Advancement
This was the least-earned merit badge ever, and the reason makes total sense
One look at the requirements, and you’ll see why Invention was the least-earned merit badge in the history of the BSA. To earn it, Scouts had to “invent and patent some useful article” and “show a working drawing or model of the same.” Obtaining a patent is a time-consuming, costly endeavor. That explains why just 10 Scouts…
Read MoreDen Leader Guides, Cub Scout Leader Book available in print and digital formats
Cub Scout leaders, you can now grab the latest edition of the Cub Scout Leader Book and rank-specific Den Leader Guides in print or digital formats. Get a copy at your local Scout Shop, at scoutshop.org or on the Amazon Kindle store. If you choose the digital download from Amazon, your copy will be accessible on any…
Read MoreWhich positions of responsibility count toward Star, Life and Eagle Scout?
Scouting teaches responsibility. It teaches young people to take on a role in which they’re accountable to their fellow Scouts. This role is known as a position of responsibility. As a young man advances toward becoming an Eagle Scout, he’s required to take on one of these roles. By the time he becomes an Eagle…
Read MoreEagle Scout praised for bravery, service after London terror attack
Tobias Ellwood, the politician gaining praise for his heroism after a fatal stabbing outside the U.K. Parliament in London, is an Eagle Scout. Ellwood, born in New York City to British parents, was a member of the Boy Scouts of America’s Transatlantic Council, which serves American Scouts living overseas. He earned Scouting’s highest honor on May 25,…
Read MoreEverywhere you look, enthusiasm for the Welding merit badge is heating up
Troop 387, like all the best Boy Scout troops, is youth-led. The adults are there for support and safety. So when the Scouts from Kingsport, Tenn., decided they wanted to earn the Welding merit badge, the adults simply said, “sounds good, how can we help?” Help came from the good folks at Lincoln Electric. The Cleveland-based manufacturer of…
Read MoreUnique Spot for Eagle Court of Honor
By Northern Star Museum of Scouting Spring at North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting is the season for Eagle Courts of Honor. For whatever reason, more new Eagles seem to finish their work, project, Scoutmaster conference, and board of review in time to have a Spring court of honor. The Museum has…
Read More2016 Merit Badge Rankings unveiled: These were the most and least popular
Scouts and Scouters, meet your repeat champion: the First Aid merit badge. After losing its top spot to the Cooking merit badge in 2014, First Aid retook the crown in 2015 and defended its title in 2016. That means more Scouts earned the First Aid merit badge in 2016 than any other badge. It was something…
Read MoreWhat was the average age of 2016 Eagle Scouts?
Eagle Scouts are getting older, and that’s not a bad thing. In 1949, the average age of Eagle Scouts was 14.6 years. In 2016, that number was 17.35 years old. (That’s 17 years, 127.75 days.) I see two explanations. First, young men are staying in Scouting longer, meaning they’re enjoying the program and not feeling the…
Read MoreTop 5 merit badges for when you find 7 Earth-size planets 40 light years away
So astronomers have discovered seven Earth-size planets around a nearby star, huh? We’re officially one step closer to finding extraterrestrial life — or picking out the next planet for humans once we’re sick of this one. Or both. Either way, it’s likely Scouts will be involved. After all, at least two-thirds of all astronauts have been Scouts. Plus, those…
Read MoreYoung Man Repairs Homeless Shelter for Eagle Project
When he heard about the Sunday Breakfast Mission and the homeless shelter’s need for some repair work, Scout Ben M. knew that he’d found the right Eagle Scout project. Ben repaired a homeless shelter. (photo: Karie Simmons, Newark Post) Ben, who is a Scout in the Boy Scouts of America Del-Mar-Va Council, had been looking for…
Read More