Boy Scout Question-- Trail to first Class Program

[starwarsmomma]

My son is a newish boy scout and his troop does the Trail to first class program where he should be at first class in one year...

 

For those that have gone through this program, other than having earned his 1st class, do they "automatically" earn specific Merit Badges?

 

For example, my son said he tried to get a CAMPING blue card, but they told him it's automatically done in Trail to first class and they keep track for him as part of the program....

 

So, he will have earned his Trail to first class he gets camping merit badge too?

 

What other merit badges does he complete through this program?

 

I would ask myself, but this troop is very big on the whole, kids ask the questions, not the adults.... (and son is too shy to ask the questions!)

[Granny_Weatherwax]

No badges are required to earn First Class nor should badges automatically be conferred to boys just because they have earned that rank. I would be wary of any Troop that says badges are earned automatically with rank. That is not how Boy Scouts works.

 

 

What your leaders are probably doing is keeping track of the requirements for the Camping merit badge and writing down which requirements your son completes. A boy may complete requirements as a result of participating in Troop activities but they do not automatically receive merit badges.

 

Here is a link to the camping merit badge requirements. As your son goes through his Trail to first class he may complete many or all of these requirements. For example, the requirement of 20 days and nights of camping can be met if your scout goes to summer camp (7 days/6 nights) and camps every month for the year while he is on the trail to First Class.

 

It's difficult to answer your question about what other merit badges he will earn because there are no badge requirements for First Class and it sounds as if your Troop might keep track of activities outside of specific merit badges. I can tell you that in our area most new scouts concentrate on the basic badges required for Eagle Scout: Swimming, First Aid and Emergency Preparedness. These are usually offered to new scouts through summer camp and are a must have for many other merit badges and activities. Again, though, these are not a given just because a boy reaches a specific rank but can be earned as a boy completes rank requirements.

 

---

Here are some links you might want to check out when you have some free time:

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Main_Page

http://usscouts.org/usscouts/advancementTOC.asp

http://www.scouting.org/

http://www.boyscouttrail.com/

Edited June 2, 2011 by The Dragon Academy

[SailorMom]

Just my personal opinion - but I believe the "First Class in the First Year" program is actually damaging in many ways to the experieince that a Scout has in the first year. I've seen the results a few times.

It is a lot of work to get 1st Class, and many scouts end up feeling that it is just like school and no fun at alll....

The desire to make 1st Class should come from the scout - his own motivation, and that could take many years....

If the parents and leaders are the ones who are motivated, and not the boy, then the program is being run incorrectly.

[starwarsmomma]

 

What your leaders are probably doing is keeping track of the requirements for the Camping merit badge and writing down which requirements your son completes.

 

Yes, that's the way we understood it too! I'm just not understanding this enough to word it well. LOL

 

But the fact that they "automatically" opened this blue card for him and are tracking it for him (which drives me nuts, becaue I feel HE should be responsible for this... different tangent).... It makes me wonder 1-- when should it be completed, and 2-- what other merit badges did they "automatically" open for him and are keeping track of?

 

I'm told that MOST troops follow the "Trail to first class program" now, so was hoping another parent might know the answer.

 

Son is terribly shy and afraid to ask questions. (he'll warm up but he takes a while)

[starwarsmomma]

Sailormom-- I have seen both sides of that coin too... friends belong to a troop, that after 3 years in the troop are FINALLY getting around to totin chip (sp?). My son earned it on his first campout with his troop.

 

My biggest frustration with the Trail to first class is there are things my son completed and got signed off on at campouts (that THEY organized), then had to do it AGAIN with the "trail to 1st group" at a troop meeting because there were boys who didn't go on the campout. They are NOT allowed to work on anything else. My son IS VERY frustrated and bored with this.

 

I also had to fight them to allow him to open blue cards to work on in his own time. They said no to him 4 times, until I came up there and basically demanded he be allowed to do it. They want to "herd" them all together as a group and that's wrong.

 

Anyway, I was just wondering what other merit badges they might have opened, so we'd know what does or does not need to be worked on (on our own).

 

His goal is to be eagle at 14. He is very determined to get it done!

[Rosyl]

Just my personal opinion - but I believe the "First Class in the First Year" program is actually damaging in many ways to the experieince that a Scout has in the first year. I've seen the results a few times.

It is a lot of work to get 1st Class, and many scouts end up feeling that it is just like school and no fun at alll....

The desire to make 1st Class should come from the scout - his own motivation, and that could take many years....

If the parents and leaders are the ones who are motivated, and not the boy, then the program is being run incorrectly.

 

THIS is 100% correct.:iagree:

 

It can also lead to demoralization. If your kids wants to do it great, but it is not necessary.

[starwarsmomma]

EVERY troop we visited in our area follows this program, it's not an option to skip it unless he has a disabilty or other reason. He refuses to tell them about his dyslexia (which isn't a valid excuse in my mind anyway), so it isn't avoidable.

 

I already am on their annoying parent list for demanding they allow him to open a blue card during his trail to first class year... (on his own time). -- Which IS allowed by BSA.

 

(There's 2 parents there that are in leadership that many are counting the days until their child gets through eagle so they LEAVE!!!!)

 

 

SOOOOO.... he will just deal with it and work on the Eagle required merit badges on his own time. It will keep him happy enough to tolerate the "herd mentality" of trail to first class program ... Once he earns 1st class, they let him do whatever he wants to on his own goals at his own speed. (or so I'm promised)

 

Repeat with me.... 9 more months till 1st class.... 9 more months.... LOL

Edited June 2, 2011 by joyfulheart

[Granny_Weatherwax]

But the fact that they "automatically" opened this blue card for him and are tracking it for him (which drives me nuts, becaue I feel HE should be responsible for this... different tangent).... It makes me wonder 1-- when should it be completed, There are no set times when any merit badge 'should' be earned. Star and Life ranks require a scout to have earned a certain number of merit badges before theycan be earned. The choice of badges is up to the boy and not hte Troop. and 2-- what other merit badges did they "automatically" open for him and are keeping track of? I would ask them.

 

 

What concerns me about your situation is that the Troop is giving your son a difficult time about earning badges on his own. That is not right and needs to be addressed. Can you talk to someone on the Committee and ask why? Our committee meetings are open to parents. If your son wants to earn Eagle at 14 he will need to work at a faster pace than what most boys do. Many state universities and BSA districts offer merit badge clinics during the winter months. Boys can earn one to three merit badges in a day if they work diligently.

 

Is the Troop dictating what badges he can earn at summer camp? He should have been given the freedom to choose his own badges. Or are they making him follow First Class requirements?

[starwarsmomma]

there are two "dictators" in leadership of the committee who are VERY opinionated/judgemental/annoying/ people. LOL Long story, adn we're the NEW one's and they expect us to go along with what they have set up... I will for the most part, as long as it doesn't contradict BSA rules.

 

They were refusing my son's right to open blue cards. I took care of that, but am told by another parent (gossip) that they now consider me the "enemy" for demanding they do it. Whatever. You wouldn't believe the things this married couple has been doing.... oh, the drama! LOL

 

They might have tried to influence the choices for summer camp, but I didn't allow it, I nipped that one before they had a chance. LOL HE picked the classes HE wanted, with the exception of one that the camp had a age requirement on that I wouldn't let him choose. (obviously)

 

My husband attends every comittee meeting. And we had to address it there with BSA rules in hand to demand the right to let him open blue cards. We got that changed. (evil grin)

 

Good to know about the clinics, I will check into that! I don't see it on the council website, any idea where that info might be? (or is it too soon to look that up?)

[Granny_Weatherwax]

Good to know about the clinics, I will check into that! I don't see it on the council website, any idea where that info might be? (or is it too soon to look that up?)

 

When DS and I first began looking I Googled "IL merit badge clinics" or "IL merit badge universities" since IL is where we live. That led me to links from years past but by clicking on those links I found current info.

 

This link is a good starting point. You can sort by state so you can get an idea of what is available. Some of the info is outdated but it will give you names to Google.