	Troop 240, Bronx, N.Y. Merit Badge Program "The Eagle's Nest"

Background and Purposes

As chartered by the Congress of the United States, the Boy Scouts of America is a movement dedicated to supplementing and enlarging the education of youth. The merit badge program, which provides opportunities for youth to explore more than 100 fields of skill and knowledge, plays a key role in the fulfillment of this educational commitment.

A vital part of the BSA's advancement plan, the merit badge program is one of Scouting's basic character-building tools. Through participation in the program (which may begin immediately upon registration in a troop or team), a Scout acquires the kind of self-confidence that comes only from overcoming obstacles to achieve a goal. Instruction is offered in everything from animal science and public speaking to swimming and communications, providing a young man with invaluable career, physical, and interpersonal skills.

Camping Merit Badge Lifesaving Merit Badge Personal Management Merit Badge First Aid Merit Badge Citizenship in the Nation Merit Badge

Merit Badge Pamphlets

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. More than a million pamphlets are sold yearly, and many are used as approved reference texts in libraries and school curricula.

Counselors

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 not only possess the necessary technical knowledge but have a solid understanding of the needs, interests, and abilities of Scouts. A counselor must also be a registered adult with the BSA.

Procedure

When a Scout has an interest in earning a particular merit badge, he obtains his Scoutmaster's/Varsity Scout Coach's approval and identifies another Scout with similar interests to become his partner. They are then directed to the appropriate merit badge counselor. The counselor reviews the badge requirements with the young men 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/team meeting and can be applied toward rank advancement.

Badges for Eagle

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.

New Badges

To meet the changing interests of boys, new merit badges are added from time to time. In addition, all merit badges are reviewed and revised periodically.

MERIT BADGE	2001	TOTAL 1911 THROUGH 2001
Agribusiness (discontinued)	43	6,692
American Business	608	44,351
American Cultures	1,940	34,841
American Heritage	5,164	90,390
American Labor	619	12,351
Animal Science	3,220	15,829
Archaeology	3,372	68,020
Archery	41,076	1,003,132
Architecture	1,993	178,989
Art	30,603	906,443
Astronomy	16,891	458,838
Athletics	4,258	1,012,376
Atomic Energy	5,106	108,441
Auto Mechanics	8,069	50,818
Aviation	18,297	357,044
Backpacking	6,175	148,036
Basketry	53,473	2,041,877
Bird Study	3,097	506,750
Bugling	888	161,252
Camping	68,997	3,853,865
Canoeing	47,691	2,483,333
Chemistry	5,396	253,445
Cinematography	2,946	30,237
Citizenship in the Community	65,463	2,722,497
Citizenship in the Nation	68,626	2,398,126
Citizenship in the World	64,878	1,430,324
Climbing	24,148	103,360
Coin Collecting	5,406	423,428
Collections	6,511	72,473
Communications	60,560	1,301,269
Computers	18,421	323,441
Cooking	40,091	3,906,138
Crime Prevention	6,281	41,682
Cycling	9,004	480,114
Dentistry	3,866	80,352
Disabilities Awareness	2,783	58,684
Dog Care	3,799	387,059
Drafting	1,552	205,345
Electricity	10,751	660,948
Electronics	4,824	131,509
Emergency Preparedness	51,216	1,194,669
Energy	1,812	40,972
Engineering	2,561	55,573
Entrepreneurship	915	2,732
Environmental Science	70,974	1,754,386
Family Life	54,303	447,222
Farm Mechanics	1,803	191,662
Fingerprinting	45,954	1,080,367
Firemanship	11,481	2,421,849
First Aid	96,965	5,817,974
Fish and Wildlife Management	15,425	455,101
Fishing	31,123	1,609,635
Forestry	15,678	947,007
Gardening	2,089	360,761
Genealogy	5,309	159,983
Geology	16,334	377,703
Golf	6,223	84,188
Graphic Arts	1,799	16,865
Hiking	10,126	1,223,172
Home Repairs	6,497	2,351,420
Horsemanship	11,278	479,783
Indian Lore	28,552	820,322
Insect Study	1,525	132,302
Journalism	1,021	90,952
Landscape Architecture	2,814	57,596
Law	4,977	101,701
Leatherwork	61,001	1,754,611
Lifesaving	32,651	2,660,172
Mammal Study	29,258	815,478
Medicine	2,901	23,259
Metalwork	29,179	977,087
Model Design and Building	2,009	185,633
Motorboating	12,992	413,822
Music	12,748	1,122,935
Nature	13,360	1,450,798
Oceanography	7,731	156,406
Orienteering	22,430	551,395
Painting	3,753	501,042
Personal Fitness	54,162	1,772,038
Personal Management	46,940	1,129,914
Pets	6,803	573,903
Photography	6,266	325,352
Pioneering	25,966	2,114,102
Plant Science	409	24,660
Plumbing	5,013	314,886
Pottery	14,707	246,302
Public Health	1,221	1,496,336
Public Speaking	2,492	567,848
Pulp and Paper	2,761	54,838
Radio	3,623	94,552
Railroading	5,800	143,573
Reading	7,585	1,396,876
Reptile and Amphibian Study	10,842	513,142
Rifle Shooting	46,417	672,700
Rowing	18,843	1,508,349
Safety	5,451	2,880,511
Salesmanship	4,943	250,055
Scholarship	6,423	1,191,421
Sculpture	5,825	165,326
Shotgun Shooting	18,192	201,442
Skating	5,857	126,255
Skiing	159	260,876
Small-Boat Sailing	16,410	412,751
Snow Sports	13,277	31,125
Soil and Water Conservation	12,651	934,505
Space Exploration	18,407	268,524
Sports	12,162	1,005,628
Stamp Collecting	992	374,383
Surveying	934	134,383
Swimming	70,626	5,286,628
Textile	2,609	96,498
Theater	1,392	55,531
Traffic Safety	3,084	76,472
Truck Transportation	2,869	96,090
Veterinary Science	2,065	39,959
Water Skiing	4,097	194,826
Weather	14,502	356,469
Whitewater	3,212	37,792
Wilderness Survival	38,866	1,077,432
Wood Carving	43,747	1,679,002
Woodwork	4,037	905,304
TOTAL	2,029,064	103,415,920

Interested in joining our Troop? Click here or e-mail your membership inquiry to membership@Troop240ny.org.

08
Please read the Web Site Disclaimer
Contact Person: Webmaster