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Tecumseh District
MERIT BADGE PAGE
Find a Counsleor - A Scout Guide
Just what is a "BLUE CARD?"

Information on this page will be updated as often as possible. This page is not an official page of the Simon Kenton Council or the National Boy Scouts of America, but every effort was made to assue accuracy.

ATTENTION Scouts and Parents. This guide is intended for the Merit Badge Counselors, however, it has important information you need to be aware of. A clear understanding of what is expected between the Scout and the Counselor is a good idea before beginning work on any merit badge to avoid problems.

A "Blue Card" is required for every Merit Badge - it is the Scout's advnacement record HOWEVER in some special circumstances, a "Blue Card" may be replaced by another form of tracking. ONLY events such as the National Jamboree, some camporees or Council events may substitute such an alternate form of tracking. These forms should be kept with your other Blue Cards to present as proof of earning the merit badge or at a Board Of Review.

GUIDE FOR MERIT BADGE COUNSELING

Whether you are new to the merit badge program in scouting, or are a seasoned merit badge counselor, we hope that you take the time to read through this guide. This guide attempts to put your task as Merit Badge Counselor in perspective with the overall aims of the Scouting Program, and to point out some specific areas that need attention.
The Tecumseh District Advancement Committee

ADVANCEMENT PRINCIPLES

Merit badges are part of advancement in the Boy Scout program. Advancement is simply a means to an end, not an end unto itself. Everything done to advance and earn ranks should be designed to help the young Scout have an exciting and meaningful experience.

Advancement accommodates the three aims of Scouting: citizenship, growth in moral strength and character, and mental and physical development.

The Boy Scout advancement program is subtle. It places a series of challenges in front of the scout in a manner that is fun and educational. As Scouts meet these challenges, they achieve the aims of Boy Scouting. The Eagle required merit badges specifically are designed to improve the youth in the aims of Scouting. Through the merit badge program, a Scout also learns career skills, develops socially, and may develop physical skills and hobbies that give a lifetime of healthful recreation. His experience is enhanced through his contacts with experts in the fields he chooses to study. You, the merit badge counselor, are that expert.

Earning merit badges gives a Scout the kind of self-confidence that comes from overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal. One of the greatest needs of young people is confidence. There are three kinds of confidence that young men need: in themselves, in their peers, and in the people in a position of authority, i.e. leaders. Educators and counselors agree that the best way to build confidence is through measurement. Self-confidence is developed by measuring up to a challenge or a standard. Peer confidencedevelops when the same measuring system is used for everyone - when all must meet the same challenge to receive equal recognition. Confidence in leaders comes about when there is consistency in measuring - when leaders use a single system of fairness.

THE MERIT BADGE METHOD

There are four steps in the advancement procedure:
learning,
testing,
reviewing,
recognition.

As a merit badge counselor, your task lies in the first two: Learning and Testing.

Learning

As an expert in the field of the merit badge you counsel, the Scout will learn from you and from the guidance that you provide him in his search for the goals set forth in the merit badge requirements. This will help him to build the self-confidence that comes from meeting the challenge.

It is important to see that the Scout DOES THE REQUIREMENTS AS THEY ARE WRITTEN.

If it says to research a subject, he needs to do the research himself by going to the library or other appropriate place. In this case, it is your job to guide him to the places to accomplish the task rather than hand him the materials. If it says to write a report, then he must write the report. If it asks him to make a collection, then he must make the collection and show you the collection. If it asks him to demonstrate some skill, then he must demonstrate that skill. You may help him achieve these goals as long as he does the work as stated.

Testing

It is also your task to see that he is tested, that he has truly fulfilled the requirements set forth.

For some requirements the Scout is asked to describe his experience or discuss some element of skill or knowledge set forth in the requirements, or you may impart your knowledge to him in helping him to fulfill the requirement. It is important that you then ask him to reiterate in his own words what he has learned so that you know he has indeed fulfilled the requirements, especially for elements where you were not present when he did the work to know that he really accomplished the task.

If he voluntarily does more than the requirements, then by all means, praise him for a job well done.

Ask no more of the scout than specified in the requirements,
but also ask no less than the requirements specify.

This is important to developing both peer confidence and leader confidence. If he later learns that you lessened the standards, then he loses confidence in leaders because they did not use a single system of fairness. If he or other Scouts learn that you accepted less, you not only undermine leader confidence, but also peer confidence because the same measuring system was not used for everyone - all did not meet the same challenge to receive equal recognition.

A special situation arises when you counsel a group of Scouts for a merit badge. While you may teach several at a time, it is absolutely necessary that you test each Scout individually: you must provide UNIFORMITY IN THE CHALLENGE.

Testing individually can be done in a variety of ways: take each scout aside and test him, give a written test to the group over material that can be answered in a written test and test individually for the remainder of the requirements, etc. How you handle this greatly depends on the individual merit badge being counseled. However you wish to handle the situation is up to you, as long as you see there is UNIFORMITY IN THE CHALLENGE for each and every Scout.

It is utmost important that ALL merit badge counselors stick to the requirements AS STATED so that there is UNIFORMITY IN THE CHALLENGE.

The Buddy System: Youth Protection and Counselor (YOU) Protection

A scout must have a buddy with him at each meeting with the merit badge counselor. A Scout's buddy can be another Scout or Scout Leader, a parent or guardian, a brother or sister, another relative, or a friend. This is for the youth's protection as well as yours.

Do not counsel Scouts without you having your own buddy. If you meet in your own home, be sure that there is some other responsible adult at home, also. If you meet with the Scout elsewhere, see that you meet out in the open where others can see you so you leave no room to be accused of questionable activity. This is for your protection. Don't place yourself at risk.

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