Merit Badge Checklist for Boy Scouts
2010 marks the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America. Founded with the idea of creating generations of well-rounded young men, Boy Scouts still offers a broad range of merit badge options to broaden the horizons of today's youth. There are 121 merit badges available under the 2010 BSA guidelines, including four "historical" badges that hearken back to the beginnings of scouting. Each scout needs to earn a total of 21 merit badges (12 required and 9 elective), to be eligible for the Eagle rank, the BSA's highest honor.
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Required Merit Badges
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Current BSA guidelines state that scouts must earn 12 required merit badges. These merit badges teach fundamental life skills, from self-reliance and basic survival skills to understanding finances. Each of these badges are designated with a white border.
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
Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling
Camping
Family Life
Elective Merit Badges
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Elective merit badges are intended to round out a scout's experience, challenge his skills and broaden his interests. BSA guidelines requires the scout to earn, at minimum, 9 elective badges, to be eligible for the Eagle rank. There are 121 badges available to choose from. Elective badges are available for a broad range of interests from academic pursuits and shooting sports to outdoor activities and electronics; each of these badges is designated with a green border. They include:
American Business
American Cultures
American Heritage
American Labor
Animal Science
Archaeology
Archery
Architecture
Art
Astronomy
Athletics
Atomic Energy
Automotive Maintenance
Aviation
Backpacking
Basketry
Bird Study
Bugling
Canoeing
Chemistry
Cinematography
Climbing
Coin Collecting
Collections
Composite Materials
Computers
Cooking
Crime Prevention
Dentistry
Disabilities Awareness
Dog Care
Drafting
Electricity
Electronics
Energy
Engineering
Entrepreneurship
Farm Mechanics
Fingerprinting
Fire Safety
Fish and Wildlife Management
Fishing
Fly Fishing
Forestry
Gardening
Genealogy
Geocaching
Geology
Golf
Graphic Arts
Home Repairs
Horsemanship
Indian Lore
Insect Study
Journalism
Landscape Architecture
Law
Leatherwork
Mammal Study
Medicine
Metalwork
Model Design and Building
Motorboating
Music
Nature
Nuclear Science
Oceanography
Orienteering
Painting
Pets
Photography
Pioneering
Plant Science
Plumbing
Pottery
Public Health
Public Speaking
Pulp and Paper
Radio
Railroading
Reading
Reptile and Amphibian Study
Rifle Shooting
Rowing
Safety
Salesmanship
Scouting Heritage
Scholarship
Scuba Diving
Sculpture
Shotgun Shooting
Skating
Small-Boat Sailing
Snow Sports
Soil and Water Conservation
Space Exploration
Sports
Stamp Collecting
Surveying
Textile
Theater
Traffic Safety
Truck Transportation
Veterinary Medicine
Water Sports
Weather
Whitewater
Wilderness Survival
Wood Carving
Woodwork
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Historical Badges
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As part of the 100th-anniversary celebration, the BSA has brought back four historical merit badges and the original requirements to earn them. Scouts can earn them as elective badges and get a feel for what was expected of scouts in 1910 when the Boy Scouts of America was founded.
Carpentry
Pathfinding
Signaling
Tracking
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit boy scouts image by Inhumane Productions from Fotolia.com
