Merit badges are awards earned by youth members of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA), a U.S.-based organization, based on activities within an area of study by completing a list of periodically updated requirements. The purpose of the merit badge program is to allow Scouts to examine subjects to determine if they would like to further pursue them as a career or avocation. Originally, the program also introduced Scouts to the life skills of contacting an adult they hadn't met before, arranging a meeting and then demonstrating their skills, similar to a job or college interview. Increasingly, though, merit badges are earned in a class setting at troop meetings and summer camps.
Each merit badge has a pamphlet published by the Boy Scouts of America associated with it; the pamphlet contains information on completing the requirements for the badge. There are designated merit badge counselors for each badge, and a Scout would meet with a counselor to demonstrate that he's completed the requirements. The counselor would then 'sign off' on each one.
The current library of Merit Badge Books is planned to be replaced in late 2008 with a color series.
The award of a merit badge is represented by circular patch with an image representing the badge's topic. The patches for the Eagle-required merit badges are distinguishable by the silver ring on the outside edge. Merit badges are displayed on a sash which can be worn with the Boy Scout uniform on formal occasions.
Every year the National Council reviews and updates a certain number of merit badges. The most recent new merit badges are Nuclear Science, created in 2005, originally named 'Atomic Energy'; Snow Sports, created in 1999 originally as 'Skiing'; and Fly Fishing, split off from the Fishing merit badge in 2002. The most recent merit badges to be created are Composite Materials (created in 2006;[1]) Archaeology and Climbing (both created in 1997), and Entrepreneurship (created in 1998). The total number of badges available is 121, as of 2006.
Aside from the BSA, Scouting organizations in the following countries issue or have issued merit badges: Canada, Indonesia, Japan, Spain, Thailand, and the United Kingdom. Austria has a program similar to merit badges for certain age groups
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