No matter what your background is, you probably have an area of expertise that aligns with one or more of the 130 merit badges or various Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) badges Scouting has to offer. Merit Badge classes on Monday nights are a mainstay of our program, and we need adults to teach those classes. If you're willing to help with that, here's how:

• Register as an adult: You can register as either a Troop Committee member or a Merit Badge Counselor. Either way you'll need to take a couple of very easy on-line training courses
• Familiarize yourself with our merit badge process
• Select a badge to teach:
  • This should be easy, there are more than 130 to choose from
  • The choice must be coordinated with one of our advancement people
  • It must be something you're familiar with
  • It must be something that can be taught in 30 minute segments on Wednesday nights
  • It needs to have enough content to consume 8 to 10 thirty minute sessions
• Find a second adult to partner with: Although this isn't absolutely necessary, things will run much better if there are two adults sharing the load. It also ensures you'll have backup if you're forced to miss a meeting
• Create a Plan
  • Check our schedule: Know how many sessions you'll have (don't plan classes for board nights)
  • Review your resources: There are Merit Badge Pamphlets published for each badge, and the requirements and worksheets are available on-line
  • Work out a plan: Lay out what will be covered each week. Share the plan with your teaching partner, our leaders, and the girls in the class. Do your best to stick to the plan
  • Line up a counselor: An approved counselor will need to review and pass the girls when you're done. If you've registered as a counselor, you can do this yourself. If not, the Scoutmaster can help you find one
• Conduct the Class
  • Set expectations: It's not expected that the girls will DO all the requirements in the class, but they should learn HOW TO DO them, and expectations on WHEN TO DO them should be clear
  • Start with blue cards: Have the girls obtain a "blue card" for the badge that has been signed by the Scoutmaster
  • Teach the classes: We're counting on you to keep your class of girls busy for the entire quarter, and to present them with the information they need so that they can get the badge if they do the work you assign. Please make sure someone covers the material each week. If you can't be there, line up a backup
  • Make it interesting: Please do your best to have something interesting and engaging going on in your class each week. These classes are the most important part of our meeting, and we'll lose girls if they're not interesting
  • Take Care of the Room: Please make sure nothing in the room you're useing gets abused, and that everything is put back to where it was when you first arrived
  • Arrange for the girls to meet with the counselor: You should expect the girls to have all their work completed before the first board night of the quarter, and arrange for the counselor to review and pass them that night. That way, if any of the girls need the badge for a rank advancement, we can hold their board of review on the second board night
  • Remind the girls to turn in their blue cards: Girls won't receive the badge unless a blue card, signed by the counselor is turned in to the Scribe by the last board night of the quarter

We share equipment With nearly 100 boys in Troop 541, and there are ten patrols worth of equipment, logistics can be daunting. One adult on the Troop Committee is responsible for transportation of all the youth and equipment. Please remember:

• It takes a lot of vehicles to move all the youth and our gear. The greatest assistance that a parent can give when signing their Scout up for a trip is to volunteer to transport Scouts either one or both ways and to advise at that time how many Scouts the parent can transport.
• Our transportation coordinator arranges car pools
• Please be responsive when he or she calls you

The Scoutmaster and his or her assistants are the ones who really execute our program. They work with the girls at meetings and on outings, and are probably having the most fun of any of our adults. Some assistants are responsible for teaching the first year classes. Others serve as coaches for the first year patrols. Several serve as coaches for up-and-coming Eagle Scouts, and all of them pitch in to make our program what it is.

• We can always use more Assistant Scoutmasters
• It does require you to take several training courses
• Talk to the Scoutmaster if you're interested

We use two uniform styles; Class A is worn most of the time, but Class B will be worn when it's very hot, or when the activity calls for a something less formal.

You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 130 of them. Any Scout may earn a merit badge at any time. You don't need to have had rank advancement to be eligible. The path to getting a merit badge must be documented. It starts with the Scoutmaster, requires certification by an approved counselor and ends with the Troop 541 Scribe. You can work on merit badges at our meetings, at summer camp, at special merit badge events, or all on your own. It doesn't matter how you do it, you always need to document it, either in Scoutbook or with a "Blue Card". No documentation - No Badge, it's as simple as that. The process is illustrated below:

One of the most beneficial aspects of the Scouting program is the opportunity it gives to the girls to develop leadership skills. We're proud of the fact that our girls do lead. From leading the patrols, to taking care of equipment, to teaching younger scouts, and even writing articles for our newsletter, the girls take care of almost every aspect of our program. Here's how it works:

• After her first year, each of our Scouts takes on a position of leadership (doing so is a requirement for all of the higher ranks)
• As she gets older, she takes on more responsibility
• If the girls didn't do their jobs, our Troop wouldn't function
• You can see what the leadership roles are on our Troop Organization Chart
• We also have job descriptions for all these positions, but at first we won't be trying to fill them all. The process for the girls to get a job assignment is:
  • They submit an application form listing their first, second, and third choices
  • Both the Scout and her parent sign the application, agreeing that she will meet the committment associated with her choice
  • The Scoutmaster reviews the applications to make sure the Scout is qualified for the jobs she applied for
  • Elections are held among qualified applicants for certain positions like Senior Patrol Leader and Patrol Leader
  • The Scoutmaster and Senior Patrol Leader make the other assignments trying to give everyone their highest possible choice
  • In most cases, Scouts remain in their position for a one year term

Troop 541 believes that every Scout should be given an opportunity to take part in the Scouting program. A Scoutership program has been established to assist Scouts who, without financial assistance, may not be able to take part in the program. Funding is limited, although we try to assist all Scouts and families in need and every application is considered. In keeping with Scouting principles, all Scouts can and should work to earn a portion of the program cost.

Applications will be reviewed by our selection committee (Troop Committee Chairman, Treasurer, Scoutmaster). We take your privacy seriously and all efforts are taken to keep information (including names of Scouts, families, etc) private. Forms are shared only with the 3 members of the selection committee. To apply for a Scoutership, complete this application form and give it to one of the selection committee members: Troop Committee Chairman, Treasurer or Scoutmaster.

Availability of Scouterships changes year by year. Completion of this application does not automatically guarantee funding.