Inventing Merit Badge – Worksheet & Requirements

For Cub Scouts who are looking for a way to prove their knowledge, skills, and dedication, earning a merit badge is a great way to achieve this. Merit badges are awards given out by the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to recognize a scout’s completion of a specific task, activity, or skill. For many scouts, the challenge of achieving a merit badge is an important part of their scouting experience. However, for those scouts looking for a greater challenge, the process of inventing a merit badge can be a rewarding way of recognizing their accomplishments.

Getting Started

The first step in inventing a merit badge is to create the worksheet. This document should include the requirements for earning the merit badge, a list of activities or tasks that must be completed in order to earn the badge, and any additional information which might help scouts understand the requirements. Once the worksheet is completed, it should be submitted to the BSA’s national office for approval.

Requirements

In order to approve a merit badge, the BSA must be certain that the badge meets certain criteria regarding safety, appropriateness, and relevance. Therefore, it is important that any merit badge worksheet submitted for approval includes the following requirements:

• A clearly defined, measurable task or a series of tasks that contribute to the development of the skill or knowledge.
• A detailed description of the expected performance standards and any relevant guidelines.
• A list of resources that can be used by the scout to complete the task.
• A brief description of how the badge will be awarded (e.g. a ceremony).

Creative Components

Once the BSA has approved the worksheet, the next step is to create the creative components of the badge. This includes creating a design for the badge itself, an emblem representing the activity, and a description of the badge. All of these components should be approved by the BSA before the badge is released to scouts.

Conclusion

Inventing a merit badge is a unique and rewarding challenge that can be a great way for a scout to prove their knowledge, skills, and dedication. By creating a merit badge, scouts can use their creativity and challenge themselves to come up with something that can be recognized and appreciated by their peers.