Not every project will be selected, but the PROCESS of getting your invention ready to submit (which they lay out for you) fulfills many of the Inventing MB requirements.

Deadline is May 7, 2012.

Here’s the spiel from their webpage:

Calling All Young Inventors! Kids, ‘tweens, teens, and college students…

Do you have an idea for a cool, new product that you think should be made and sold in stores? THINK! What would make your life more fun? What would solve a problem around the house, the yard or at school? Is there something that would help you take better care of your pet or a new way to learn or play?

Now is your chance to invent the next “big thing” to be sold on store shelves!

The Boy Scouts of America and Edison Nation challenge you to get inventing in 2012.

This Innovation Challenge invites all creative thinkers 21 and under to submit their ideas, and Edison Nation will spend up to $1 million to develop the products and make them a reality. We will do everything from designing your product, making the prototypes and filing the patents—all you have to do is invent!

Selected inventors will receive royalties from the sale of their products for life, be named the “inventor” on any issued patents and have an opportunity to appear on the award-winning Everyday Edisons television series.

If you are in the Boy Scouting program, submitting an invention idea to Edison Nation as part of the Boy Scouts of America Innovation Challenge helps you complete many of the requirements for the Inventing Merit Badge.

Mr. R has put together general links for the badge. It’s a good window to have open while you’re working.

Requirement 9

Where in the world are you going to get 50 foreign coins? And isn’t that going to be expensive? It doesn’t have to be. Surely, living in this area, you know some military folks. Most of them have been deployed overseas and typically bring back many coins. Spend an evening with some of them, listening to them tell you about their trips, and either borrowing or purchasing the coins from them. Just as we have pennies, most countries have inexpensive coins. It’s very interesting to see the differences, and the things that each country holds dear.

As an alternate choice, 9c lets you collect tokens or medals.

Requirement 10

For requirement #10, most Scouts won’t be able to travel to a U.S. Mint facility, the Bureau of Engraving and Printing, or a Federal Reserve Bank, but thankfully there are other options.

(Note: There is an excellent cartoon video here that well explains the FRB.)

You can take the easy way out (draw 5 Colonial-era coins), but you might have a lot more fun and learn more by attending a coin show.

Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association – Holds an annual Coin Collecting merit badge day in Portland during October. 2011 date is the 22nd. Pre-registration required for this free event.

Not needed for the badge, but a very cool page on Scouting coins!

If you’re fortunate enough to have a scholastic chess club in your school, the badge will be a breeze. For those Scouts who don’t, the badge is still doable. Most tournaments are open to everyone, whether your school participates or not.

Chess teaches logic, strategy, patience, good study habits, and teamwork. Yes, teamwork. A good chess club participates in tournaments as a team, with scores combined and players supporting one another. Like many sports, scholastic chess has a “season”. Tournaments generally begin in November and end in March. Each April, state championships are held for those who qualify in regional tournaments.

If you don’t already play, or if you’d like to hone your skills, here are some local resources:
Kitsap Homeschool Chess – Meets Monday nights at Kitsap Mall. Though originally intended for homeschoolers, all players are welcome.
Kitsap County Chess Club – Mostly adults, though scholastic players welcomed. Meets Wednesday nights at the Kitsap Library.
Tacoma Chess – Open to all ages. Monthly Sunday quad for youth.

Statewide Resources:
Chess4Life – Elliott Ness’ comprehensive WA scholastic site
Washington High School Chess Association
Middle School Chess for the Northwest
Northwest Washington Scholastic Chess
2012 Washington State Elementary Chess Championship

“So I was having dinner with Garry Kasparov – Problem was, we had a checkered tablecloth and it took him two hours to pass the salt”

How did you get started in Scouting?
I got started in Scouting by invitation from my dear friends, David and Elisha. I honestly only had a vague idea of Scouting from the film Follow Me Boys, and that my father had been a Star Scout.

Which badges do you currently counsel?
I counsel the Insect Study and Gardening merit badges.

What’s your favorite badge?
My favourite badge to teach is Insect Study as it has a bit more back and forth and is less of a long time issue so the students tend to be less stressed out.

Tell me about your demonstration hive. It seems to be something the Scouts gravitate to at merit badge clinics.
Ha ha, that demonstration hive was made by my father back when my family was selling honey at the farmers’ market. It was always fun to see the customers’ reactions:

A. Jump back in surprise and maintain a healthy distance whilst shopping.
B. Get right up close and put their nose to the window and listen to the patter of the bees’ little legs.
C. Ask how we get the honey out of the bees.

What do you like best about merit badge counseling?
I enjoy counseling mostly because I love to see that mixed look of wonder and realization when a student learns something new. It’s also great to observe each Scout’s different personality.

What’s the best way to reach you for Scouts who want to start their badges?
Email is a preferable form of contact, mostly because it is rather unpredictable whether I will be home or not, or I may be in a different room studying while wearing earplugs (a useful method for concentration). And even though I have an answering machine, I rarely check it… a bad habit I need to break.

Duane earned his Eagle Scout rank in 2008. He is a junior in college. In addition to counseling merit badges, he currently teaches Latin online.

Okay, it’s not quite that simple, but 2011’s newest badge, Robotics, can involve a lot of LEGO construction (or VEX, or any other components). Build your very own robot – no, not out of cardboard boxes and foil. Kits today bring together sensors, computers, and imagination. And a hefty price tag. Some of the Lego Mindstorm kits can be had for as “little” as a hundred dollars. A decent kit is closer to $500. The good news is that many of the area junior and senior high schools have clubs where local taxpayers have already purchased all the equipment. Students who join their school’s club should easily be able to fulfill the requirements for this badge without any additional hoops.

Robotics *can* be completed on your own. Most competitions are public and open to all, so the visit shouldn’t be a big problem. You can find some competitions here, or call your local high school to ask. The difficult part to doing it on your own will be finding the components and a counselor with the necessary expertise. [If you know of a local one, would you please email me and let me know?]

For those without access or whose schools are headed in other directions, you might try one of the following organizations:

Introduction to LEGO Robotics – A PenMet Summer Camp. For 6th & 7th graders. July 8-12, 1-4pm. Gig Harbor.

Kitsap 4-H Summer Robotics Camp. July 11-15. (Fills up quickly; contact instructor asap.)

The Spruce Goose Museum in McMinnville, OR has three Robotics clubs of their own. Because they have both the equipment and the facilities, they’re now offering Robotics clinics for Scouts. With worksheets completed beforehand (and a notebook done afterward), Scouts can complete the badge in the one-day class. Contact the Scout Coordinator, Cory Fuqua, for more information.

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How did you get started in Scouting?
My son and I started scouting when he was a Wolf, (he’s a Boy Scout now). I took over as Cubmaster that year for Pack 4528 in Olalla with guidance from Pat Pavlichek.

Which badges do you currently counsel?
I only counsel the Geocaching badge. It is something that I have wanted to be a counselor for, for quite a while. I believe that I can bring good experience and fun to the boys, or anyone else, who wants to pursue Geocaching.

What’s your favorite thing about the badge?
I don’t have one favorite thing when it comes to Geocaching. There are several reasons. First, I like the entire concept of the game. I get to use high tech toys, go on treasure hunts, and be creative about making and hiding my own caches. Also, some caches can be hidden really well and you have to think hard about what you are looking for, and when you make the grab, it’s very rewarding.

Second, it gets me outside. This game takes me places I never would have gone before. There are places in our own communities that we rarely get to see or take advantage of.

Third, the people. My experience has been that all of the other geocachers are very nice and good people. We care about our community, we have the same goals, and we all enjoy the challenge and adventure of the game.

And last but not least, it allows me to spend good time with my son. It gives us a chance to get out and spend time together. Whether that’s hiking in the woods looking for caches, or spending time together hiding a cache.

What’s the best way to reach you for Scouts who want to start their badges, or troops who want to have you introduce the sport to them?
Scouts can reach me at keepnscore@gmail.com or my login at geocaching.com which is: keepnscore

Are you up for an adventure?

We’ll be cycling through the San Juan islands on June 13-17. Scouts 13 and older who have earned at least First Class rank (and any parents) are invited to join Cycling merit badge counselor Lisa Haley and Julie Gentry on a 50-Miler. [Note: Scouts younger than 13 may only join us if a parent is riding. Please contact Lisa Haley for questions.] This is a provisional 50-miler, open to Scouts from any troop.

What will be covered:
• 50-miler award
• Most of the requirements for the Cycling badge – the 50-mile-in-8-hrs ride will be completed at a later date. Reports must be filed with your Cycling merit badge counselor to count these toward the Cycling badge. (Shorter rides will be scheduled before the 50-miler.) Lisa Haley is a Cycling merit badge counselor, if your troop does not have one.
• Community service hours – Scouts must check with their SM first to see if they can be used toward rank advancement. Note: in accordance with the 50-miler award rules, if 10 service hours are not possible along the trail, the remainder will be done after the trip (this is likely; we have 3 hours planned during the week, and will need another 7 to fulfill the requirements. We will choose a project, as a group, to finish after the week).
• Miles toward the National Outdoor Award–Riding award
• 4 Camping nights, subject to prior SM approval
• One (of ten) requirements for NOA-Adventure
• Scouts who wish to work on other things during the trip (such as Cooking or Nature) can arrange this in advance. Scouts may cook or simply enjoy meals prepared for them.

Experienced riders will ride in the front, grouped with Mrs. Haley and traveling at her pace. Less experienced riders will be followed by a safety vehicle, which will carry all gear. The rear group shall travel at the pace of the slowest rider. We’ll be camping on four different islands: Lopez, San Juan, Orcas, and Shaw (planned in that order). What a great chance to explore the San Juans!

Reserve your spot now with a non-refundable $25 deposit. The cost is listed at $50 for the week, but we’ll be doing a fundraiser in late May/early June to hopefully bring the cost down. That will help to pay for campsites, ferry fees, food, etc. Scouts are responsible for their own transportation to/from Anacortes, although we’ll try to arrange carpools with Scouts pitching in for gas.

Currently reserved (maximum 15 people, including adults):
Mrs. Haley
Mrs. Gentry
Ray M
Elisha G
Ian B

Patrick H
Evyn B
Tim M
Dan M*
Alex L*

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Tentative rides for conditioning:
(dates subject to change; conditioning rides may be done independently of the group)
Wednesday, May 25: 10 miles – includes bicycle safety requirements
Wednesday, June 2: 10 miles
Wednesday, June 9: 15 miles

Download the flyer here.

Advancement-a-palooza! Join us for a day of outstanding merit badge classes.

Merit Badges taught for this event: Art, Electricity, Citizenship in the Community, Family Life, Citizenship in the Nation, Fish and Wildlife Management, Communications, and Photography.

8:30 AM Check In
9:00 AM Class Period 1
10:45 AM Class Period 2
12:15 PM Lunch (on your own!)
1:00 PM Class Period 3

Each class will have at least 1½ hours to cover the material. We hope to use the last 15 – 30 minutes to sign off Merit Badge blue cards and move to the next class. All merit badges will be taught during each class period.

Date: Saturday, May 21st, 2011, starting at 8:30am
Cost: Free!
Register by clicking here
Location: Issaquah LDS Church, 26529 Duthie Hill Road, Issaquah, WA (click for map)
Contact: Gary Yukish

Download the flyer here.

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Make sure to do prerequisites before coming to the clinic. Do not expect to complete a badge in 90 minutes that you haven’t done the work for. Some of them require visits, service hours, or interviews with professionals. Where necessary, bring documentation and paperwork. Partials are issued when a badge is not complete. See MeritBadge.com for requirements.

Note: You should ALWAYS check with your Scoutmaster before working on an Eagle-required badge, especially at a merit badge clinic. He may have plans for your troop that you are not yet privy to.

What is a merit badge clinic/fair/day?
Merit badge manners

Come join fellow Scouts at Emerald Downs for a day you won’t soon forget.

Take a specialized tour of Emerald Downs with a view to completing Horsemanship requirements, then watch these beautiful horses run. Enjoy a boxed lunch and reserved Grandstand seating.

The following requirements of the badge are expected to be fulfilled during this outing:

July 30th: Tour and day at the races
2. Name 15 main parts of a horse.
6. Describe the symptoms of colic. Describe four other horse diseases
7. Name three main conformation faults of the feet and legs and explain how to detect them. Explain the difference between lameness and unsoundness.
9. Explain how you determined what and how much to feed the horse and why the amount/kind of feed will be changed according to activity level and the kind of horse it is.

Complete these requirements on your own or at BJS Stables in Kent on August 6 (small TBD additional fee may be required):

August 6th: Skills and grooming
1. Do the Following: a-c
3. Name four leading breeds of horses. (this element may also be covered through online materials)
4. Show how to care for a Western and English saddle and bridle. Name 10 parts of the saddle and bridle
5. Show how to groom, pick out hooves, prepare for a ride, and care for a horse after a ride.
8. Explain how to trim and shoe a horse’s foot and how to make adjustments according to it s conformation, the season of the year, and the riding conditions.
9. Demonstrate the correct way to feed a horse.
10. Show how to properly saddle and bridle a horse
11. Do the following movements: a-h

Note: Emerald Downs does not currently have a Horsemanship counselor. If your troop does not have one, here are a few in our area:
Shane Hilson, Port Orchard
Allen Warren, Poulsbo
Kathy Silverthorn, Old Belfair Hwy (Note: Mrs. Silverthorn may trade farm chores for instruction)
Janet Ahrens, Silverdale

For further information, please contact Ashley Milligan.

See the Flyer here.
Download the registration form here.

Download the flyer here.

Click here when registration opens on the first.

It’s free to Scouts, underwritten by sponsors.