Merit Badges

Introduction

The Scouts BSA Merit Badge program gives Scouts the opportunity to explore and learn.  Over 135 badges are available to earn, ranging from American Business to Woodworking. Details of the program are on the Scouts BSA website.

Merit badges are required for advancement beyond First Class to Star, Life, and Eagle ranks. Requirements for these ranks are maintained by Scouts BSA, printed in the Scout Handbook, and on Scoutbook.

Note that to attain Eagle rank, at least 21 Merit Badges are required, 13 of which must be from this list: (a) First Aid, (b) Citizenship in the Community, (c) Citizenship in the Nation, (d) Citizenship in the World, (e) Communication, (f) Cooking, (g) Personal Fitness, (h) Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, (i) Environmental Science OR Sustainability, (j) Personal Management, (k) Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, (l) Camping, and (m) Family Life.

Process to Earn Merit Badges

Refer to our FAQ on Merit Badges.

Troop Merit Badge Library

We have a library of merit badge books so you may not have to purchase a book for the merit badge you want to work on.  If we don’t have it, or you wish to purchase your own, they are available at the San Gabriel Valley Scout Shop in Arcadia for under $10.

Many books can be found online as well by searching for them.  Worksheets can always be downloaded and printed.

Merit Badge Counselors

Many parent volunteers  serve our Troop as Merit Badge Counselors (MBC). We have information about becoming an MBC.

Other Merit Badge Resources

• Our Greater Los Angeles Area Council (GLAAC). Search for “Merit Badges”. Camps are a particularly good source.

  • Camp Trask (Monrovia)

  • Firestone Scout Reservation (Brea)

  • Camp Cherry Valley (Catalina)

  • Camp Bighorn at Circle X Ranch in the Hubert Eaton Scout Reservation (Lake Arrowhead)

  • Cabrillo Youth Center (Port of Los Angeles) 

• Our Rose Bowl District list of MBC

• Neighboring councils have many merit badge opportunities.

• • The Verdugo Hills Council (La Crescenta and Glendale)

  •  Western Los Angeles County Council (Western L.A. County) 

• Additional Resources for specific merit badge programs.

  • The Arcadia Wilderness Park has a number of merit badge offerings in their course catalog.

  • Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation offers Railroading merit badge classes (Eagle Rock)

  • The International Printing Museum offers Graphic Arts and Pulp & Paper merit badge programs (Torrance).

  • Jurupa Mountains Discovery Center  (Riverside)

  • Many programs list their local merit badge classes on Eventbrite.

In addition to earning merit badges with troop merit badge counselors, below are other options for taking merit badge classes. Summer camps hosted by our local or neighboring councils are also great ways to earn your merit badges.

Local In-Person Classes

• Greater Los Angeles Area Council (our local council)

• Orange County Council (classes usually at Newport Sea Base. Usually 8-12 hour classes that teach the Merit Badge’s Pamphlet)

• Inland Empire Council (Look under Events)

• The Verdugo Hills Council (La Crescenta and Glendale, look under Calendar menu)

• Western Los Angeles County Council (Western L.A. County, check under Events menu) 

• Los Angeles Railroad Heritage Foundation (Railroading MB@Eagle Rock)

• San Diego Merit Badge University

• The Arcadia Wilderness Park has a number of merit badge offerings in their course catalog.

• The International Printing Museum  (Graphic Arts and Pulp & Paper MB @Torrance).

• Waterworks Swimming (Swimming MB)

• Eventbrite often has local merit badge classes.

Online Classes

• Code Easily (Animation, Digital Technology, Programming; $50)

• Daniel Boone Council (most classes $10-$20)

• New England Base Camp (most classes ~$25)

• Epic Badges (most classes $20)

• Western Los Angeles Council

• Burpee Museum (Nature-oriented merit badges)

• Mote.org (Oceanography & Environmental Science)

• Harley Davidson Museum (Engineering)

• The Cell: (free Emergency Preparedness and Crime Prevention)

• Online Merit Badge Courses

Self Paced

• Virtual Merit Badge FB Group (great resource for free Google Classes)

  • Google Calendar for easy view

• Self-paced Google Classroom programs: a variety of electives offered.

• Heartland of America (self-paced videos).

• Edmond Historical Society (typically $10, includes very well done instructions and videos)

Merit Badge Pamphlets, Requirements….

For each merit badge, there are typically three documents. Note: the Scout Shop has the official and latest version.

• Merit Badge Pamphlet – a very large PDF that describes all the knowledge you need to know for that merit badge. You can check out Troop 109’s online version for reference.

• Merit Badge Requirement – 1-2 page PDF which lists the requirements you need to earn the merit badge.

• Merit Badge Workbooks – an optional workbook often used by merit badge counselors for scouts to show work in the merit badge requirements list. US Scouts has up to date index of workbooks.

Quick Reference Sources

• Complete list of merit badges

• Suggested sequence of merit badges (base on age)

• Troop 109’s Merit Badge Onine Library

• US Scouts Merit Badge Worksheets Library

• List of Adult Leaders – Who to talk to.