Boy Scouts - new GPS Merit Badge announced

[+spyder8]

FYI -

just stumbled across this link...

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2009/08/13/new-merit-badges/

[Tahosa and Sons]

Almost there

GPS/GIS merit badge approved. Requirements under development. Debut expected early 2010.

[Knight-Errant]

FYI -

just stumbled across this link...

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2009/08/13/new-merit-badges/

Just for clarification. . .

 

We spoke with another cacher a few days ago who is directly involved in the BSA Geocaching issue and he indicated that the GPS/GIS MERIT BADGE referred to will NOT be specifically geocaching, but may have geocaching as part of it. HOWEVER, they will be having a geocaching PATCH. He also advised me that they are currently encouraging local units (councils and districts) to set up Scouting themed caches in their areas. They are also working on some kind of Scounting coin/geocoin which may be awarded to those who have found all the scouting caches in their area, but most of this is still in the works.

[+LightHouseSeekers]

Boys following Girls again.

[+Curioddity]

Boys following Girls again.

Again? Heck, I've been chasing girls since my voice started to change and that was more moons ago than I'm prepared to fess up to.

 

And in my book that's still, not again.

 

Pete

[+EScout]

BSA give careful consideration to adding and dropping badges, keeping tradition, but also changing with technology, interests and trends. These new ones look good: robotics, GPS, Scuba. My local Council allows each person to be a Merit Badge Counselor for up to 6 badges. I will be adding the GPS one, and dropping another.

[chardero]

Doggy badges are cool too.

 

[+jeepcacher82]

I think this is excellent!! I think a prerequisite should be the orienteering merit badge so that the Scouts understand some of the "behind the scenes" stuff to Geocaching. This would be a fun merit badge to work on!

 

Thanks for sharing!

[greenworldfeather]

All right. Too bad I'm too old now to do this. Oh well. I hope that more good ones like this are coming out also. There was once as many as 140 merit badges. Today, there are 121. Have fun looking at all of them. Thanks. Have a great day. gwf

[+Road Rabbit]

All right. Too bad I'm too old now to do this. Oh well. I hope that more good ones like this are coming out also. There was once as many as 140 merit badges. Today, there are 121. Have fun looking at all of them. Thanks. Have a great day. gwf

 

You're not too old to be a Merit Badge Counselor. I'll bet your local council would love to have you volunteer for that!

[+tpmintx]

FYI -

just stumbled across this link...

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2009/08/13/new-merit-badges/

I claim credit. I put together a proposal for a GPS-based merit badge for the national office as part of my Wood Badge training in 2005. I titled the proposal "21st century orienteering." I am anxious to see the badge itself.

 

I also imagine that they had 100's of similar proposals. But I wrote up proposed requirements and everything. I need to dig out the PDF and put it up.

[+spyder8]

It was just by chance that I happen to stumble across that link.

Even our council training chair was not aware of the pending changes.

 

BTW - feel sorry for my son - just finished his Eagle last year and was also just turning 18... yeah, a race to beat the clock.

He is a Scuba diver, getting started with a local Venture Crew, and got his OWC and AOWC certs, and for spring break we did a cruise in the Carib for him to get some blue water diving.

He also did the Geocaching thing with me... when he was younger.

SO - he missed out on 2 really exciting new MB's -

 

BTW - I have this subscribed thread tagged for "email notification",

but haven't seen any emails from the forum.... in ages ??

but I get the weekly cache updates, and the cache/TB notifications,

just nothing from the forum threads...

Edited September 24, 2009 by spyder8

[+Markwell]

FYI -

just stumbled across this link...

http://www.scoutingnews.org/2009/08/13/new-merit-badges/

I claim credit. I put together a proposal for a GPS-based merit badge for the national office as part of my Wood Badge training in 2005. I titled the proposal "21st century orienteering." I am anxious to see the badge itself.

 

I also imagine that they had 100's of similar proposals. But I wrote up proposed requirements and everything. I need to dig out the PDF and put it up.

((Warning: Off Topic))

One of my 2006 ticket items went to nationals for a suggestion, and promptly went into a black hole.

((Please resume your regular scheduled topic))

[+WebChimp]

((Warning: Off Topic))

One of my 2006 ticket items went to nationals for a suggestion, and promptly went into a black hole.

((Please resume your regular scheduled topic))

 

((Warning: Following Moderator's lead.))

Ticket items? Really? I used to be a Beaver, and a good old Beaver, too. SR-739.

((Please resume your regularly scheduled discussion.))

[+42at42]

I am putting together a lesson to introduce my Scouts and Cubs to GPS and geocaching. They might be more excited if they know they can get a badge.

[+Markwell]

I am putting together a lesson to introduce my Scouts and Cubs to GPS and geocaching. They might be more excited if they know they can get a badge.

 

Scouting.org Article

Scouting Magazine article

[+42at42]

I am putting together a lesson to introduce my Scouts and Cubs to GPS and geocaching. They might be more excited if they know they can get a badge.

 

Scouting.org Article

Scouting Magazine article

 

Thanks for the links. It was actually an article in the Canadian Scounting magazine that got me interested in geocaching.