UPDATE

Due to COVID-19, we believe it best to cancel Session 2 of the 2020 Merit Badge College.

Scouts are encouraged to continue to work on requirements assigned by their counselors. If Scouts have specific questions about the completion of their badge, they should reach out to their merit badge counselor directly. 2020 Merit Badge Counselor Contact Information is as linked.      

FYI, the 2021 Merit Badge College (the 18th annual) is scheduled for March 6 and April 10.

Logistics:

03/31/2020 update: Session 2 has been cancelled.

03/17/2020 update: Session 2 has been re-scheduled. Tentatively, will be held on May 2, 2020. Email(s) will issue.

03/08/2020 update: Session 1 is in the books! Scouts, continue working on your requirements. See you at Session 2.

2020 TROOP 168

17th Annual

Merit Badge College

Session #1: March 7, 2020

POSTPONED Session #2: April 4, 2020

Tentatively rescheduled for May 2, 2020

CANCELLED

Saint Patrick School

87 Marsh Drive, Carlisle 

PA 17015

Citizenship in the World

Dentistry

Digital Technology

Emergency Preparedness - Double Session

Family Life

Geocaching

Graphic Arts

Indian Lore

Inventing

Personal Management

Plumbing

Radio

Safety

Scouting Heritage

ALSO PARTIAL MBs - See #4 info below

Signs Signals and Codes

Space Exploration

Sustainability

Textile

Theater

Weather

Welding

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01.   Individual Scouts will select their MB Classes using the below link. 12/21/19 update: Registration is closed. The 2020 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 [email protected].

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. Personal Management is limited to Scouts bearing the rank of 1st class and above.

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 4 badges in total. There are 4 class periods per badge except Emergency Preparedness. Class periods are 9-10:25; 10:30-11:55; 12:45-2:10 and 2:15-3:45. Emergency Preparedness is double periods (9-11:55 and 12:45-3:45). Scouts bearing the rank of 2nd Class and below should consider only signing up for 2 or 3 total. 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.

. . . . . e. For some of the Eagle-required MBs (i.e., Citizenship in the World and Family Life), there are multiple MB Counselors. Please check class lists posted below to determine who your counselor is; you can contact them as needed.

04. Partial MB help. We are trying something new this year. Mr. Dave Stark and Mrs. Candice Stark will each have period 4 to assist Scout(s) in completing partials. The MBs they counsel are in an attachment (also linked at the bottom of this page).

. . . . . 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 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 [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:

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 Age Guidelines for Tool Use and Work at Elevations or Excavations. (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. 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.

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

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

13. 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.

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