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.

Boeing Employees Coin Club help with Merit Badge

At the Boeing Employees Coin Club – Annual Coin Show on January 21st and 22nd the club is going to have a couple of tables set up for the Young Numismatists (YN’s). The goal is to educate and promote the hobby and to make the coin show more interesting for them to participate in. There is going to be a ‘getting started’ display case showing a couple of small easily collectible sets (without having to spend a small fortune as a kid). A video display of how coins are made from design to die and minting will be showed numerous times throughout the show along with how currency is printed. Table/door prizes for the YNs will be given out to each visiting kid.

One of the tables will be set up so a YN/Scout can have an individual merit badge ‘clinic’ so Scouts can work on and nearly complete their merit badge requirements. This table will also include a penny search as the Scout needs to collect a set of coins from their birth year to the current year (pending availability). For the YN’s feeling up to the ‘challenge’ and wanting to see more of the coin show, there is a planned treasure hunt to complete out a 2011 type set from penny to half dollar. Those returning to show their card/type set coins collected to the YN table will get the remaining dollar coin (as supply allows) to complete the set.

For Scouts to complete the merit badge at the coin show, they will need to bring in 5 state quarters (requirement 6) and a set of coins from their birth year to 2011 (option 9d; Scouts who have collections that fulfill 9 a,b, or c are welcomed to bring them instead). The rest of the requirements will be covered at the coin show.

Details:
January 21-22, 2012
Boeing Employees’ Coin Club Show
Kent Commons
525 – 4th Ave. N.
Kent, WA

For more information please contact David Buehler.

Download the flyer here.

There is no cost for the show or the merit badge instruction.
Covered parking is free at the courthouse.

Note: if you are working on your Geocaching badge, there are at least 4 caches within walking distance.

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!

Orca is a non-traditional clinic. It runs three consecutive Saturdays, with each class one hour per Saturday. Classes are offered at 9, 10, and 11. This does NOT mean that Scouts complete a merit badge in three hours. Scouts are expected to do homework between classes. Service projects must be logged, worksheets done, projects completed. Even then, some badges are not able to be finished during class. Scouts are not guaranteed a finished blue card; they will, however, definitely receive an education in the topic. Expect your counselors at ORCA to be thorough. Fair, but thorough. Still interested? GREAT! The ORCA clinic is always a wonderful experience.

January 21, 28, and February 4
8:45 – noon
Poulsbo LDS Church
2138 Mesford Street, Poulsbo

Questions? MBC@troop1571.org
See the Orca District’s FB page for more info.

Badges offered so far include:

Citizenship in the Community* FULL
Citizenship in the Nation* FULL
Citizenship in the World*
Communications* FULL
Emergency Preparedness* FULL
Family Life* FULL
First Aid*
Art
Chemistry
Chess FULL
Coin Collecting FULL
Electricity
Geocaching
Indian Lore
Graphic Arts
Medicine
Music
Nuclear Science FULL
Public Speaking
Radio
Reptile and Amphibian StudyFULL
Scouting Heritage
WeatherFULL

Part I consists of an online webinar. The first opportunity for this is Saturday, 11/26/2011 at 9 am (other opportunities will be available). During the webinar, much of the Oceanography worksheet will be covered.

Then, when the weather is a little more cooperative, board the Argosy for a Scout-specific Marine Science Afloat day. Scouts who have attended the webinar and done the assigned work should be able to complete their badges this day.

Enjoy a day out in the (hopefully) sun, learn all about Puget Sound, complete your Oceanography badge, and have a great time!

Who: All registered Boy Scouts (sorry, this is not age-appropriate for Cubs)
Cost: $40 per person (Scout or adult). Note: An adult is not required, but welcomed.
Departure and return – Pier 55 in Seattle
For more information or to register, contact Al Ramsay.

Your merit badge counselor will be Al Ramsay. Al is currently a BSA merit badge Counselor for Oceanography, Fish & Wildlife Management, Mammal Study, Reptile/Amphibian Study, Robotics, Aviation, and Composite Materials. Al is a volunteer at the Seattle Aquarium, Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, The Museum of Flight, and Woodland Park Zoo and teaches on a volunteer basis at each of these facilities. Al is the past CubMaster for Pack 433 in Bellevue and is a graduate of Cornell University in Ithica, New York where he participated in research projects on Pacific Salmon and Atlantic whale migration that led to his current interest in Oceanography and Marine Science. (One of the best parts about the merit badge program is learning from experts!)

Burke Museum
Sat., Dec. 3, 2011 | 10 am – 3 pm
$10 per Boy Scout; troop leaders and all adult chaperones are free

Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts are invited to earn their Geology awards at the Burke with a special day of earth science activities. Geologists will be on hand to answer questions and direct activities for earning the Geology Merit Badge, Webelos Geologist Pin, Cub Scout Belt Loop, and Geology Academics Pin. Activities include, mountain building, earth science careers overview, origins of fossils, volcanoes, mining and mineral recovery, Mohs’ scale of hardness and more! A merit badge counselor is available to certify completion.

To register for the Boy Scout Geology program, please contact the Burke Museum’s Education Division at (206) 543-5591 or burked@uw.edu.

Note: When we last went, it was a comprehensive program taught by a PhD, with the assistance of a geological engineer. Scouts who come with an eagerness to learn should be able to complete their badge on a Saturday afternoon. Parents can visit the rest of the museum, or remain with their Scouts (also open to Cubs and Webelos). Workbooks are provided by the Burke.

If you haven’t yet completed your Indian Lore badge, several of the requirements can be fulfilled at the Burke exhibits after you finish Geology. Or take your GPS and explore some of the many Geocaches in the area for your Geocaching badge. This is an especially good idea if you’re taking the ferry and bus.

Directions to the Burke Museum

November 19, 9:00 am to 2:00 pm (registration begins at 8:30 am) We will offer classes during 3 sessions:

Class 1: 9:00 – 10:30
Class 2: 10:40 – 12:10
Class 3: 12:30 – 2:00

Registration is now open.

If you are interested in a particular merit badge, teaching a merit badge at the fair, or have other questions please contact Clay Wilson

Location
LDS Bellevue South Stake Center 15205 SE 28th Street, Bellevue,
Behind the LDS Seattle Temple, East off 148th Avenue SE at the fire station
Mapquest is mostly correct, but follow SE 28th all the way to the end.

All Boy Scouts in the Cascade and Alpine Districts – *Now open to Boy Scouts from other districts & councils*

This is an opportunity for Boy Scouts to meet merit badge counselors, get started on a merit badge, possibly complete a badge, or complete a partial merit badge. Completing a merit badge start-to-finish in 90 minutes is highly unlikely. However, if you come prepared, having done most of the work beforehand, it is possible to finish the discuss, demonstrate, and explain portions of the badge.

What should you bring:

* Signed Blue Cards
* Paper and pencil for notes
* Merit Badge Book or printout of requirements
* Worksheets
* Evidence of completed projects
* Sack Lunch (lunch will not be served, but there is a break to eat sack lunches)
* Wear your uniform

One really nice thing about Cascade’s fair is that they will add badges if there is enough interest. So, when you sign up, make sure to use the request block at the bottom for other badges you may be interested in; say, Coin Collecting, Inventing, or Weather.

Day 2: aka E’s Bataan March
Note to self: Don’t ever let the kid who runs half-marathons set the pace. For some, it’s about the destination. For others, it’s about the journey. The two don’t mix so well. We covered the first 7.5 miles in less than two hours. Not a big deal if you’re just hiking or jogging. A much bigger one when you’re carrying a full load. When we got to the top of the hill where the highway would carry us across Copalis River, G was spent. “We are stopping NOW. That or you’ll be calling an ambulance.” Truthfully, G didn’t look so good, and isn’t in the best shape, and the 30 minute break was probably not enough. We hiked to the Copalis Beach bridge, and then decided that maybe we ought to turn back to the campsite we’d seen along the way and call it a day.

We had planned to go a little further, but G needed to stop. Stayed at Sunrise Resort. They’re a membership RV group, but they let us purchase a day camping pass. Hot showers! Neat-as-a-pin, obviously well cared for grounds, nice people, a clubhouse, and heated bathrooms. Heaven after a strenuous day. Since this was a no-campfire trip, J fired up the backpacking stove and we had a hot dinner. The Alpine Design Hiker/Biker Tent is made for one, but sleeps two teens. G slept under the stars. That worked out okay even with the rain because of the tarp covering the sleeping bag.
mileage: 9.5 miles

Day 3:
Cold, wet morning where nobody really wanted to get out of their sleeping bags. But up we went, packed up and were ready to go. “Just 5 more minutes until the clubhouse opens and there is hot coffee,” J wished as E took what seemed forever to retrieve his boots from the heated bathroom. With coffee in hand, we made our way across the bridge again to a gorgeous, foggy beach. The casino near Ocean City State Park was visible almost from the start, and seeing it actually made the walk feel longer rather than shorter. “I’ll meet you there.” J and G were pretty happy to hear that, as E took off at his marathon pace. He may have gotten there an hour before us, but he missed all the neat things along the way: a baby seal, huge eel, and baby walrus (dead, unfortunately), rotting jellyfish, men prospecting (and finding!) flour gold at the mouths of the creeks, a ghost ship made of driftwood.

Something really interesting was that there’s an airport ON THE BEACH at Copalis. We didn’t actually see any planes, but it was strange knowing that they could land there. Cars drive on the beach there, too.

When we finally got there and had lunch, we all agreed that we were not too tired to start our journey back. It was raining some, and we decided it was better to backpack in the rain than sit in it. So the packs went back on and we headed back the way we came. Rain and dust, and sand in our shoes. Not the most fun way to hike. Although we passed Sunrise and looked longingly at its hot showers and warm clubhouse, we opted for Echoes on the Copalis River. It was cold, starting to rain, and the facilities worked but needed some attention. The tent went up very quickly. A FlameDisk for a quick, hot dinner, and then everyone was so tired that it was in to bed for a long night’s sleep.

Well, sort of. G was sleeping on the ground under a tarp — one that crane flies didn’t seem to have a problem infiltrating. We were glad to have a screened tent!
mileage: 12 miles

Day 4:
By now, our feet are hurting. Wishing I would have brought more socks. But we’re on the home stretch, and that’s a good thing! The clouds have parted, the fog receded, and it’s a gorgeous warm and sunny hike. Amazing weather and views! Made it back to the resort in good time. Set up the tent, had dinner, lattes, a hot tub, and went to the movies (smart idea to make the resort the last night, after all the mileage had been completed).

That night was rainy and VERY windy and the tent fluttered in J’s face all night, but it was the last night to sleep on the ground.
mileage: 8.5 miles

Day 5:
Wake up to E’s alarm and him saying, “Start the car.” 10 minutes to pack up and leave. 3 hours to get home to a hot shower, hot meal, and long nap.

Lessons Learned:
* When someone says they NEED to stop, stop. Need is different than want. Also, keep an eye on those who are not in as good shape to make certain they’re okay.
* The FlameDisk is worth its weight in gold. It fired up immediately, gave us 30 minutes of cooking heat, and there was no smoke for E. Though the backpacking stove and sterno fuel are smaller, the disk was easier and lighter.
* E had terrible leg cramps (probably from pushing us too hard!), but Gleukos came to the rescue. A couple of packs mixed with water and the cramps were no more. I think we’ll bring this on every long hike.
* Sleeping under a tarp with no tent worked surprisingly well and didn’t require the weight of a tent. A light screen might be in order during bug season. G pegged down one side and slipped the sleeping pad and bag underneath. Worked even when raining.
* We had a hike plan in place, but chose to modify it due to the rain. It worked out well. Flexibility is a good thing.
* Left the keys in the wheelwell this time.
* Packed light, light, light. Should’ve left the jeans behind, though. After the first day, they were just a heavy, stinky extra thing to carry. Wore old t-shirts that could be ditched after use. Lots of socks – changing them really helped.
* Line of sight is probably not the best rule when you can see for miles. E ditched us while still remaining in view. We had cellphones, though.
* Tuna packs were a great idea. Lightweight, but full of protein. The rice was dumb. It was heavy and didn’t cook properly, so I carried it the whole way for basically nothing. Crackers held up surprisingly well, and the salt was a good thing after so much exertion.

Other notes:
* You have to pay the normal camping rate to park at Pac Beach, even if you’re not there. So we asked the business by the Post Office if it was okay to take one of their spots. Hooray for nice people!
* Water sources: We planned it to stay at places with sinks and spigots. Additionally, there was a rest stop on the beach.
* So much to see – this could have been a great time to do Bird Study, too, if we had been prepared. We saw brown pelicans, thousands and thousands of least sandpipers, rats with wings, plovers, sanderlings,

Filed 11.1012 by J, E, and G

Saturday, October 22, 2011 from 8:00-3:10
REGISTRATION FEE: $2.00/Scout (includes hot dog lunch)
LDS Church: 200 S. 177th Pl., Burien, WA 98148

Please Note: BRING A BLUE CARD SIGNED BY YOUR UNIT LEADER for each merit badge so the merit badge counselor can sign off the requirements you complete. NOTE: If you have done any prerequisites, outings, etc. for any of these merit badges have your Scoutmaster or Advancement Chair initial the BLUE CARD or sign a list for those to be credited toward your merit badge.

All day badges offered:

Swimming (held at the Seatac Y; $3 pool charge; bring a sack lunch)
Lifesaving (held at the Seatac Y; $3 pool charge; bring a sack lunch)
RadioChess (bring your own set if you have one)

AM sessions offered:

Aviation (3b & 4a may be held off-site, depending upon how many Scouts are registered)
Law (prerequisite: first part of requirement 4)
Cooking
Camping, Hiking, Backpacking (the classroom requirements will be covered)

PM sessions offered:

Photography (Bring a camera and USB cord for Req #4. To create slide-show, bring a laptop if possible. Don’t forget cord to download pictures.)
Public Speaking (Prepare requirements #2 and #4 for presentation during the session.)
Safety & Energy (Safety: 1&2 requirements as a prerequisite; Energy: 1A & 4A)
Computers (Prerequisites: 6, 7, 9)

Scouts should Come Prepared. This means:
1. Have a copy of the Merit Badge Book and read it before arriving.
2. Have a BLUE CARD signed by their Unit Leader indicating they’re qualified to begin working on the badge.
3. Have the merit badge worksheet or paper and a pencil or pen.
4. Be prepared to contribute to the discussion.
5. Have already completed any Prerequisites listed above.

PRE-REGISTRATION SHOULD BE RECEIVED BY OCTOBER 19th
(If you want to get your 1st Choice Preferences Classes)
Scouts registering on the day of the event will be on a space-available basis.
Click here for pre-registration sheet, and email to Mr. Ken DeVos.

Mount Olympus District Merit Badge Mania

October 22, 2011 9:00 – 4:00
*SEQUIM* LDS Church
815 W Washington St, Sequim, WA
Bring your sack lunch.
Doors open at 8:30 for registration, classes start promptly @ 9:00, ending times vary.
Classes will be filled by pre-registration date. Have a second choice in case first choice is full.

* The Blue Merit Badge Card signed by your Leader is your ticket to get into the class.
* Attendance alone doesn’t earn any merit badge.
* Some requirements may need to be completed outside of class.
* Wear your Scout Shirt & Be Prepared!

Merit badges are EARNED; they are not given. Do not shortchange yourself by cutting corners. Read your merit badge book before class, do those requirements that cannot reasonably be done in a clinic setting, and come prepared.

Available classes

All classes run 9-4 unless otherwise indicated; prerequisites in bold. All classes require reading of the merit badge pamphlet beforehand.

American Heritage
Archaeology
Architecture
Cinematography
Citizenship in the Nation FULL with long waiting list
Citizenship in the World FULL with long waiting list
Farm Mechanics (5)
Journalism
Motorboating (weather permitting, at the Marina; bring raingear) (verification of BSA swimmer required by SM signature)
Nuclear Science (thorough reading of the pamphlet; requires the maturity and ability to process the information and discuss it)
Plumbing
Public Health (9-12 AM)
Safety (1-4 PM)
Swimming (held offsite)
Theater (1)
Wilderness Survival (6 PM Friday night through 8:30 AM Saturday morning)

Spots will fill quickly. Sign up with Mrs. Butler by sending an email with your name, rank, age, troop number, District, and desired choice(s). Event questions, Call Kris 437-0115 or Lonnie 765-0328.