Houston Muslim Scouts Merit Badge University

February 8, 2025  |  8:00 am - 6:30 pm

Masjid As Salam
16700 Old Louetta Rd.
Spring, TX 77379

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The Merit Badge University is an opportunity for Scouts in troops to work on requirements for up to four merit badges. Scouts can work on Scholarship and Reading Merit Badges at home, and a merit badge counselor will review the materials during the event. These are not giveaway merit badges. Each Scout is expected to fulfill all the requirements by reading the merit badge book before the event, attending the class, completing prerequisites, and participating fully during the class to receive full credit for the requirements offered. Ensure accurate first name, last name, email address and BSA ID is provided for the Scout during the registration process, as the merit badge completed requirements  will be uploaded into Scoutbook a few weeks after the event. Adult participation is needed to offer this event. 

Registration

        Register      Class List / Prerequisites       What to Bring      

​Registration is completed by parents online with a credit card or electronic check. (How to register or change a class selection)  Council refund policy.  The registration fee is $35 per Scout and includes an event patch, meals, snacks, and supply costs; the registration fee is $15 per adult and includes meals and snacks. Dinner will be served at 6:00 pm.   Registration is on a first-come, first-serve basis. All class sizes are limited to 20 Scouts; any merit badge class with registration below five Scouts will be canceled. Late registration begins 1/31/25; registration closes 2/6/25.

Important: Before registering, read the prerequisites below. Check your Scout's school and troop calendar for conflicts. 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. 

Information needed to register: BSA ID number, Scout's first and last name (as listed in Scoutbook), Scout's rank, troop number, and email address. The Scout's first and last name and BSA ID number must match exactly to what is listed in Scoutbook in order for the advancements to be uploaded in Scoutbook.

The BSA ID number can be found: • Scoutbook (1. click on My Dashboard, 2. for a Scout - click on the name of Scout 3. select Edit Profile), • MyScouting.org (1. click on the upper right icon 2. select My Profile), • BSA membership card, • ask the unit leader to check the unit roster.  

Classes and Prerequisites

Merit Badge Classes (click on class for requirements)	Session					Tentative Prerequisites, Requirements Not Covered, Additional Items to Bring
	1	2	3	4	All Day
American Business		♦				• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book.
Art		♦	♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book.
Automotive Maintenance			♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Not covered: #11
Camping					♦	• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Requirements not covered: #3, 4b, 8d, 9a, 9b, 9c, 10	​
Chemistry		♦	♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book ​• Bring completed worksheet
Citizenship in the Community	♦					• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Requirements not covered: #3,  7	​
Citizenship in the Nation	♦					• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. Start watching the national news. • Requirements not covered: ​​#5, 6, 7, 8	​
Citizenship in the World	♦		♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. Prepare a current world event or geography topic to discuss during class.	​
Citizenship in the Society					♦	None
Communication			♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. Prepare and practice #3 (800+ words depending on rate of speaking) • Requirements not covered: #5, 8 • Bring #2, 3, and recommend completed workbook	​
Cooking					♦	• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Requirements not covered: #4, 6
Digital Technology		♦				• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. View the Personal Safety Awareness "Digital Safety" video (with your parent or guardian's permission.) • Bring a tablet or laptop with wifi, merit badge book, email address
Emergency Preparedness	♦					• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book, have already earned the First Aid Merit Badge • Not covered: #2c, 7a, 7b, 8b, 9 • Bring: #8b (photo of family emergency kit); highly recommend preparing and bringing complete worksheet	​
Entrepreneurship				♦		• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. • Requirements not covered: #3, 4
Environmental Science	♦					• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. • Requirements not covered: #4
Exploration		♦				• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. • Requirements not covered: #4 • Bring appropriate footwear and clothing to walk around campus
Family Life		♦	♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Requirements not covered: ​#3, 4, 5, 6b	​
First Aid	♦					• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book; #1 & 5b are required pre-requisites • Bring #5a (first aid kit); proof of #1 & 5b	​
Game Design			♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. • Requirements not covered: #5,6,7,8. • Merit Badge focus will be on non-electronic/programmed games.
Law		♦		♦		• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book
Personal Fitness		♦		♦		• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Requirements not covered: ​#1a, 1b, 8 • Bring: BSA Annual Health and Medical Record (Part A, B, C titled Are You Going to Camp?) which requires a physical. • Wear activity uniform (e.g., Scout shirt) and appropriate clothes for the fitness test including tennis shoes;	​
Personal Management		♦	♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. • Requirements not covered: #2, 8 • Bring completed worksheet
Programming			♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. View the Personal Safety Awareness "Digital Safety" video (with your parent or guardian's permission.) • Requirements not covered: #5 • Bring: proof of current Cyber Chip
Public Health		♦	♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book. • Requirements not covered:  #1, 7, 8
Public Speaking	♦		♦			• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book.  Prepare and practice #2 (500-800 words depending on rate of speaking) and #4 (~1,500 word) • Requirements Not covered: #2, 4 • Bring: completed worksheet
Robotics	♦					• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book.
Drop-off Merit Badges (complete all requirements at home and drop them off at check-in for review)
Reading^						• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Bring all requirements in an envelope, folder or notebook clearly marked with the Scout's name. Please type answers; using the Reading Worksheet is encouraged. • Special Instructions: Drop off requirements at check-in before 9am for review by the merit badge counselor and pick up after the event.
Scholarship^						• Prerequisite: Read merit badge book • Bring all requirements in an envelope, folder or notebook clearly marked with the Scout's name. Include #1 (copy of report card), #3 (letter from principal/counselor), #5 (report). Please type answers; using the Scouting Heritage Worksheet is encouraged. • Special Instructions: Drop off requirements at check-in before 9am for review by the merit badge counselor and pick up after the event.

^For the Packet Drop-off Merit Badge, complete all requirements at home and drop them off.
*Classes that are full will not show up in the online registration.
 Classes will be added as additional merit badge counselors volunteer.
​ = Eagle Scout required merit badges and require more preparation (e.g., completing the worksheet).

Schedule

What to Bring

Prerequisites, Requirements Not Covered 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. 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: All Scouts are to 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; completing worksheets available at http://usscouts.org/usscouts/mb/worksheets/list.asp can help Scouts prepare. Some merit badges require additional prerequisites to be must be completed before the merit badge fair.

Merit Badge Worksheets

Requirements not covered: Some of the requirements cannot be completed during the class. The Scout should bring documentation of requirements not covered. Scouts are encouraged to complete requirements not covered before the merit badge fair and bring proof of completion; otherwise, the Scout will receive a partial.

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. Partials will be noted on the documentation provided after the course. 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. A few weeks after the event, all of the completed requirements will be posted directly into Scoutbook. Blue cards are not needed; a few weeks after the event, all of the completed requirements will be posted directly into Scoutbook by the merit badge counselor.  If a parent doesn't enter the first and last name and BSA ID correctly in the registration system, then the advancements won't upload into Scoutbook. A few weeks after the event, a parent can log in to Doubleknot and pull a report to provide to the Scoutmaster or unit advancement chair of advancements completed.          . 

Scouting Safely