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 Merit Badge (MB) help: 

     Once again, we will have two counselors, Mr. Dave Stark and Mrs. Candice Stark, available during lunch period to assist Scout(s) in completing partials. The MBs they counsel are in an attachment posted below.

1. You sign up for this just like you would a regular MB.
2. The rules for this are that you must have most of the badge already completed.
3. This is not to be used to start a badge. Preferably you only need one or two remaining requirements.
4. You must contact them well before the event - no exceptions or walk-ins. Both the you and the counselor need to be aware of what you need to do.

05. Counselors 

     Our MB counselors are all Council approved and experienced in group instruction as prescribed in the Guide to Advancement (link verified 11/12/2021) paragraph 7.0.3.2. Some of them have over 10 years experience with this event and put a lot of time and effort into ensuring a positive experience for each Scout.

06. This 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 counselor 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.  Don’t then 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 [email protected] 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 11/12/2021).

The policies of two-deep leadership and no one-on-one contact between adults and youth members also apply to 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 takes place 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 11/12/2021). (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. BSA Cyber Chip

      A Scout will need a current BSA Cyber Chip (link verified 11/12/2021) for Digital Technology 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. Notifications

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