Merit Badge
Merit Badge Counselor Update
From Kevin Neese, NS Training Chair – Merit Badge Counselors for North Star District.
The new list is complete and will be updated periodically. Scouts can ask their SM for the list of North Star MBC
If you should have any questions, please feel free to contact me.
Roundtable – April 2018 Flyers
Please see links below for exciting camping and training opportunities – these are roughly in date order:
National Youth Leadership Training (several dates)
Wood Badge (Adult Leadership training) (several dates)
2018 Voyageur Canoe Training (several dates)
Indianapolis Indians game and Campout at Victory Field (May 11)
Cub Scout Fishing Derby at Camp Kikthawenund (May 12)
Leave No Trace Master Education Course 2018 (Aug 17-19 and Sep 13-16)
Boy Scouts Brickyard 400 Weekend Campout (Sept. 8 – 9)
Citizenship in the Nation MB Workshop (several dates)
Hou Koda District 2018 Spring Merit Badge Workshop – Sat. April 14
The Crossroads of America Council Hou Koda District will be hosting its Spring Merit Badge Workshop:
Saturday, April 14
8am – 4pm
LDS Church Brownsburg
9710 W. 56th Street, Brownsburg IN
Registration for the workshop will open up at noon on March 28. Online payment processing will be available at that time.
Full details are still being finalized (costs, which classes are offered, etc.). Please keep this event link handy for more details, coming soon.
District Spring Camporee: April 20 – 22, 2018
Our location has been confirmed!
The Spring Camporee [April 20-22, 2018] will be held at the Indiana School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 7725 N. College Ave., Indianapolis, IN 46240.
Unit leaders will receive the Spring Camporee Leaders Guide by COM Wednesday, March 14, 2018 via email.
The theme of the Spring Camporee is Willey’s Sirens and the focus will be on Emergency Preparedness. Scouts will be able to earn the merit badge or pin for Emergency Preparedness.
Looking forward to a fantastic Spring Camporee!
CORRECTION – Del-Mi MB University to be held THIS weekend
Please pass the word – the Del-Mi Merit Badge University will be held this weekend (March 9 & 10). If you caught an earlier communication showing this to be May 9 & 10, that was supposed to be March not May!
Del-Mi District is hosting its annual Merit Badge University, this weekend, March 9th and 10th at Carmel High School. Over 500 Merit Badge slots are available for Scouts to take Merit Badges ranging from Swimming to Nuclear Science.
What: Del-Mi Merit Badge University
Where: Carmel High School (520 E. Main Street, Carmel) – Door 13
When: Three sessions are available. Some merit badge classes span across 2 sessions.
- Session 1: Friday evening from 6:30 to 10 p.m.
- Session 2: Saturday morning from 8:30 a.m. to Noon.
- Session 3: Saturday afternoon from 1 to 4:30 p.m.
Register & More Info: https://scoutingevent.com/160-DMMBU
Cost: $6 per session, plus $6 for lunch
Questions? Contact Laura Rushinsky at lkr@isbits.com.
Emergency Mobilization
Thanks to Frank Otte, Scoutmaster of Troop 174 (CORRECTED 4:06 pm) for bringing this to my attention.
Here is a terrific opporutunity for scouts who need to work on their Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge.
Come join us; learn and have fun! The Marion County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) is teaming up with Eskenazi Health, IU Health – Methodist, Riley and University, the VA Medical Center, IUPUI, Indianapolis EMS (IEMS), Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD), MESH and other agencies for a full scale Hazardous Materials Exercise.
We are requesting volunteers from each of the hospitals and service groups to volunteer to participate. Not only are we seeking adults, but also children, ideally ages 8-18.
This is a great experience for Scout and faith- based groups that are looking for an activity geared toward badge work; Emergency Preparedness or community volunteer hours. We do ask that we have an adult per 5 or 6 children as a chaperone.
Please let us know if you have younger children that would like to participate. There are opportunities for the children (and adults if you want to) to wear their swimsuit and get “showered”/de-conned by the Indianpolis
Fire Department and/or at the hospitals.
Sugar Creek Merit Badge Counselor Training
Upcoming MBU . . . at a real university
There is a true Merit Badge University coming up. This term used to refer to opportunities to work on merit badges with university professors and researchers in the field.
Over the years, it has devolved into a generic term of any large gathering of merit badge classes.
Wabash University is going back to the original concept . . . some of our district’s former scouts, according to rumor, helping organize it.
Here is more information from Jessica Hofman, Sugar Creek’s District Executive via Con Sullivan:
Want to learn about game design from a theater professor and video game reviewer? Or help with a research study on turtle behavior as you learn the material for the Reptiles and Amphibians merit badge? Or learn about astronomy from professors who have taught courses on Mayan archeoastronomy? Or consider how buildings are designed from a Roman Architecture and Archeology expert?
These are just a few of the offerings at the Merit Badge College at Wabash on May 6th! All of the badges (except First Aid) will be taught by college professors who are experts in the subject. The cost is $20, and includes a T shirt and lunch. There will be fun lunchtime activities and sessions for parents to learn about scouting and college opportunities. You can register at https://www.scoutingevent.com/160-WabashMBC Registration closes on April 15th, and classes will fill, so register early!
Wabash’s faculty already has a strong relationship with council. One of their economics professors is Sugar Creek’s district commissioner.
This is a great opportunity for older scouts to go visit the beautiful campus in Crawfordsville and work with Wabash’s impressive faculty . . . with no grade pressure!
Here is more information:
Sugar Creek District2017 Wabash Merit Badge CollegeJoin us for a great learning opportunity and chance to work on your merit badges at an awesome venue! Join us at Wabash College for the first annual Wabash Merit Badge College. Reserve your spot now!
- The college will be at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, Indiana on Saturday, May 6th.
- There will be two sessions (one from 9:30 to Noon and another from 1:30 to 4:00) with lunchtime activities in between.
- Registration Cost is $20.00 for Scouts which includes courses, lunch, and a event T-shirt
All Day Merit Badges (requires both morning and afternoon sessions):
- Robotics
- Space Exploration
- Reptile and Amphibian Study
- Game Design
- Animation
- First Aid
Half Day Merit Badges (offered in one or both sessions, but does not require both sessions to complete):
- Nuclear Science (afternoon, might open morning if there is enough demand)
- Architecture (morning or afternoon)
- Medicine (morning or afternoon)
- Astronomy (morning)
- Citizenship in the World (afternoon)
- Family Life (morning)
Lunch Break Activities:
- Chemistry Merit Badge
- Ultimate Frisbee on the Mall
- Activities for Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class Ranks (tree and plant identification, knot tying, flag etiquette, map and compass/GPS navigation course around campus)
Take a look!
Sagamore Council’s University of Scouting in Kokomo: mixes MBU with adult trainings.
If you need training in the Spring for new leaders in the Fall, consider sending them in March. Here is their flyer.
Thoughts on Merit Badge Counseling
The role of the Merit Badge Counselor always needs to be re-examined. It helps us keep the mission of the Counselor top of mind.
To that end, read this short article on Bobwhite Blather.
An important point is
Although not expressly prohibited, large group counseling is generally frowned upon. The Guide to Advancement cautions that in such situations, the counselor must confirm that each and every Scout completes each and every requirement, including the show, demonstrate, do and tell actions. It is not sufficient for a Scout to just sit in a class, write notes on a worksheet and turn it in.
The counselor, therefore, needs to tailor his or her counseling style to the merit badge and to the Scout. This means determining just how much teaching and hand-holding the counselor should do versus how much self-study and learning the Scout is expected to accomplish. Generally speaking, a Scout will learn more if he studies on his own, but he can certainly benefit from the teaching that a counselor can provide. As with other interactions with Scouts, it’s more effective if the counselor leads the Scout to learn and discover the answers on his own, rather than handing them over, as might be done in a classroom setting.
CAC North Star Unofficial Website 
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