George Strake District Merit Badge University

August 14, 2024

Registration

Scouts can sign up for up to 3 merit badge classes. In addition, Scouts can work on up to five merit badges at home and a merit badge counselor will review the materials during the event. Due to popularity, and availability of counselors, some classes will fill up quickly. Scouts who register early have the best chance of getting the classes they want. Classes that are full will not appear in the online registration system.

Before registering: Check which merit badges the Scout has already completed. Have the Scout discuss which merit badges they should sign up for with their Scoutmaster or troop advancement chair. Before registering, check the Scout's school, sports and troop calendar for conflicts.

Imporant: Have the Scout's member ID number before registering.  The Scout's first and last name must match Scoutbook exactly. This is critical to identifying the Scouts in Scoutbook to ensure the Scout gets credit for requirements completed. The member ID number can be found: • Scoutbook (1. click on My Dashboard, 2. click on name of Scout 3. select Edit Profile), • MyScouting.org (1. click on the upper right icon 2. select My Profile), • membership card, • ask the unit leader to check the unit roster.

Changes: Class changes can be made after registering if space is available. Check for additional merit badge class opportunities on the council Scout Days webpage.

The registration fee is $20 per Scout.

             Register (opens soon)

Classes and Prerequisites

What to Bring

Preparation

The merit badge fair should not be considered another school where the pupils sit and stare for hours on end. Scouts should come prepared to participate in a seminar. The counselor's job is to encourage self-discovery and then check that each Scout has the minimum knowledge and does the requirements. Each Scout should have read his merit badge pamphlet and prepared answers to each requirement. 

Scouts should be ready to take notes and come prepared with a notebook with blank paper and a pencil. Remember one goal of the merit badge advancement system is to develop individual growth and initiative. 

Only use merit badge information from Scouting America's official website: www.scouting.org/meritbadges.aspx.

Prerequisites and Partials

Attending a merit badge class does not guarantee that a Scout will complete the merit badge, but it is an opportunity for Scouts to meet with qualified counselors, to help them work on the requirements needed to complete a merit badge. The merit badge fair should not be considered another school where the pupils sit and stare for hours on end. Scouts should come prepared to participate. The counselor's job is to encourage self-discovery and then check that each Scout has the minimum knowledge and does the requirements. Scouts should be ready to take notes and come prepared with notetaking materials and writing utensils. Remember one goal of the merit badge advancement system is to develop individual growth and initiative. 

Prerequisites: For all classes, the Scout must read the merit badge book prior to the event. Merit Badge books can be purchased at an area Scout Shop. Scouts are to be prepared to answer the questions to each of the requirements before the merit badge fair; Scouts can utilize the worksheets at http://usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/worksheets/list.asp to help them prepare. 

Some merit badges require additional prerequisites to be must be completed before the merit badge fair. 

Requirements not covered: Some of the requirements cannot be completed during the class. The Scout should bring documentation of requirements not covered. If the Scout does not complete the requirements not covered and bring documentation to the class, the Scout will receive a partial completion of the merit badge. 

Partials: If the Scout does not complete the requirements not covered and bring documentation to the class, the Scout will receive a partial completion of the merit badge. The partial completion will be noted on the blue card, given to the Scout at the completion of the class. Scouts will need to complete the badge with a registered merit badge counselor approved for that particular badge back with their unit. Merit badge counselors are not usually available to serve as a counselor after merit badge fair ends unless arrangements are made. Find a list of merit badge counselors by logging into http://scoutbook.scouting.org with your my.scouting userID and password, click on My Dashboard, Administration, your unit and scroll down the page. Remember that a youth member must not meet one-on-one with an adult. Sessions with counselors must take place where others can view the interaction, or the Scout must have a buddy: a friend, parent, guardian, brother, sister, or other relatives—or better yet, another Scout working on the same badge.

Advancements Completed

Blue cards are not issued at the event. Approximately two weeks after the event, a list of advancements completed will be sent to the Scoutmaster and advancement chair listed in the registration. Questions after the fair regarding the merit badge, contact the merit badge counselor who taught the class or the Merit Badge Day event chair. 

Schedule

Scouts sign up for two merit badges or for an all-day class.  The Scouts experience a quality merit badge session during a single day to mimic what would normally take a week at summer camp (1 hr to 1.5 hours for 5 days).  But please note, this event is not meant to replace the summer camp experience but only to give the opportunity for Scouts to achieve a merit badge from a local counselor.

How to Register or Update a Registration

Conduct and Discipline

As a participant, Scouts must:

• Observe the Scout Oath (or Promise) and the Scout Law.
• Attend the full time of the class.
• Be personally responsible for breakage, damage, or loss of property.
• Be courteous to other students, counselors, and staff.
• Clean up the classroom at the end of each session.
• Clean up trash after eating lunch.
• Keep cell phone in your pocket when in class.
• Scouts need to be prepared for each of the requirements of the merit badge class including reading the merit badge pamphlet before the class.
• Scouts are expected to participate fully during the class in order to receive full credit for the requirements completed onsite. 
• Scouts that do not behave appropriately in class will be asked to leave.
• If a Scout is unable to attend once registered, please use the link provided in the emailed receipt to delete the class so a spot can be opened up for another Scout. Council Refund Policy.

Volunteers

Registered merit badge counselors are needed to teach merit badge classes. In addition, adults are needed to help with check-in and various other tasks. Please contact the Advancement Chair or Programs Chair to volunteer.

Event Staff 

Successful Scouts have the support and guidance of parents. The parents are a treasure trove of information that can benefit every young man in our leadership program. Your encouragement and occasional “refocusing of purpose” that Scouts require will be invaluable. The successful leader in Scouts learns quickly to be successful in everything they attempt.

Adults are needed to set up the facilities before the fair starts, handle registration, act as "roamers" to look out for issues that need to be resolved, assist the merit badge counselors, and to help clean-up after the event is over.  Volunteers who work directly with the youth must have current Youth Protection Training. YPT can be taken at my.Scouting.org. 

Merit Badge Counselors

Merit badge counselors are needed to run the merit badge classes. Merit badge counselors must be registered with the council and have up to date Youth Protection Training. YPT can be taken at my.Scouting.org. It is our goal for the Scouts to be afforded opportunities to share resources from other troops with diverse occupations and skills. The Scouts will be expected to complete all the requirements as indicated by Scouting America. Merit badge counselors should wear their Scout uniform if possible.  

The merit badge counselor is a key player in the advancement program. Whatever your area of expertise or interest—whether it is a special craft or hobby (basketry, leatherwork, coin collecting), a profession (veterinary medicine, aviation, engineering), or perhaps a life skill (cooking, personal management, communications)—as a merit badge counselor, you can play a vital role in stirring a young man's curiosity about that particular topic. By serving as a merit badge counselor, you offer your time, knowledge, and other resources so that Scouts can explore a topic of interest.

Scouting Safely

Scouting America's Commitment to Safety is ongoing, and the safety of our youth, volunteers, staff, and employees cannot be compromised. Scouting America puts the utmost importance on safe and healthy environments for its youth membership. The Sam Houston Area Council takes great strides to ensure the safety of its youth as well as the adult volunteer leadership that interacts with them. 

Guide to Safe Scouting policies must be followed. All participants must follow youth protection guidelines at all Scouting events. Highlights include:

• Two-deep leadership on all outings is required.  
• One-on-one contact between adults and youth members is prohibited. 
• The buddy system should be used at all times. 
• Discipline must be constructive.

Health and safety must be integrated into everything we do, to the point that no injuries are acceptable beyond those that are readily treatable by Scout-rendered first aid. As an aid in the continuing effort to protect participants in Scout activities, the National Health and Safety Committee and the Council Services Division of the National Council has developed the SAFE Checklist of safety procedures for physical activity. These points, which embody good judgment and common sense, are applicable to all activities. 

*About Medical Record: Scouting America requires all participants to bring an Annual Health and Medical Record to every Scouting event. The Scouting adventures, camping trips, and having fun are important to everyone in Scouting—and so is your safety and well-being. Completing the Annual Health and Medical Record is the first step in ensuring you have a great Scouting experience. Completing a health history promotes health awareness, collects necessary data, and provides medical professionals with critical information needed to treat a patient in the event of an illness or injury. It also provides emergency contact information. Please download the form and have it with you at all Scouting events for every member of your family.  

^Closed-toed shoes are highly recommended for all Scouting events. Many of our outdoor venues have snakes and sticks that can injure toes. Many of our activities include active games, so shoes that Scouts can run in (e.g., tennis shoes) are recommended.

Youth Protection Guidelines     Guide to Safe Scouting      SAFE Checklist      Enterprise Risk Management

Contacts

For questions, contact the Merit Badge Day chair or district activities chair.