Troop 168

Troop 168 is sponsored by Saint Patrick Parish, Carlisle, PA.

2021 DATES: 

Day one is in the books!  The remaining day of the 2021 Merit Badge College is scheduled for June 12.   

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2021 TROOP 168 

18th Annual

Merit Badge College



Session #1:  May 22, 2021


Session #2:  June 12, 2021



Saint Patrick School
87 Marsh Drive
Carlisle PA 17015

 
 ~ ~ ~ 2021 Merit Badges~ ~ ~


Automotive Maintenance

Aviation - Double Session 6 per class

Chemistry

Citizenship in the Nation

Communication

Electronics - 5 per class





Genealogy
Inventing
Landscape Architecture
Law
Painting


ALSO PARTIAL MBs
See #4 info below



Photography
Public Speaking - 5 per class
Soil and Water Conservation
Surveying - Double Session
Traffic Safety
Truck Transportation



DETAILS / LINKS

Troop 168 will host its 18th Annual Merit Badge College on May 22 and June 12, 2021.     

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Troop 168 welcomes all our visitor Scouts to the 18th Annual Merit Badge College!  Our past colleges have been well received with Scouts attending from 8 different councils covering 5 states.  WE ARE ONCE AGAIN ABLE TO OFFER THIS EVENT FREE TO THE SCOUTS. Freewill assistance is greatly appreciated.      

All COVID-19 safety procedures will be strictly followed.  This includes, but is not limited to, properly wearing face masks, temperature checks, social distancing, and a tracking form that will be sent out to all registrants.

Registration will open 03/13/2021 at 9 AM; classes fill up quickly. PLEASE READ ALL THE NOTES BELOW BEFORE REGISTERING AND CLEAR YOUR CHOICES WITH YOUR UNIT LEADER.  Registration will close when classes are full (usually within 2 days).  The Scout will receive a confirmation email with their schedule immediately after checking out.  A copy of this registration is received by the carlislembc@comcast.net email at the same time.  Any errors or cancellations will be addressed by NBOF (New Birth of Freedom) Council.  Due to space constraints we are limiting the number of MBs per Scout to two (2). Once registration closes, if there is still space we will inform everyone so they can go back and register for more badges. 
  
You must attend both days; your class schedule will be the same each Saturday. This event is run in accordance with all policies and procedures contained in the BSA Guide to Advancement (link verified 2/18/2021).  The Merit Badge requirements (link verified 2/18/2021) can be found as linked. The registration link is at the bottom of the information we want you to read prior to registering.
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We are pleased to present this exciting event for the benefit of individual Scouts.  It is solely run by volunteers for Scouts. Our commitment continues to be focused upon creating a learning environment to present the skills and training necessary to succeed and to further the Scout’s advancement goals while providing the opportunity to enjoy good fellowship and experience Boy Scouting at its best.   This Merit Badge College is not a program that guarantees advancement, nor is it a ‘merit badge factory’.   Unfortunately there have been parents who believe that just by attending, their child should get the MB.   It is an opportunity for individual Scouts to meet with qualified counselors who help them earn the merit badges they need for advancement.   Please be aware that a Scout may not fully complete the requirements for a merit badge at the college. It is the Merit Badge Counselor, however, who determines whether or not the Scout has satisfactorily completed the requirements for a merit badge. Questions about requirements completion are referred to the Merit Badge Counselor; please include carlislembc@comcast.net on the copy.

The Scout Oath and The Scout Law shall be the code of Merit Badge College.  
We are guests of Saint Patrick School and we will practice Leave No Trace principles.

Scouts are expected to wear Class A uniform.  

We will email the attendees a survey after session two requesting feedback; please feel free to provide comments any time. 

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01.  Individual Scouts will select their MB Classes using the below link. The 2021 MBC will again use the system that is solely controlled by the NBOF Council.  Any and all issues need to be sent to Christopher Styers at 717-854-7942 or christopher.styers@scouting.org.    

You have to register for an individual TENTAROO account before you can register for the event.  Please be careful and don’t rush. Please double-check the contact email you enter into the registration as this is the one from which you will receive system emails.

02.  BOTH SESSIONS of Aviation MB will be held off site at the Capital City Airport (210 Airport Road, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania).  Transportation is not provided.

03.  Scouts should:
. . . . . a. Remember that Badges will be first come, first serve. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR EVENTS IN THE COUNCIL AND SPACE FILLS UP FAST, SO REGISTER EARLY.
. . . . . b. Review your badge choices. Scouts may register for up to 2 badges in total. There are 4 class periods per badge except Aviation and Surveying.   Class periods are 9-10:25; 10:30-11:55; 12:45-2:10 and 2:15-3:45.  Aviation and Surveying are double periods (9-11:55 and 12:45-3:45).  The times are shown on your receipt as 1,2,3,4.   The goal is to have Scouts finish the badges they register for so please sign up only for those you plan to work on and complete. Our experience is that Scouts and parents sign up for more than they can accomplish in the time allotted. Consider Your Age. While there is not an age or grade requirement for any merit badge, certain classes at the MBC are recommended for older Scouts.  In the short duration of a single day, the nature and amount of material covered in these classes will possibly make it difficult for a younger Scout to keep up.  This can slow the pace of the class and the class will not complete the intended material. We want you to enjoy what you do here so you will do it well.
. . . . . c. READ THE PREREQUISITES CAREFULLY. The Merit Badge Counselors have provided the prerequisites for their badge. A list of pre-requisites for each merit badge will be listed below.  Remember, many badges will include work on additional requirements not completed at the college. Be sure you understand your obligation is to be prepared to complete a merit badge. It is pretty obvious to the counselors if the Scout completed the material by himself/herself. If projects are required that can be done prior to the college, please make sure to bring these materials/items to class.  It is the discretion of the MB Counselor to approve such work.  It is each Scout’s own responsibility to bring the “notes,” “demonstrations,” “showings,” “completed projects” and any special equipment required for the merit badges. Filling out a worksheet DOES NOT constitute completion of the requirement. 
. . . . . d.  Scouts must have signed blue cards by their Scoutmaster to turn in at the first class. 


04.   Partial MB help. Once again, we will have two counselors, Mr. Dave Stark and Mrs. Candice Stark, available during period 4 to assist Scout(s) in completing partials.  The MBs they counsel are in an attachment posted below.   
. . . . . a.  You sign up for this just like you would a regular MB.  
. . . . . b.  The rules for this are that you must have most of the badge already completed.  
. . . . . c.  This is not to be used to start a badge. Preferably you only need one or two remaining requirements.
. . . . . d.  You must contact them well before the event - no exceptions or walk ins. You and the MBC need to be aware of what you need to do. 

05. Our MB counselors are all council approved and experienced in group instruction as prescribed in the Guide to Advancement  (link verified 02/18/2021) paragraph 7.0.3.2.  Some of them have over 10 years experience with this event and they put a lot of time and effort into ensuring a positive experience for each Scout. 

06.  Merit Badge College will use the latest requirements as specified in the official BSA publications for all merit badges. Scouts should have a current merit badge book. If Scouts do not have their prerequisites completed, they will not complete the badge. No exceptions. Prerequisites and counselors information will be linked below.

SUCCESS COMES TO THOSE SCOUTS WHO ARE, INDEED, PREPARED.  Scouts, not their parents, are responsible to contact the counselors, using two deep leadership, if they have any questions about the prerequisites or if the instructions state to do so before starting.  Likewise, if a Scout cannot attend both sessions, it is the Scout's responsibility to contact the counselor.

Many merit badges may require post-college counseling to complete and Counselors will be available to advise Scouts needing post-college completion. Please take advantage of this opportunity. Make sure you write down the counselor's contact information so that you can communicate effectively with the counselor and don’t delay to finish the work needed for the badge. 

07.  Scout’s Merit Badge/Scout’s Work - The Scout should communicate with the Merit Badge Counselor(s) rather than parent(s)/ guardian(s).  If the Scout uses his parent/guardian’s email, that’s fine … as long as it is the Scout who communicates. Ensure no one on one email/text communication. Feel free to copy carlislembc@comcast.net on any emails.  Please include your parent/guardian on texts.  If a Scout is uncomfortable with email, he can … with parent/guardian/adult within hearing vicinity … call the merit badge counselor or arrange to meet in a public setting with others present. 

08. Two-deep leadership - When a Scout contacts the Merit Badge Counselor through email/text, remember to copy parent/guardian/Scoutmaster in order to comply with two-deep leadership in the Guide to Safe Scouting (link verified 2/18/2021):    

Two-deep leadership and no one-on-one contact between adults and youth members includes digital communication. Leaders may not have one-on-one private online communications or engage one-on-one in other digital activities (games, social media, etc.) with youth members. Leaders should copy a parent and another leader in digital and online communication, ensuring no one-on-one contact exists in text, social media, or other forms of online or digital communication.

 

When a Scout emails through their parent’s/guardian’s email account, they must copy a second parent/guardian/Scoutmaster on emails to ensure two-deep leadership is maintained.  Similarly, text messages should include parent/guardian.

 

09. BSA Safety Guidelines  -  Several Merit Badges require projects.  Don’t forget to factor in BSA’s safety guidelines including BSA’s SAFE Project Tool Use (link verified 3/18/2021).  (FYI, these will also be important as you eventually plan your Eagle project.)  Please make sure YOU can use the proper equipment to complete your suggested project.    


10.  A Scout will need a current BSA Cyber Chip (link verified 2/18/2021) for several Merit Badges.

 
11. Check-in for all Scouts will begin at 8:00 AM each Saturday.  For the purposes of this event, you are attending as an individual and not as a unit.  We request at least one leader/parent from each unit stay on premises in case of emergency with their Scout.  BRING YOUR TICKETS WITH YOU. It has the badges/times you are signed up for but you still need to check what classroom your MB is held in. If you only have afternoon classes, please check in no later than 12:00. We have established class size limits to ensure a quality experience for all Scouts. Many classes fill up quickly, so the sooner you register and enter schedules, the better opportunity your Scouts have to register for classes they want. With that in mind, please remember to schedule wisely.  A seat taken is no longer available to another Scout.

12. The opening ceremony will be at 8:45 AM each Saturday.

13.  Lunch is between 12:00-12:40 PM and can be purchased from the concession stand or you can bring your own.

14.  Other Concerns
All cell phones must be shut off while in the class. If Scouts are found texting, checking messages, or playing games, the phones will be taken from them, give to the registration table, and returned at end of the day. The counselor is the final authority in the classroom.  Disruptive Scouts not displaying proper classroom behavior or who are clearly unprepared to participate will be sent to the registration table by counselor.  Scouts will remain in classrooms until their dismissal times. This reduces the congestion and noise in the hallways.

15. If we should have bad weather, notification will go out via email to the address provided at registration.




Links

Linked are:

Merit Badge Requirements  including updates from 2019 Scouts BSA Requirements (33216)  (link verified @ 2/18/2021)


2021 Merit Badge Pre-Requisites   (posted 3/2/2021)


Partial MB Help mentioned in Note 04 above:  Merit Badges Starks Counsel   (posted 10/18/2019. Still current 2/18/2021.) 


NOTE:  While a Scout may find a Merit Badge worksheet helpful, it is not required.  If a Scout chooses to use a worksheet, make sure the worksheet captures current Merit Badge requirements.  (link verified @ 2/18/2021)


NOTE:  REGISTRATION OPENS 13 MARCH 2021 @ 9:00 AM.
 

Click here for 


TENTAROO REGISTRATION LINK


This takes you directly to the event.  You then need to enter your Tentaroo log in credentials. 

 
Registration systems questions?  Email christopher.styers@scouting.org or call 717-854-7942

General questions can be sent to carlislembc@comcast.net