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• Troop 230 Merit Badge Guidelines
• Current and Upcoming Troop 230 Offerings
• Current and Upcoming District and Council Offerings
• Troop Merit Badge Counselor Resources
• Useful Links
• Contact Stephanie Thibodeaux if you have any questions about merit badges.

Troop 230 Merit Badge Guidelines

• This page is intended to provide information about earning merit badges within Troop 230. It is a living page, providing new/updated information about available merit badge programs as well as information about merit badge processes within Troop 230.. The Meritbadge.org website (see Useful Links) is a great resource for an overview of the BSA Merit Badge program.
• Troop 230 encourages scouts to achieve their First Class rank before beginning work on Eagle required merit badges. However, we recognize that each scout's situation is different and individual exceptions may be necessary. The Troop 230 Scoutmaster approves all applications for merit badges.
• We regularly offer Eagle required merit badges each Fall and Spring plus a number of others, based on scout interest and leader availability. Additional badges required for the Eagle rank may be completed at Summer or Winter camp or any of the options listed in the Useful Links section of this page.
  • Troop 230 Offerings
  • All of the badges offered by the Troop (except Camping) are conducted using a "classroom" model where scouts and counselors meet at scheduled times (see Troop 230 Offerings section)to review and discuss the material presented in the merit badge pamphlets or other sources.
  • The requirements for Camping are usually completed on troop campouts.
• We endeavor to take a consistent approach to class scheduling to help the scouts plan which merit badges they would like to earn over the next year.
  • Due to the age-based nature of some merit badge requirements, we encourage the following rank-based approach to the Troop offered merit badges:
    • First Class scouts: Citizenship in the Community, Communications
    • Star scouts: Citizenship in the Nation, Personal Fitness, Family Life
    • Life scouts: Citizenship in the World, Personal Management
  • Camping merit badge requirements are completed over a number of campouts, usually by the time a scout has attained Life rank.
  • Please note that this is the suggested (but not required) timing; individual scout needs may require a different progression and we try to accommodate those needs.

Current and Upcoming Troop 230 Sponsored Offerings

• The Troop conducts a First Class Emphasis program and Merit Badge classes at the Scout House on the second Wednesday of each month from 7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. Scouts are strongly encouraged to participate in these sessions. Please refer to the Troop Calendar for exact dates.
• Troop 230 Merit Badge Counselors List

Current and Upcoming District and Council Offerings

This page is updated as information becomes available. Check frequently!

• Texas Skies District Merit Badge Fair – mark your calendar; additional details TBD
  When: March 5, 2011, 8:00am – 3:00pm

Useful Links

• Troop 230 Merit Badge Pamphlets

Troop 230 maintains a library of merit badge pamphlets at the scout house. The link above is a list of our current inventory. See the Troop Librarian if you wish to check out pamphlets.
• www.MeritBadge.com

The Meritbadge.org website is a great resource. Refer to this website for a great introduction to the BSA Merit Badge program, including a list of the current merit badges offered by BSA and other helpful external links.
• Troop 230 Merit Badge Counselor List

Scouts are encouraged to use this list as the primary resource when searching for a Merit Badge Counselor to work with. Our troop has lots of counselors!
• Texas Skies District Merit Badge Counselor List

Scouts who are looking to work on a merit badge for which there is not a counselor in our troop, can reference the Texas Skies District list of Merit Badge Counselors.
• Sam Houston Area Council (SHAC) Events

Check the Camping and Activities page of the SHAC website for additional opportunities.
• National website – Merit Badge Info

Visit the BSA national website for the most current list of merit badges and requirements.
• Houston Museum of Natural Science

The Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS) offers a number of science and nature oriented merit badges including Archeology, Astronomy, Bird Study, Chemistry, Energy, Geology, Indian Lore, Insect Study, and Reptile and Amphibian Study.
• Moody Gardens

Moody Gardens offers a number of merit badges including Astronomy, Bird Study, Communications, Environmental Science, First Aid, Fish & Wildlife Management, Nature, Oceanography, Public Speaking, Space Exploration, and Weather.
• Houston Arboretum

The Houston Arboretum offers Bird Study and Eagle Scout project opportunities.
• Museum of Health and Medical Science

The Museum of Health and Medical Science (MHMS) offers a number of merit badges, including Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Communications, Dentistry, Emergency Preparedness, Environmental Science, Fingerprinting, First Aid, Medicine and Space Exploration.
• Red Cross

The Red Cross offers many classes in First Aid, CPR, Water Safety and Small Craft safety.

This site is for use by Troop 230 Youth, Adults, and Guests to facilitate operation, provide information, coordinate efforts, promote Scout Spirit, and encourage new participants to Scouting.