Help! I am searching for merit badge counselors for: personal management; cit in nation, first aid, cit in community, family life and cooking!! Thanks
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Has your Scout approached the Scoutmaster for merit badge counselor recommendations?
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His troop is at camp. He ages out on the 12th thrying to get these signed off never used this to search before, we are on our own:(
How do i search for counselors?? That is what i am asking not familiar with this at all
Adult leaders in the troop can use Scoutbook to search for counselors. Parents do not have the ability to search.
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Gotcha, so what am i supposed to do?? This is so frustrating!!
Did any of the Assistant Scoutmasters stay home from camp?
The process is the same as it has always been for him. To work with his Scoutmaster to get a blue card and the name of a registered MBC. It really isn’t something a parent does, but what a Scout does for themselves.
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@MichelleGoffinet - well there are time lines on some of these merit badges, personal management being one. Cit in the community requires 8 hours of service time. I suspect that an age out on the 12th is not going to cut it.
Sorry but this is not how this works
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Personal management requires the scout to prepare and execute on a budget over the course of 13 consecutive weeks.
There is not enough time to complete this MB by the 12th.
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How do you know he hasn’t done this? I have it figured out thanks! I said they are completed I was looking for counselors to sign the cards and I have figured it out thanks
Sorry, but the intro post said nothing about being completed.
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First, you never did say they were completed.
Second, this is NOT how the Merit Badge process is supposed to work where a scout does things and THEN finds a merit badge counselor or gets their parent to find the merit badge counselor.
Third, the Merit Badge Counselor may decide whether they will accept this work or not. I will tell you I would be very hesitant to do so if a parent (not the scout, a parent) at literally the last minute handed me a stack of merit badge work and said “sign here”.
This sounds nowhere close to being in compliance with the Guide to Advancement.
Wish you and your scout the best of luck.
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From Section 7.0.0.2 of the Guide to Advancement - “a Scout may begin working on a merit badge at any time after registering in Scouts BSA, or becoming a qualified Venturer or Sea Scout. It is the counselor’s decision whether to accept work or activities completed prior to the issuing of the signed blue card.”
@WilliamsburgScouter YOU may not accept something started before you saw the Scout, but I may. So, let’s not get to overwhelming here. Yes, he would need to see a MBC that would accept such things, but yes, it would be a real stretch.
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I would recommend checking with your council office for a list of MB councilors.
Scouts often come home from camp(s) with partial MB’s. To close them out the scout needs to local a counselor to finish the badge. Most people would start with MBC within their troop (mostly for convenience) then move to MBC outside of the troop. The council should be able to provide a full listing of counselors within your area.
To repeat what David P. mentioned–check your local council’s website.
For example, in San Diego county, I can go to the SDIC site, select the merit badge of interest, type in the zip code, and search for MB counselors, listed in order of distance from the zip code.
Which seems to throw the Guide to Advancement in the trash can.
Limit access to those who have merit badge– related responsibilities, such as advancement committee members and chairs, or unit leaders and selected assistants. Scouts should not have access.
https://www.scouting.org/resources/guide-to-advancement/the-merit-badge-program#7022
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Which counsel do you belong to? Your scout can ask for an extension on his eagle project. Advancement and Merritt badges are always handled by the advancement chair in our troop. if you can not get up with them reach out to your council district representative. He/she can help you. No need to be frustrated. It is the scout’s responsibility but we all know sometimes they need a push… If you are in the scout book he could have access to all merit badge counselors in the area through there. We also give them our information if they need to get up with us. But a counselor can not communicate with scout via email alone. 2 deep leadership. Have your scout email them and copy you and the scoutmaster. This has worked well for my son.
i hope this is helpful.
Michelle, I am a Unit Commissioner as well as a MBC for the Dan Beard Council. I invite you to contact me at sboro.scouting @ outlook.com (without spaces, obviously). I can at least provide an empathetic and experienced ear, a helpful attitude, and hopefully assist you toward a solution. Please include the name of your child’s Council, your state of residence, and your reasoning regarding the age-out problem.
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