Merit Badge Program

The Boy Scouts of America is dedicated to supplementing and enlarging the education of young men. The boy scout merit badge program, which provides opportunities for scouts to explore more than 120 fun and exciting skills and plays a key role in the fulfillment of this educational commitment.

Badges are a vital part of boy scouts advancement plan, the merit badge program is one of scouting's basic character-building tools. Through participation in the program a scout acquires the kind of self-confidence that comes from overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal. Leadership and instruction is offered in everything from Archery, Canoeing, Communications, Emergency Preparedness, Personal Management and Veterinary Medicine, providing a scout with invaluable career, physical, leadership and interpersonal skills. In Troop 88 we work with the scouts and offer troop badges as well as scouts working on indivual choices.

Each merit badge subject is outlined and explained in a pamphlet that contains short introductory information written for Boy Scouts/Varsity Scouts by recognized authorities. You may get these pamphlets at Council in Milford or find some at the public library. They will guide the scout easily through the process of achieving the goal and badge.

People who are knowledgeable about the various merit badge subjects are selected, approved, and trained by council and district advancement committees to serve as merit badge counselors. For example, a dentist might be asked to serve as a counselor for the Dentistry merit badge. A counselor must also be a registered adult with the BSA. In Troop 88 our leadership is strong and comitted to guiding your child to the right source to help them achieve their goals.

When a Scout has an interest in earning a particular merit badge, he obtains his Scoutmaster's approval and finds another Scout with similar interests to become his partner. They are set up with a merit badge counselor. The counselor reviews the badge requirements with the scouts and decides with them what projects should be undertaken and when they should be completed. After the counselor has certified that the Scouts have qualified for the merit badge, it is presented to them at a troop meeting and can be applied toward rank advancement.

To qualify for the Eagle Scout Award, Scouting's highest advancement rank, a Scout must—along with meeting five other requirements—earn a total of 21 merit badges, including First Aid, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communications, Personal Fitness, Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, Environmental Science, Personal Management, Camping, Hiking OR Cycling OR Swimming and Family Life.

To meet the changing interests of boys and the times, new merit badges are always being added. BSA will review and revise all merit badges periodically to be sure they are up to date.

List of Merrit Badges
What would you like to earn?