merit badge basics
merit badge GOALS
Troop 1 Merit badge tuesday (MBT)
Try to come to every MBT so you can cover as much as possible with the group. Optional but recommended — bring a printout or purchased copy of the relevant merit badge pamphlet. Write your name on it!
If you already have a partial in one of the badges offered, come to the meeting and ask the counselors what they'll be covering. Join the group if it will help you complete missing requirements. You can work on the following badges at MBT troop fall/winter meetings on October 14, November 18, December 16, and January 13 (2026).
Remember: Many badges have requirements that you must cover independently and outside Merit Badge Tuesday sessions. It's okay to take your time! Some badges — like Cooking, Personal Fitness, and Personal Management — require tracking and logging activities or information over several weeks or months. |
merit badge FAQWhere are the requirements for each merit badge? For every merit badge there is an official Scouting America pamphlet — a booklet that lists the requirements and includes helpful information that will help you understand and complete them. You can download free copies of all current merit badge pamphlets HERE. You can also buy hard copy merit badge pamphlets at the Piedmont Scout Store for about $6. Do you have to write out responses to merit badge requirements? Sometimes. But for each merit badge there will also be requirements you should complete through discussion, demonstration, or in-person (e.g., preparing a meal or talking to a government official.) Coming to Merit Badge Tuesday meetings will help you cover requirements that are met through discussion or demonstration. How do you show counselors your merit badge work? For many badges there are also unofficial worksheets — PDFs downloadable from various websites that list requirements and have blank spaces to write your responses or notes. These unofficial worksheets can help you organize and present your responses in writing. But you can also write down your responses to requirements in any other way that works for you, e.g., Google Doc, Word, etc. Just be sure to save your work so you can email or give it to counselors when you're done! You'll also learn what you need for each badge by doing, asking, interviewing, exploring, trying, building, and helping others as you work through and complete the requirements. ALWAYS refer to the Scouting America merit badge pamphlet for the correct and up-to-date version of requirements for ALL badges. If you're looking for unofficial worksheets, you can find some examples here and here. Merit Badge Tuesday sessions rotate based on Scout needs and counselor availability. You can expect to see some of these badges offered during the year:
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how to complete partial merit badges
figure out what you've done so far
- If you are unsure of what requirements were covered in Merit Badge Tuesday sessions, ask your counselor or search the Google Group for your counselor's post listing what was done by the end of the session.
- If you worked on a badge at summer camp or elsewhere, you should locate your notes or worksheet and any physical or electronic "blue card" that documents your progress. Bring or email these to Dr. Cost so your Troopmaster record can be updated.
complete any requirements that you can do independently
- Look at the list of requirements for your partial. Are there requirements you can complete independently? Examples are:
- Explaining something in your own words by responding to a question in your workbook (e.g., describing safety procedures for some of the First Aid requirements).
- Writing down a list of options or examples to complete a requirement in your workbook (e.g., a shopping list for Cooking, a list of careers in personal fitness for that badge).
- Sometimes you will need to find out additional information to complete independent work. The official pamphlet for your merit badge is good place to start, but often you'll also need to look up information online (remember to think about how reliable your source is, and reflect on why you can trust what it says!) or in books.
- Look at requirements that require interviewing or talking to a knowledgable adult or attending a public meeting. Sometimes you can do this over email (remember to always cc another adult such as your parent when you do this) or Zoom.
- Practice good note-taking. Prepare a list of questions in advance. If you are talking to someone in person or over the phone, listen carefully to what they and write down bullet points as you go to help you remember what they said.
- Remember, you are looking for answers to your questions. You don't need to write down or report everything your interview subject says!
asking a counselor for help
- Merit Badge counselors are always ready to guide you as you complete your merit badge!
- You can find a counselor for any of the Eagle-required badges among the adult leaders with our troop.
- Do you have a partial for a more specialized badge? Call or email the Council Office and ask if there is a registered councilor within the Council who can help you.
finishing up
- When you have completed all the merit badge's requirements bring any written items to your counselor in person or make a clear copy and email it (cc another adult!). Congratulations on your hard work!