Merit Badge Counselor Information

Step 1: Print out, complete, and sign this Adult Merit Badge Counselor Application required by Boy Scouts of America (BSA) before Friday, October 9, 2009. This will need to be turned in ASAP according to directions found in Step 2.

Step 2: Bring the completed Adult Merit Badge Counselor Application to the BYU PowWow office (278 HCEB) ASAP.

Step 3: Read the Merit Badge Instructor Training below.

Step 4: Please go to MERIT BADGES and carefully review the requirements for the merit badge for which you will be a counselor. Remember, that you will need to remind scouts about "homework" assignments from the merit badge worksheet on the first Saturday so that the Scouts can work on some of the requirements between PowWow sessions.

Step 5: Attend a mandatory training. The assignment, the counselor packet, and the free t-shirt will be disturbed during the training. An e-mail with the time and information will be sent out as soon as the application has been received.

Merit Badge Instructor Training

Thank you for volunteering as a counselor for the Merit Badge PowWow. The BYU/UVU Merit Badge PowWow is a phenomenon which is not duplicated anywhere in the world. It is, by far, Scouting's largest merit badge PowWow. It has been of service to Scouting and this community for 54 years. Upon completion of your application you will be contacted by our office with additional training information.

Adult Counselor Registration
Boy Scouts of America (BSA) requires that all adults who work with Scouts be approved merit badge counselors, 18 years of age or older and agree to and have read the "Purpose of the Boy Scouts of America," "Excerpt from the Declaration of Religious Principle," and "Leadership Requirements". Please complete the registration form and bring it to the BYU PowWow office (Step 2). There is no fee for this registration. The BSA counselor application form is due no later than Friday, October 9, 2009. Bring them directly to 278 HCEB or 166 SWKT (if participating in a BYU American Heritage Class).

Purpose of the Boy Scouts of America
The purpose of the Boy Scouts of America is to promote, through cooperation with other agencies, the ability of youth to do things for themselves and others, and to teach youth patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues. In achieving this purpose, emphasis is placed upon the Boy Scouts of America’s educational program and its oaths, promises, and codes for character development, citizenship training, and mental and physical fitness.

Excerpt from the Declaration of Religious Principle
The Boy Scouts of America maintains that no member can grow into the best kind of citizen without recognizing an obligation to God and, therefore, recognizes the religious element in the training of the member, but is absolutely nonsectarian in its attitude toward that religious training. The Boy Scouts of America's policy is that the home and the organization or group with which the member is connected shall give definite attention to religious life.

Leadership Requirements
The applicant (instructor) must possess the moral, educational, and emotional qualities that the Boy Scouts of America deems necessary to afford positive leadership to youth. The applicant must also be 18 years of age or older, and subscribe to the Declaration of Religious Principle, and abide by the Scout Oath or Promise, and the Scout Law.

Your Commitment:
Your commitment is to teach THREE Scout groups of 20 Scouts each Saturday morning from 8:45 am to 12:45 pm for TWO Saturday mornings (October 31 & November 14). Your room assignments will be printed on the counselor packet that will be given at the training (Step 5). Each class for each Scout group will last 65 minutes with 10 minutes between classes.

Class Schedule:

October 31		9:00 AM, 10:25 AM, 11:40 AM
November 14		9:00 AM, 10:25 AM, 11:40 AM

TWO Instructors/Merit Badge Counselors for each class of Scouts:
The PowWow requires at least TWO MERIT BADGE COUNSELORS/INSTRUCTORS for each class. If, for some reason, you don't know who the other merit badge counselor/instructor is, contact your merit badge supervisor. You need to coordinate your instructional approach with the other instructor BEFORE the Powwow begins.

Promptness and Preparation:
Please be at your classroom TWENTY MINUTES before instruction is to begin - you will observe that many of your scouts will already be in the room and could use some supervision. If you need instructional materials outside of the merit badge book, you will be responsible for bringing them to the classroom.

Merit Badge Work Sheet Forms/Merit Badge Cards:
Scouts can access the worksheets online at http://powwow.byu.edu/merit-badges. Merit Badge cards must be brought by the Scouts. They can purchase them at the Utah National Parks council office. If a scout has passed off all of the requirements, please sign his card and return him the entire card—do not keep any part of it.

Passing off Requirements:
A merit badge should be EARNED, not just handed out. Remember that a large number of the Boy Scouts who attend each year are only 11 to 13 years of age so while you should not be stern, you should also not pass off any scout who has not demonstrated that they have satisfied the merit badge requirement(s). It is also important that instructors require no more or less than the actual requirements. BSA policy states that "each Scout is judged on his own performance of the requirements."

If Scouts do not complete requirements, initial only the completed requirements on the worksheet. This way the Scout knows which requirement they need to complete with a local merit badge counselor in their area. It is NOT your responsibility to follow up with any Scouts who do not complete the merit badge after the last day of the PowWow.

Unforeseen Problems:
If for some unforeseen reason you can't make it to your assignment, PLEASE DON'T LEAVE THE BOY SCOUTS WITHOUT AN INSTRUCTOR. Please call the BYU PowWow office at (801) 422–3817. If the PowWow is already in session, contact someone at the PowWow headquarters.