGrroouupp 1144:: TTrraannssppoorrttaattiioonn Aviation, Railroading, Truck Transportation