Older Scout Advancement from Home
COVID-19 is causing us to be even more resourceful and creative in how we keep the Scouting program going. Units may not be meeting as a group, but Scouts can continue to work on merit badges while they’re home during Coronavirus outbreak.
- As always discuss your interests in a merit badge with your Scoutmaster before starting one.
- Most of these will require online research during this time so be sure you have completed your Cyber Chip first.
- Remember to always use a speaker phone when talking with a counselor with a parent present or copy parent or another leader into any emails you send regarding merit badges.
- Do not adopt or buy a pet/animal just to complete a merit badge if you don’t plan to keep it. Remember some requirements require supervision so ask a parent or counselor about these before you start.
Looking for more at home Scouting hacks? Check out Bryan on Scouting for more great ideas and resources, as well as SciTech Institute for STEM activities!
For a list of Cub Scout Advancements from home, please click here.
For insight on advancement policy changes during the Covid-19 outbreak, please click here.
30 Day Challenges
The “30-Day Challenge” is a great way to do a stay engaged in Scouting at home. The idea is that each Scout does one small Scouting-related thing each day to make progress towards their advancement goals. Below are the the 30-Day challenges for Scout, Tenderfoot, Second Class, and First Class. Check these out to complete at home or share them with the families in your units.
Resources for Merit Badges
Click here for online merit badge booklets and requirements.
Advancements with no requirements required outside of home:
Eagle required badges marked with an *
- American Business
- Animation
- Basketry
- Collections
- Electricity
- Electronics
- Energy
- Entrepreneurship
- Family Life*
- Fingerprinting
- Genealogy
- Home Repairs
- Model Design and Building
- Nature
- Painting
- Personal Fitness* (requires MD visit but yearly physical would cover this)
- Personal Management*
- Photography – but shots might be limited
- Plumbing
- Programming
- Reptile and Amphibian Study
- Wood Carving
May be completed with no outside requirements depending on options chosen:
- American Heritage – #2 Choose 2 options if you choose 2c it could be done over the phone, skype, or family members you can visit. #4 choose 2 options a & c could be done by online research if you choose 4b avoid visit or see if there are virtual tours available. 4d would have to be done at a later date, 4e would have to be done at a later date
- Animal Science – depending on what type of farm visit you do it might have to occur at a later date, The Avian option has a option to do this through videos
- Archaeology – #7 choose 2 if you choose option A you will need to do at a later date, #8 choose 1 option A will have to be set for a future date, #9 choose 1 option A will have to be done at a later date
- Astronomy – #8 all options would have to be done at a future date
- Bird Study – If you have a variety of birds in your neighborhood/yard. #8 choose 1 option A would have to be at a later date
- Chemistry – #7 Choose 1 Option A, C, D would have to be at a later date
- Citizenship in the World – #7 choose 2 option c could be done online through email/skype etc, option d & e would have to be done at a later date
- Coin collecting – #10 choose 1 option d is the only one what can be done without being in the community, also might be hard to get all the coins needed if not going into the community but is possible
- Digital Technologies – #8 do two options d&c would have to be done at later date, #9 do one option b would have to be done at later date
- Drafting – #6 choose 1 option A would have to be done at a later date
- Emergency Preparedness – #7 work with councilor to figure out how to complete
- Leather work – #5 choose 1 option d would have to be done at a later date
- Movie making – #3 choose 1 option 1 would have to occur at a later date
- Nuclear Science – #3 choose 1 option A would have to be done at later date, #4 choose 2 option D would have to be done at a later date, #5 Choose 1 option c would have to be done at a later date
- Pets – #4 A & B might have to be done at a later date
- Pulp and Paper – #7 choose 1 all options besides e would have to be done at a later date
- Railroading – #8 choose 1 option A could be done without outside exposure option b would require at least part to be done at a later date
- Reading – #4 could read to younger children if family, read to those listed over skype, or other method, record your own books/magazines and send to those listed, or can be done at a later time, check with your counselor on how you can meet this requirement
- Robotics – #6 choose 1 option A would have to be done later
- Safety – #4 would have to use photos or other options to complete or do at later date, #6 project should be home or talk with counselor about possible other locations that would be safe
- Sculpture – #2 choose 2 option c would have to be done later or possibly online tour
- Soil and Water Conservation – #7 Choose 2 option a would have to be done at later date
- Stamp Collecting – #7 choose 2 option b would have to be done at a later time
- Sustainability – Several options can include community but could be done without community
- Textile – #3 choose 2 option A would have to be done at a later date
Depending on counselor outside requirement might be acceptable to be completed as on online virtual tour
- Art – #6 will have to be done at a later date or check with counselor about an online tour
Has a requirement that would have to he completed once safe to join community events:
- American Labor – #2 would have to be done at a later date
- Bugling – could learn skills needed and then serve once meeting resume
- Composite materials – Work with councilor on how to set date and time for projects
- Cooking – camping and trail section to be done at a later date
- Dog care – #8 would have to be done at a later date
- Fire Safety – #10 B & C could possibly be done from home or at a future camp out, #11 would have to be done at a later date
- Gardening – #5 would have to done at a later date
- Medicine – #7 Should be done when threat of exposure to illnesses are at a minimum
- Public Health – #5 would have to be done at a later date
- Radio – #7 would have to be done at a later date, also might be had/expensive if family doesn’t have the equipment need
- Signs, Signals, and Code – #7 would have to be done at a later date
- Soil and Water Conservation – #7 would have to be done at a later date
- Weather – #9 choose 1 option b would have to be done at a later time, #10 would have to be done at a later date
Additional Awards
Nova and Supernova Awards – Several Achievements could worked on during this time, such as the 3 hours of reading or watching videos about the topic. STEM Resources are also available through SciTech Institute.
Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award – requirements 1- 4 can be completed and #5 completed at a later date.
Various religious emblems may be completed at home according to your faith’s emblem requirements.
Summer Program Opportunities
FAQs
Information on Grand Canyon Council’s response to COVID-19 can be found here.
Through March 27th, the Scout Service Center will be closed to the public but will remain staffed. During this time staff will be working and available via telephone and email to provide customer service and support to our stakeholders.
A full list of GCC staff phone and email contacts is on our newly redesigned website.
Through March 27th the Scout Shops in Phoenix and Mesa will be closed to the public. During this two-week stretch, customers are encouraged to visit www.scoutshop.org for Supply needs.
Through May 31st, not inclusive at this time of Summer Camp operations, all GCC camps will be closed.
At this time summer camp programs will continue as planned. Summer prorgams may be reviewed on our Camps and Activities page.
Our staff will begin the process of communicating with units that have camp reservations to reschedule them to the fall or arrange for refunds of fees already paid.
We are postponing all currently scheduled training, activities, programs, and camps at the council and district levels through May 31st.
Scouting units should use ScoutBook to record and track advancement.
To track advancement remotely, parents should:
- Connect with their child’s member profile via an invitation that the unit leader sends within ScoutBook.
- Once a connection is made, the parent should use the Scouting app, found in both the App Store and Google Play, to stay connected with their unit.
- The Scouting app provides parents the ability to report any advancement that was completed at home.
Go to https://help.scoutbook.com to learn more about how to start using ScoutBook and how to connect parents to their Scouts.
No. All requirements must be completed as written. If meetings or activities are canceled or limited, youth should continue to work on requirements as far as possible. By employing common sense and creative solutions, many requirements–even Scoutmaster conferences–can be fulfilled through videoconferencing or telephone calls.
Yes, registered merit badge counselors or Nova counselors/Supernova mentors may work with youth using digital platforms, ensuring that all youth protection measures noted in the Guide to Safe Scouting and BSA’s social media guidelines are in place. In addition to youth protection, the advancement guidelines in GTA Section 7 are required.
Yes. If youth are registered and in good standing, a disruption from COVID-19 virus can be the “noteworthy circumstance” that prevents participation. This policy has been in place for many years and is explained in GTA Topic 4.2.3.1.
Yes. If youth are registered and unable to meet the expectations of their positions because of COVID-19 disruptions, then units may need to waive or rethink the expectations. Just as youth must not be held to unestablished expectations, they must not be held to expectations that are impossible to fulfill. See GTA Topic 4.2.3.4, “Positions of Responsibility,” with its six subtopics.
Yes, but only for the Eagle Scout rank as described in GTA Topic 9.0.4.0 or for Venturing Summit or Sea Scout Quartermaster as described in GTA Topic 4.3.3.0. Unit leadership must become familiar with the five tests under 9.0.4.0. The tests were designed to accommodate such obstacles as those presented by COVID-19 disruptions.
Extensions are considered only for Scouts who are Life rank. If, once a Scout achieves Life rank, it turns out that COVID-19 disruptions along the way have left them with insufficient time to complete Eagle requirements, then this may be cited when the time comes to submit an extension request.
Normally, that is not allowed. However, due to the current situation—effective immediately and through September 30, 2020—council Scout executives may grant extensions, or delegate authority to the Council Advancement Committee to grant extensions under the following limitations:
- It can be established that COVID-19 disruptions were the only circumstances that delayed work on Eagle Scout/Summit/Quartermaster advancement requirements, such as the service project or merit badges. If any other causes were involved, the extension request must go to the National Council following the process outlined in the GTA.
- Extensions shall only be granted to youth in Scouts BSA who have already achieved Life rank.
- When the council receives a COVID-19-related request for a time extension, the council reviews the request and approves it if appropriate. A written response stating the outcome of the extension request must go to the youth. If approved, the notification must be attached to the youth’s Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster rank application. For Eagle, the extension must not exceed 3 months from the youth’s 18th birthday; for Summit/Quartermaster, the extension must not exceed 3 months from the youth’s 21st birthday.
- Upon turning 18, the Scout must submit a completed adult application and successfully complete YPT; their participant code will now be UP for SBSA or VP for Venturing and Sea Scouting.
- Extension requests for more than 3 months beyond the youth’s 18th/21st birthday must be sent to the National Service Center following the process outlined in the GTA.
Note: A “month” in BSA advancement is defined as a day from one month to the next. For example, March 5 to April 5.
The authority for councils to grant extensions is temporary, lasting only through Sept. 30, 2020.
Yes. Council Scout executives may grant extensions, or delegate authority to the Council Advancement Committee to grant extensions under the limitations listed above.
Youth should continue to work on advancement in so far as they are able—e.g., independently, or over the phone or videoconference—and at Scouting activities once they resume.
No. Councils may grant Eagle/Summit/Quartermaster boards of review up to six months after the youth’s 18th/21st birthday. See GTA Topic 8.0.3.1, “Eagle Scout Board of Review Beyond the 18th Birthday.”
See also, GTA Topic 8.0.1.6, “Boards of Review Through Videoconferencing.”
Yes. Electronic or digital signatures will be accepted through September 30, 2020.
Youth may take a picture of their completed activity/requirement and share the work with unit leaders. In keeping with Youth Protection Training policies, all communications from youth should be sent to at least two adults. Parents or guardians may send advancement work on behalf of their child.