Merit Badge Opportunities

YOUR ONE STOP SHOP FOR MERIT BADGE DAYS

Northern Star Scouting’s Activities Committee continues to work to connect partner organizations with Scouting volunteers to offer Merit Badge opportunities throughout the year.  Using the Merit Badge program as the backdrop, program partners engage youth in a deeper understanding of a vocation or hobby tied to their mission and purpose as an organization.  These small to medium size events focus on quality hands on instruction.  Although space is limited, the intent of the Merit Badge series is to offer multiple opportunities for Scouts to take part throughout the year.   

Why Merit Badges?

There is more to Merit Badges than simply providing opportunities to learn skills, introduce lifetime hobbies, or inspiring a career path—though these invaluable results occur regularly. It all begins with a Scout’s initial interest and effort in a Merit Badge subject, followed meaningful engagement with subject matter experts, culminating in advancement and recognition. It is an uncomplicated process that gives a Scout the confidence achieved through overcoming obstacles, improving social skills, developing self-reliance, and allowing Scouts access to fields of study and interest are explored beyond the limits of the school classroom.

Explore Opportunities

Click on a Merit Badge tab below to learn more about upcoming offerings and the program partners supporting these events:

 

Minnesota Pilots Association - Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering

The Minnesota Pilots Association offers the Aviation Merit Badge as a part of the Great Minnesota Aviation Gathering (GMAG) held at Buffalo Municipal Airport in Buffalo each May (May 18,2024 will be the next event). Merit Badge participants and families can enjoy GMAG and the onsite exhibits while participating in the course. Merit Badge instruction is provided by licensed pilots and has often featured advisors from two of Northern Star Scouting’s Aviation Exploring Posts.

Interested in Aviation Exploring, or want to learn more about Northern Star Scouting’s two aviation-related Posts?  Visit: https://explorenow.org/.

Register for the waitlist here

Civil Air Patrol - North Hennepin Squadron

The Civil Air Patrol-North Hennepin Squadron periodically offers Merit Badge Days for area Scouts at Crystal Airport in the west metro. Class sizes are normally around 20 Scouts and are taught by members of the North Hennepin Squadron.  The next event to be hosted by the North Hennepin Squadron will be on Saturday November 18th.  Special thanks to the Cadets and Senior Members of the North Hennepin Squadron for offering this opportunity to Northern Star Scouting youth! 

The Civil Air Patrol is a public service organization that also serves as an Auxiliary of the U.S. Air Force.  The North Hennepin Squadron is a local entity, similar to a Scouting unit, that fulfills the mission of the Civil Air Patrol in our community.  Consisting of both Cadet (youth), and Senior (adult) programs, the Civil Air Patrol seeks to support three missions in providing for aerospace education, emergency services, and leadership and youth development through the Cadet program.  More information about the Civil Air Patrol-North Hennepin Squadron can be found here: https://northhennepin.cap.gov/.

Click Here for Upcoming Events and Registration

Chemistry

Northern Star Scouting is partnering with Alpha Chi Sigma (the professional chemistry and chemical engineering fraternity) for the first time to offer a Chemistry Merit Badge course for Scouts BSA members.  With the support of the College of Science and Engineering at the University of Minnesota (Twin Cities), Alpha Chi Sigma will host the Merit Badge course at Bruininks Hall on the East Bank portion of the Twin Cities campus on Saturday, April 6th.  Scouts will have to complete one prerequisite requirement that is listed below, but will otherwise cover the remaining requirements as a part of the weekend course.  Click the "Register here" button for more event information, and we hope to see you on campus this Spring!

Register for the waitlist here

Stay tuned for information about the next Coin Collecting event!

 

Registration for the 2024 event series is now open! Scouts BSA participants only need to sign up for one of the available dates- the sessions are identical, but space is limited so register early!

The Minneapolis Electrical Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee (JATC) is a non-profit organization jointly sponsored by Minneapolis Chapter of the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) and Local Union 292 International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW). The Minneapolis JATC offers continuing education for electricians, as well as a five-year apprenticeship program. The apprenticeship program offered by the Minneapolis JATC is registered through the Minnesota Department of Labor and consists of both on-the-job training and classroom education. More information about the Minneapolis JATC and their programs can be found here: https://mplsjatc.org/

 

Register here

St. Paul College

Stay tuned for more information in 2024!

Fire Safety Merit Badge

Northern Star Scouting is partnering with the Cottage Grove Fire Department to offer a Fire Safety Merit Badge opportunity! Scouts who attend will have the opportunity to work through most, if not all the Merit Badge requirements, during the course of the five-hour session. Further information can be found on the event registration page.

Register here

 

North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting

The North Star Museum of Boy Scouting and Girl Scouting was founded to help preserve the history of local Scouting in the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.  Located in North Saint Paul, the museum has curated more than 150,000 artifacts relating to the Scouting program.  In addition to their main collection, the museum offers dozens of Scouts BSA Merit Badge workshops every year.  The museum recruits registered Merit Badge Counselors to lead these workshop opportunities from Citizenship in Society to Law Merit Badges.  Please note, counselors determine the prerequisites the youth must complete prior to the workshop, and they are the ultimate authority in determining whether or not the youth has met the badge's requirements.

  • All classes are $12 for museum members and $15 for non-members.
  • ​All classes will be held at the museum (2640 E. Seventh Avenue, North Saint Paul, MN 55109) unless otherwise noted. 

Workshop registrations may be cancelled up to 7 days before your workshop date by emailing [email protected] or calling 651-338-7615.

For upcoming Merit Badge offerings or special museum events, check out the links below: 

Merit Badge Offerings and Registration

Museum Events

Shooting Sports

The Ten Ring group is offering the Rifle Shooting Merit Badge this spring. Scouts BSA participants will be guided through all of the Rifle Shooting requirements from loading/unloading to cleaning a rifle, as well as making sure they shoot their best. This class requires the Scout to complete a workbook before coming to the class. Everything they need will be provided. Each Scout will complete the merit badge in one three hour session.

Who is Ten Ring?

We are a Minnesota non-profit corporation interested in helping the youth of America through training and the sponsorships of many diverse activities. Most of what we do is centered on the outdoors and all it has to offer. During events we attempt to introduce “Living History” into many of our activities, this gives everyone a better understanding of who they are and how we all came to this point in history. We specialize on all aspects of the shooting sports from sling-shots to archery to firearms of all types. Our main focus is on safety and we will not compromise safety for any reason. This is the reason we concentrate on training not only for the youth but for their leaders as well. Our staff is highly trained in their disciplines and are constantly furthering their own education so to improve the training we deliver. We welcome input in any form; both suggestions and criticisms so please visit our Contact Us page and please give us your comments.

Click Here for the Full Event Schedule and Program Registration

Toro Merit Badge Day

 With roots dating back to 1914, The Toro Company was built on a tradition of quality and caring relationships. Today, the company is a leading worldwide provider of innovative solutions for the outdoor environment including turf and landscape maintenance, snow and ice management, underground utility construction, rental and specialty construction, and irrigation and outdoor lighting solutions. Through a strong network of professional distributors, dealers, rental stores and retailers in more than 125 countries, we proudly offer a wide range of products across a family of global brands to help golf courses, professional contractors, underground construction professionals, groundskeepers, agricultural growers, rental companies, government and educational institutions, and homeowners – in addition to many leading sports venues and historic sites around the world.

 

Woodchuck USA Merit Badge Day

Northern Star Scouting is excited to partner with Woodchuck USA for the first time to offer a multi-badge Merit Badge event on Saturday, April 13th! Scouts who attend will have the opportunity to work on the American Business, Entrepreneurship, and Woodworking Merit Badges, and will also be able to take home their own model of a Tesla truck that they will assemble on site during the event! More detailed information can be found on the registration page.

Spots are limited to 50 Scouts, so sign up early if you want to attend! We hope to see you at the Woodchuck USA Merit Badge day on Saturday, April 13th!

Woodchuck USA was founded in 2012 by Ben VandenWymelenberg after a broken phone inspired him to design and construct a more durable phone case made from real wood veneer.

What began as a casual venture, selling these unique phone cases to friends, evolved into something greater. A turning point came when Ben watched Simon Sinek's TED Talk, “How great leaders inspire action.” This talk ignited a clear mission: "Bringing nature back to people, jobs back to America, and quality back to products."

Woodchuck USA's commitment to nature grew stronger with its "BUY ONE. PLANT ONE." program, planting a tree for every product sold and sharing the tree's planting coordinates with customers.

From its origins crafting phone cases, Woodchuck USA has expanded its offerings to include a diverse range of custom wood products and services. These include luxury wood packaging for high-end liquor and marketing brands, corporate gifts and awards, wood journals and home goods, white-label manufacturing, and laser cutting services, among numerous other options. All the while, the company remains dedicated to quality, American job creation, and environmental stewardship.

Register here

Contact us

John McDermid

Activities Director
612-261-2329
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Merit Badge Opportunities