merit badge at jamboree

[lifescoutforlife]

How do you sign up for a merit badge at national jamboree?

[wagionvigil]

you just go to Merit Badge Midway and go to the Tent and say I want to take this and the people there will tell you what you must do.But why do you want t take MB there? There are so many other great things to do.
Now that being said they always offer a couple that are not easy to find around the country

[lifescoutforlife]

Our council don't have merit badge councilors for a couple merit badges that my son would like to get.

[wagionvigil]

This is the only reason I would devote time at the Jamboree on a MB. The MB Midway is located in the Main Parking Lot on Thomas Rd. (or has been there in the past).
SInce you are from the Northeast Region those Sub Camps are about 3 miles from the parking lot. No Kidding!

[lifescoutforlife]

Thanks for the info, I will let my son now what you have said.

[Fibonacci]

I wonder if there are other reasonable ways for lifescoutforlife's son to create or to pursue merit badge opportunities. My thoughts:

*contact people in the chosen industry and ask if someone will sign up to be a mb counselor (Engineering dept of the local university, a particular business)
*contact nearby councils and plan a long day or weekend visit with planned meetings with mb counselors
*contact councils in your chosen vacation area to find counselors
*work with a counselor on line or on the phone

Do any of these make sense? What do other Scouts do when they have a strong desire to earn a merit badge but there are no counselors nearby? As Advancement Chair, I'd do my best to help a Scout find a counselor, tho' I know that ultimately it is up to the Scout to pursue opportunities.

[cballman]

the main question is what merit badges does he want to take? Maybe someone can help find a MBC closer to home.

[lifescoutforlife]

We live near Warren, Pa. Which is the NW corner of Pa. One of them is Textiles if anyone can help. Thank You!

[wagionvigil]

Chief Cornplanter Council?

[cballman]

most drycleaners have a seamstrss so try doing that.

[Fibonacci]

How about asking an Interior Decorator in Warren?

Last fall two Scouts asked to work on the Coin Collecting mb. We didn't have a counselor in our troop, so they found a retired man who was willing to counsel the mb. He submitted a registration form, the Scouts set up a Coin Collecting mb class for anyone in the troop on two Saturdays, and about 10 Scouts participated in the class. I never suspected that so many Scouts were interested in coin collecting!

Other "odd" classes that we held in 2007 (created because the counselor was willing to lead a class, not necessarily because Scouts had an interest) were American Labor (8), Plumbing (11), and Reptile/Amphibian Study (14). There are about 35 active Scouts in our troop.

[wagionvigil]

I really wish troops would not be allowed to have their own MB coun elors. In our council and Districts we have a list of MB counselors from each district. The scouts are given the names of several counselors for the MB they are interested in and then it is up to them to make contact and take the MB. By the way this is the way it is supposed to happen.

[Fibonacci]

wagionvigil ~ what about merit badge classes at Summer Camp? Merit Badge Weekend? We also have LDS units that host Eagle required merit badge clinics once each month (and welcome any Scout who chooses to attend.) It seems much more efficient to do it this way. We certainly allow Scouts the opportunity to earn merit badges with a chosen counselor as well.

I have the District list of counselors, but most are at least 20 - 30 minutes away from our more rural troop. The Scouts almost always choose a counselor close to home.

[wagionvigil]

All those things are great But there are some troops that only allow the boys to take MB from the troop counselors unless they are at summer camp etc.

[lifescoutforlife]

After talking on here I got a teacher to sign up for 3 merit badges and working on 2 more people to sign up also. One of them is thinking about Textiles along with a few other MB's.

[cballman]

now how about that another Idea from a previous poster. Textile merit badge could it be taught by a Home Ec. teacher from a local High school. thanks to lifescoutforlife for the idea

[lifescoutforlife]

Thanks to all of you for your ideas, I have got 2 MB counselors signed up so far and 1 of them is doing Textiles. I'm still working on people to sign up to be counselors and have gotten a few to add to the list they already teach.

[Cowboy]

Wagion: Doesn't that fall into the "do not add or subtract from" policy? No Troop can dictate that a Scout take a MB from only an in Troop MBC. That is adding a condition. IMHO that is doing a dis-service to the Scout. We have (on a rare occasion) had a Scout who heard that we would be working on a MB in Troop meetings, who has joined us from another Troop. I would never think of turning a boy away in that situation. As I have stated in other posts there are some that I would not do this with, ie. woodworking as I want to know the boy before I let him near my expensive and dangerous tools. Personally I feel that Troops should do more throughout the year with networking. If we are going to work on a MB (esp. ER) in Troop meetings letting the other nearby Troops know that would prevent a lot of rendundancy and also expose the boys to new councilors. It also helps teach them networking and forms new friendships with people that are outside their current circle. Isn't that part of what we are here to teach? Just my opinion.

If you always tell the truth, you don't have to remember what you said.

[wagionvigil]

Hi All I was taking Wilderness First Aid this weekend so I am catching up.I have a major problem with In House MB Counselors. My main problems are.It too easy for the SM and TC to influence what they want not what the requirements say. It keeps the scouts from venturing away from their troop and learning to interact with other scouts and scouters. Cowboy I do not see it as adding to the requirements but the troop cannot stop the scout from going elsewhere.If Johnny says I do not want to take ## MB from Mr.* The troop cannot stop him.It is the SM responsibility to give the scouts a list of approved MB Counselors when asked. When our list was updated by the district and the council I would have a copy made for each kid and told them it was their job to make the contact.