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For Fun: What was your favorite Merit Badge?


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Indian lore.  

I decided not to take it at summer camp, I already knew more than the councilor in training who was "teaching" it.

I found a old guy ( he had to be 40 at least) who taught native American anthropology at a local college.   We didn't just look at pictures of tepees, we set up a 17 footer in his back yard!   He kept asking me questions that were not in the merit badge book and seemed delighted that I knew the answers to most of them.  Where I didn't or only had partial knowledge he patiently explained. I was actually sorry when he signed my card and sent me home. 

I suppose it was a case of a student who really wanted to learn,  and an instructor who loved the subject. 

 

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Oh.... 

  • Indian lore was done by a local indian tribe on their reservation at their tribe's museum.  
  • Archaeology done by two MBCs - one a park ranger showing his dig site and the other a local college professor (who was very entertaining for the scouts) 

 

IMHO ... It's not the badge.  It's the setting, the connection with the scout, the overall experience.  Some lend to better experiences and some are really hard to create as good experiences.

Edited by fred johnson
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Two days thinking and I still can't make up my mind!

Was it 1st Aid? Rowing? Lifesaving? Archery? Envi. sci? Pioneering? Small Boat Sailing? Communications? Wilderness? ....

Each came with a great story and friends and sometimes cuts and bruises and something new.

I keep going around and around and can't pick a fav!:blink:

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59 minutes ago, qwazse said:

Two days thinking and I still can't make up my mind!

Was it 1st Aid? Rowing? Lifesaving? Archery? Envi. sci? Pioneering? Small Boat Sailing? Communications? Wilderness? ....

Each came with a great story and friends and sometimes cuts and bruises and something new.

I keep going around and around and can't pick a fav!:blink:

My Emergency medical responder course was more entertaining and fun than the first aid merit badge class I took.

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1 hour ago, qwazse said:

Two days thinking and I still can't make up my mind!

Was it 1st Aid? Rowing? Lifesaving? Archery? Envi. sci? Pioneering? Small Boat Sailing? Communications? Wilderness? ....

Each came with a great story and friends and sometimes cuts and bruises and something new.

I keep going around and around and can't pick a fav!:blink:

kinda how I would think it 'should' be....

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Sadly as I was never a scout I never earned a merit badge. :(

I had some fun Emergency training on the job that had instant hurricanes, rioters, chemical spills, crashing airplanes, and terrorists all happening at once! Good times. I tried to bring some of that to the Merit Badge when I did E-Prep. Saw a 1st Aid MB that talked amputations and impalements (with actors) that kept their attention.

Best MB I ever sat in on (and I have sat in on plenty) was a couple at Woodruff SR, GA summer camp in 2010 and 2011. One was the Forestry MB in 2010 taught by a young man (former Eagle)  who was a monk in his day time job. He was a character and a real 'nature boy'.  The other was Bird Study taught by a Venture Scout in 2011. She obviously loved her subject and taught with great enthusiasm and could do all the bird calls. She was funky and simply  amazing. (I made it a point to tell them directly and the camp director what terrific jobs they were doing). While I think both instructors did 'tick' off the requirements they got the boys doing as much as possible and made them go out and do stuff in the real world even if it was a bit outside the requirements. Their enthusiasm about their subject  and youth really got a response from the boys.

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1) Pioneering- first merit badge where I sat down and worked to master the material. Gained a sense of accomplishment from that!

2) First Aid- Counselor was a former scout who was really into first aid. He made us think!!!

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