Merit Badges

Merit Badge Index

Why is this called a Magic Merit Badge Page?

Because you need to be a magician
to find anything on it!

Various local organizations, e.g. the Columbus Zoo, Ohio Historical Society, or the Plumbers and Pipefitters Local 189, offer programs that allow scouts to earn merit badges. This page attempts to collect and organize information about these resources. The table below lists merit badges and the relevant resources, but the information has proven challenging to organize.

Please browse through the page -- there's interesting material here, but if you're looking for information about a specific merit badge, it might be faster to use the Merit Badge Index at the left. The index

lists all of the merit badges and links to their descriptions at the BSA National Website
includes short excerpts from the requirements
links to local resources when appropriate.

The index and this page are works in progress. If you're aware of merit badge opportunities, open to most scouts, that are not included in the index, please forward the information to Al Magnuson.

Merit Badge	Organization	Dates	Comments and Contact information

Aviation	Youth Aviation Adventure	Event is held in the spring and fall. The next date is Saturday, April 26, 2008 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. preregistration is required (see the flyer)	The Youth Aviation Adventure organization’s Boy Scout Aviation Merit Badge programs are held at The Ohio State University Airport (Don Scott Field). The most recent event runs from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Admission is $5 per person and is collected at the door. Scouts planning to attend must study the Aviation Merit Badge Requirements in advance and take the Aviation Merit Badge Test.

Fish and Wildlife Management	Columbus Zoo	Event is held yearly. The most recent Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.	Let the Columbus Zoo & Aquarium help your scout earn a merit badge! The Fish & Wildlife Management Merit Badge Program is only offered once a year in the fall and the program fills quickly! This program is designed to fulfill six of the eight requirements for the badge. The Boy Scouts are given tools to help them fulfill the other two requirements on their own. After completing the last two requirements and a short quiz at home, their blue cards will be signed. Registration opens at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, September 4th and is limited to the first 100 boys. (Please note that no registrations will be accepted before this time). Please call (614)724-3496 to register. Due to the large volume of registration calls on September 4th, your call will be recorded and time stamped. Please leave the following information: troop #, name, phone number, mailing address and the number of boys you would like to register and you will be called back with a confirmation and any additional information. If you have any questions, please e-mail us at scouts@columbuszoo.org.

	Ohio Historical Society		Planning is underway to hold a merit badge day in spring '08. Details to follow

Refer to table at right	Hatfield Merit Badge Challenge Dan Beard Council Need more information? Check out the FAQ	Registration is done online at the Dan Beard Council Website 2008 Registration deadline was Nov. 15, 2007 Sessions at 4 Cincinatti High Schools from Jan. 12, 2008 to Mar. 15, 2008 Event appears to be held yearly	This event has been conducted in at least one district (Dan Beard Council) for the past 10 years. The average success rate for a Scout is about 50-60% with younger scouts having a lower success rate. A Scout may attend any of the high schools for Merit Badge Challenge. Troops usually attend one of the Merit Badge Challenge as a unit. A Scout may attend only one Merit Badge Challenge annually. Merit badges offered may vary from location to location. Merit Badges offered in 2008 For event and contact information, refer to the event page on the Dan Beard website.

Plumbing	Plumbers & Pipefitters Local Union 189	March 8, 2008 November 8, 2008 Event appears to be held twice yearly	Where: Local Union 189 Plumbers and Pipefitters Training School, 1226 Kinnear Rd., Columbus Registration: Call 486-8980 at least 2 weeks before. Class limited to first 30 scouts. Tell the operator that you're registering for the Plumbing Merit Badge class. Cost for 2007 class was $10.

Merit Badge
College Faculty

Thanks to Troop 268
Merit Badge Coordinator
Bill Hazelton
for sharing this information

The Brothers of Epsilon Tau Pi
invite you to
Merit Badge College

Espsilon Tau Pi is a brotherhood of Eagle Scouts created during the Spring of 1999 at the University of Dayton. Epsilon Tau Pi was formed as a means to allow Eagle Scouts to continue their involvement with scouting through service.

The brothers of Epsilon Tau Pi wish to help all scouts reach the rank of Eagle. To further this goal, Epsilon Tau Pi holds an annual event called Merit Badge College, a 3 session event during which a scout can earn up to 3 merit badges. There are a variety of merit badges offered, including Eagle required and non-required badges. Sessions are held in February, March, and April. Registration begins Nov. 29 and ends January 20, 2008.

For more information, visit http://www.etpevents.org or download the printable flier linked at left.

Merit badges offered

Posted Dec. 12, 2007

Download the event flier
from the District Website

District Merit Badge Day
Saturday, February 16, 2008

Buckeye District is hosting a Merit Badge Day on Saturday, February 16. Eight different merit badges will be offered. For more information on the offered merit badges click on the logos in the table below. Time and place information is on the event flier linked at left. Cost is $15 per class.

ENERGY		ENGINEERING		GEOLOGY		ASTRONOMY
VETERINARY MEDICINE		DISABILITIES AWARENESS		SPACE EXPLORATION		ANIMAL SCIENCE

Posted Feb. 6, 2008

Updated Feb. 27, 2008

American Heritage

Weather

Auto Mechanic

Composite Materials

Computers

Crime Prevention

Electronics

Third Annual Delaware District
Merit Badge Day
8:00 am to 4:00 pm March 15, 2008

Updated Feb. 27: Registration deadline is this weekend. Electronics, Crime Prevention, and Fingerprinting are full; Weather and Surveying have been withdrawn.

Buckeye District Merit Badge Day is coming up on Feb. 16, but if you're on campout that weekend (like a certain Worthington Troop) or otherwise busy, Delaware District is holding a Merit Badge day on March 15th. Merit badges offered are listed in the table below. The Delaware website has a PDF Flier with a registration form and further information. Registration deadline is March 1. The event will be held at the Delaware Career Center and is open to any registered scout, regardless of district or council.

Update: The Weather Merit badge has been added to the morning session. There will be a field trip required and that will be explained to the scout when we receive their registration.

List of Merit Badges offered at Delaware District Merit Badge Day
Links to Requirements and Resources below:

Engineering	Fingerprinting	Geneology	Indian Lore	Journalism	Law
Medicine	Photography	Public Health	Safety	Surveying	Traffic Safety

Read the Electricity Merit Badge description at meritbadge.org

Link to Electromagnet Activity

Electricity Merit Badge

On Saturday, February 9, 2008, American Electric Power Company will hold an Electricity Merit Badge Clinic at the Ohio State Univerity Agricultural building #590, on Woody Hayes Drive, Columbus, OH. Registration will be from 8:00 am to
9:00 am and the course will close at 2:30 pm.

Each Scout should plan to bring his lunch. To be eligible, a Scout must have earned the 2^nd Class Progress Award or higher, have completed requirements 1, 3, 5, 8 and 11 of the electricity merit badge prior to this time and bring these projects with him Feb. 7 when he reports for the course. the course is limited to the first 90 Scouts to register. Cost is $5.00.

Questions can be directed to Rich Bressler at the Council Office, 436-7200.

Okay, so what are requirements 1, 3, 5, 8, and 11?

1. Demonstrate that you know how to respond to electrical emergencies by doing the following:

Show how to rescue a person touching a live wire in the home
Show how to render first aid to a person who is unconscious from electrical shock
Show how to treat an electrical burn
Explain what to do in an electrical storm.
Explain what to do in the event of an electrical fire.

3. Make a simple electromagnet (left) and use it to show magnetic attraction and repulsion
5. Make a simple drawing to show how a battery and an electric bell work.
8. On a floor plan of a room in your home, make a wiring diagram of the lights, switches, and outlets. Show which fuse or circuit breaker protects each one.
11. Do any TWO of the following:

Connect a buzzer, bell, or light with a battery. Have a key or switch in the line
Make and run a simple electric motor (not from a kit)
Build a simple rheostat. Show that it works.
Build a single pole, double throw switch. Show that it works.
Hook a model electric train layout to a house circuit. Tell how it works.

Registration Form

This image is linked to a printable (PDF) version of the registration form. Send this with $5.00 to the Simon Kenton Council office.

Plans for a
Simple Electric Motor

Beakman's
Electric Motor
a Simpler Electric Motor