![](/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Facebook_Kayak_Scouts_BSA-1024x576.jpg)
James T. Hatfield Virtual Merit Badge Challenge
What you need to know:
- This program is for Scouts, BSA registered in the Dan Beard Council.
- Completion records for the 2021 Virtual Merit Badge Challenge will be sent to the participants’ emails on May 16th, 2021.
- Takes place over three Saturdays: March 27, April 10 and April 17, 2021. Scouts will register once and follow that schedule all three Saturdays. This activity is for Scouts, BSA registered with the Dan Beard Council.
- Scouts will be invited to a Google Classroom for each merit badge they are registered for. They will receive this invitation between March 22-24, 2021. Classes will be conducted virtually via the video conferencing platform of the counselor’s choice (Google Meets, Zoom, WEBex, etc.) The link to the conference call for the classes will be posted on the Stream tab of the Google Classroom.
- All communications and work submitted for requirements for every badge must be done through the Google Classroom.
- There will be no blue cards exchanged or ScoutBook connections made. Our registration system now allows for tracking merit badge requirements. Counselors will record the completed requirements through the registration system. Completion records will be emailed after the deadline.
- Per the Guide to Advancement 2019 7.0.0.1, the way to begin a merit badge starts with a Scout’s interest in the subject followed by a discussion with the unit leader or designated assistant. There is a line on the Blue Card and within the ScoutBook connection that indicates that this discussion has taken place. Since we are not collecting blue cards or making ScoutBook connections, there will be a place in the registration to indicate that the discussion did take place. Before registering for this event, please make sure that the Scout/Unit Leader discussion takes place.
Course Schedule
![virtual merit badge challenge scout](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/VMB_Box-768x376.jpg)
The link below is the schedule of merit badges that are confirmed as of 2/24/2021. All merit badges are 1 period long. Please only choose a merit badge once.
Virtual Merit Badge Courses
Below are a list of what Merit Badge Courses are offered.
![american business merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/american_business-150x150.jpg)
AMERICAN BUSINESS
![american heritage merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/American_Heritage_Badge-150x150.jpg)
AMERICAN HERITAGE
![animation merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/animation-150x150.jpg)
ANIMATION
![](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ART_MERIT_BADGE-150x150.jpg)
ART
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/10303-150x150.jpg)
CITIZENSHIP IN
THE COMMUNITY
![](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/citizenship_nation-150x150.jpg)
CITIZENSHIP IN
THE NATION
![citizenship in the world](/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/citizenship-in-the-world.jpg)
CITIZENSHIP IN THE WORLD
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/800_0cltk9jhemozkkkv42yq-150x150.jpg)
COIN COLLECTING
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/COLLECTIONS-150x150.jpg)
COLLECTIONS
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/COMMUNICATIONS-150x150.jpg)
COMMUNICATIONS
![crime prevention](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/CRIME_PREVENTION-150x150.jpg)
CRIME PREVENTION
![DRAFTING MERIT BADGE](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/DRAFTING-150x150.jpg)
DRAFTING
![disability awareness merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/DISABILITY_AWARENESS-150x150.jpg)
DISABILITY AWARENESS
![Emergency Preparedness Merit Badge eprep](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/eprep-150x150.jpg)
EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/energy-150x150.jpg)
ENERGY
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/engineering-150x150.jpg)
ENGINEERING
![family life merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/family_life-150x150.jpg)
FAMILY LIFE
![genealogy merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/geneology-150x150.jpg)
GENEALOGY
![geology](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/geology-150x150.jpg)
GEOLOGY
![INVENTING](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/INVENTING-150x150.jpg)
INVENTING
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/INDIAN_LORE-150x150.jpg)
INDIAN LORE
![LAW MERIT BADGE](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/LAW-150x150.jpg)
LAW
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/MINING-150x150.jpg)
MINING IN SOCIETY
![MODEL DESIGN & BUILDING MERIT BADGE](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/MODEL_DESIGN_BUILDING-150x150.jpg)
MODEL DESIGN & BUILDING
![movie making merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/movie_making-150x150.jpg)
MOVIE MAKING
![MUSIC MERIT BADGE](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/MUSIC-150x150.jpg)
MUSIC
![](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/PERSONAL_MGMT-150x150.jpg)
PERSONAL MANAGEMENT
![photography](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/photography-150x150.jpg)
PHOTOGRAPHY
![Programming Merit Badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Programming_Merit_Badge-150x150.jpg)
PROGRAMMING
![public health](/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/public-health-150x148.jpg)
PUBLIC HEALTH
![Public Speaking merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/PUBLIC-SPEAKING-150x150.jpg)
PUBLIC SPEAKING
![safety merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/safety-150x150.jpg)
SAFETY
![](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/salesmanship_10586-150x150.jpg)
SALESMANSHIP
![Scholarship Merit Bade](/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/scholarship-150x150.jpg)
SCHOLARSHIP
![Soil and water](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/SOIL_AND_WATER-150x150.jpg)
SOIL & WATER
![Stamp Collecting](/wp-content/uploads/2021/02/STAMP_COLLECTING-150x150.jpg)
STAMP COLLECTING
![weather merit badge](/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/weather-150x150.jpg)
WEATHER
REFUND POLICY
DO NOT REGISTER INDIVIDUAL SCOUTS AS A UNIT CONTINGENT!!
Individual scouts who register as a unit contingent will not be able to get back in and choose classes when registration opens AND it prevents the actual units from using this feature. You will end up having to re-register after registration opens and you will be charged additional registration fees.
The Unit (Contingent) selection is ONLY for Unit LEADERS who want to add their Scouts’ names before registration actually opens. It DOES NOT give anyone access to an early merit badge selection.
If you have any questions about this, please email Michelle Byrne at michelle.byrne@scouting.org.
CONTACT
For questions or additional information, please contact one of the people below.
Tom Montgomery | montgota@fuse.net
Joe Kihm | kihmfamily@aol.com
Darrell Bitler | dntbitler@yahoo.com
Bill Shefcik | billshefcik@gmail.com
Michelle Byrne | michelle.byrne@scouting.org.