Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Online Version of the Merit Badge Book


Welcome to the wonderful world of scouting!  We present the first ever “Big Boy Scouts & the Manly Merit Badges.”  Calling all scouts and non-scouts alike, we invite you to strive this next month to earn your tenderfoot, your 2nd or 1st class or even your Star or Life Scout rank in the Big Boy Scouts.  And if you’re really willing to put in the effort, you will be honored with the rank of Seagull Scout.

Outlined below are the basic requirements to earn each of the different ranks.  There are Individual Merit Badges which fall in one of three categories:  (1) Friends (2) Callings (3) Nourishment.  Each of these categories contain the option of 9 different merit badges.

In addition to the individual merit badges which can be earned anytime, there is also a “Scout-O-Rama” Festival which will be held on the late afternoon/early evening of Saturday, Sept. 22nd.  At the Scout-O-Rama you will participate with your troop in some group badges (otherwise known as competitions).  Participation in this event alone will have great impact on your rank, as you will see below—though all ranks are obtainable even if you aren’t able to come on this portion of Big Boy Scouts.  However, to be eligible for the Golden and Silver Seagull Award, you must be on the winning troops of the Scout-O-Rama competition.

Guidelines for Earning the Big Boy Scout Ranks
Tenderfoot : the scout must do 1 badge of each of the three categories
(3 total)

2nd Class: the scout must do 2 badges of each of the three categories
(6 total)

1st Class: the scout must do 3 badges of each of the three categories
(9 total), OR just participate in the Scout-O-Rama events (no individual badges required)

Star : the scout must do 4 badges of each of the three categories
(12 total), OR participate in the Scout-O-Rama events as well as do 1 badge of each of the three categories.

Life : the scout must do 5 badges of each of the three categories
(15 total), OR participate in the Scout-O-Rama events as well as do 2 badges of each of the three categories.

Seagull : the scout must do all of the badges in all three categories 
(27  total), OR participate in the Scout-O-Rama events as well as do 3 badges of each of the three categories.




CATEGORY 1: FRIENDS

1.  “Mother May I?” Merit Badge: For this merit badge the scout must find a woman (wife, mother, sister in the ward) who needs something done around the house and take care of the list of things that needs to be done. (no matter how long the list is).

2.  The pArTy Merit Badge: The scout must invite at least 3 people over to your house for some social interaction.  And then Party On! Dude.

3. An Attitude of Gratitude Merit Badge: The scout should write a thank you note to someone and express gratitude to that person for something they have done.  Deliver the note in the mail or in person to complete this badge.

4. Week Long Weak-Stache Merit Badge: Leave your upper lip unshaven for one week.  Come with your mustache to the chili cook-off or send a picture to Mustache Collection agency for extra troop points.

5. Identify Your Troop Merit Badge: Figure out who is in your troop and remind them about the Scout-O-Rama or Chili Cook-Off  event on Sept. 22nd.  Extra troop points given for any invitations accepted.

6. Keep it in the Family Merit Badge: Hold a family home evening where you plan the lesson, activity and treat for your family/ whoever you hold FHE with.

7.The Dating Game Merit Badge: Take someone on a date (without your kids where applicable) . It must be “planned ahead” “paid for” and “paired off” (E. Oaks). 

8. Friend Me, Message Me, Poke Me Merit Badge This social-networking badge is awarded to scouts who establishes contact with 3 members of the quorum in three different ways via Facebook: Friend someone, message someone, poke someone.  If you don’t have a FB account you can tweet, you can Link them in, or use another social media of preference.  This activity may be substituted (preferentially) to uploading your/your family picture to the ward website.

9. Love Your Neighbor #1 Merit Badge: Have a conversation with your next door neighbors (those on both sides of you)

CATEGORY 2: CALLINGS

1. The Hometeacher Merit Badge: Complete your Home Teaching for the month and report it to your district leader.  Bonus points will be given per person in each troop who completes this by the Scout-O-Rama Extravaganza.

2.  U-haul Merit Badge: Assist in at least one move in or move out in the month. 

3.  Magnify Your Calling Merit Badge: Do 3 things more than you ever done for your calling.  (Pray, call someone, read ahead, fast, whatever you would like).

4. Be Good. Have Fun. Create Wonderful Things. Merit Badge Make some art  or craft of any kind. To earn this badge you must bring it or give it to someone to display at the Scout-O-Rama Gallery.

5. Who’s Your Daddy?! Merit Badge: For this Family History Badge you must log on to familysearch.org and complete one piece of your family history that isn’t already connected to you.  Or do something that has to do with family history.

6. Surely Temple Merit Badge: Visit the temple.

7. Speak-Up Merit Badge: Volunteer to speak, teach, or pray at church. Bonus points if you speak in sacrament in September.

8. Every Member a Missionary Merit Badge: Write a missionary or feed the full time missionaries, or accept (and complete) an assignment from Bro. Ulrich. 

9. Love Your Neighbor #2 Merit Badge: Help out your neighbor with some actual service. Fix their roof. Cut their grass.  Go door to door in your old scout uniform collecting cans of food for the food bank… you get the idea.

 CATEGORY 3: NOURISHMENT

1. Super Sunday School Student Merit Badge: Read the Sunday School Lesson ahead of time and make at least one comment in class. If you teach a second hour lesson this counts (assuming you read the lesson ahead of time and say something during the lesson).

2. Food for Thought & Soul Merit Badge: Scout must set aside time to read the scriptures for 7 days straight, for at least 15 minutes on each of those days.

3. Food for Yourself & the Ward Merit Badge: Prepare a dish for the ward Chili-Cookoff. (your wife’s work doesn’t count, must be your own masterpiece).

4.  Learn Something 101 Merit Badge: Go to the library or online and learn something.  Be prepared to share what you’ve learned.

5. P9X Merit Badge: Though similar, this is not to be confused with the more well known P90X fitness program. P9X requires only that you set aside time to do 30 minutes of exercise in one week’s time in addition to what you normally do. (so if you do P90X it just became P99X. If you do P0X, it is straight P9X now. It’s all about the direction we’re heading folks).

6. W.O.W. Merit Badge: Read section 89 of the Doctrine and Covenants.  Write down one health goal you can have for a 7 day period and place it on your fridge. Stick to that goal for the 7 days and badaboombadabing you’ve got a merit badge.

7. Testimony Merit Badge: Share your testimony in words or writing with someone.

8. Money Make-over Merit Badge: Make a budget for the month of September and stick to it.

9. Love Your Neighbor #3 Merit Badge: Show your love to your neighbors by bringing a treat or a meal to someone. 

BONUS BADGES

*2nd Wards Got Talent! – This badge can replace any two badges to fulfill requirements for scouting rank by performing a talent at the ward Chili-Cook Off.

*The No Holds Barred Pinewood Derby- Like the pinewood derby, only make your car out of whatever you’d like so long as it isn’t larger than 8x4x10 inches in dimension.  No kit provided. Track will be a surprise.  This not only replaces 2 merit badge requirements, but also awards your troop triple bonus points.  You may team up with people in your troop to develop your car.

*Other Bonus Badges may be announced at the discretion of the Big Boy Scout Masters and Den Leaders.


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