Baylor Hosts Boy Scout "Merit Badge College" Sept. 16 And 30
More than 700 Boy Scouts, scoutmasters and merit badge counselors will be on the Baylor University campus on Saturday, Sept. 16, and again on Saturday, Sept. 30, for the Heart O' Texas Council Merit Badge College.
The two-Saturday event allows Boy Scouts ages 11 to 17 to work on the necessary badges to advance towards the rank of Eagle Scout.
"Usually a Scout works on his merit badges through individual appointments with a merit badge counselor, so depending on the initiative of the Scout and the number of qualified counselors, that may take awhile," said Dr. Greg Benesh, professor of physics at Baylor and Merit Badge College director. "This gives Scouts a boost towards advancement through the ranks to Eagle Scout."
Scouts will choose from merit badge classes on such topics as geology, weather, space exploration, electricity, atomic energy, computers, crime prevention, fingerprinting, genealogy, journalism, art, American heritage, Indian lore, engineering, medicine, veterinary medicine, rock climbing, chemistry and citizenship in the community, nation and world. Baylor faculty and registered Scout leaders will serve as instructors.
A new program added this year for new Boy Scouts is the Liberty Program, which will be held at the Gov. Bill and Vara Daniel Historic Village. Scouts who are working on requirements for their first three ranks will learn several skills including knife, ax and saw safety, first aid and map and compass skills. The program will be led by Baylor chemistry professor James Karban.
Scout can pick up registration packets beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday at Waco Hall. A general session for leaders will be held at 8:30 a.m. also in Waco Hall, followed by classes at various sites on the Baylor campus until 3 p.m. After classes end on Sept. 30, Scouts will attend the Iowa State-Baylor football game at 6 p.m. at Floyd Casey Stadium.
For more information, Benesh can be reached on both Saturdays at 715-7525 or at Waco Hall.