Merit Badges

You can learn about sports, crafts, science, trades, business, and future careers as you earn merit badges. There are more than 135 merit badges, and any Scout, or any qualified Venturer or Sea Scout may earn any of these at any time.

Scouts BSA Merit Badge Guide

Scroll down to see a adescription of the Merit Badge process.

Merit Badge Counselors of Troop 505

SCOUTS: This is the list of adults associated with Troop 505 who have been approved as merit badge counselors. If a merit badge you are looking for is not listed, you will have to contact the Troop Advancement Chair to obtain the names of merit badge counselors outside of our troop who can work with you. Remember never to meet one-on-one with a Merit Badge Counselor. Take a Scout buddy or buddies, parent or meet at the open Troop meeting.

Go to Scoutbook for CONTACT INFORMATION for each of these counselors (Login>Troop 505>Troop Roster).

Please scroll down to see the PROCESS for earning merit badges.

This list was last updated in September 2026.

*Eagle Required

by Merit Badge

- Jason Dluhy
- Jordan Jenks
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Kyle Verret
- Jordan Jenks
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Clayton Finney
- Ethan Perry
- Kyle Verret
- Joshua Petrick
- Steve McGinnis
- Selamawit Tememe
- Marco Rodriguez
- Kyle Verret
- Gina Sitaraman
- Steve McGinnis
- Eleanor Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Steve McGinnis
- Clayton Finney
- Jason Dluhy
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Selamawit Tememe
- Deborah Verret
- Gina Sitaraman
- Joshua Petrick
- Ethan Perry
- Alex Montoya
- Clayton Finney
- Derek Jerrell
- Eleanor Verret
- Ethan Perry
- Jason Dluhy
- Jordan Jenks
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Ryan Moffett
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Clayton Finney
- Marco Rodriguez
- Kevin Horner
- Alex Montoya
- Alex Montoya
- Eleanor Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Kyle Verret
- Selamawit Tememe
- Alex Montoya
- David Baker
- Eleanor Verret
- Kelly Hogan
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Steve McGinnis
- Alex Montoya
- Eleanor Verret
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Alex Mericli
- Alex Montoya
- Eleanor Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Clayton Finney
- Clayton Finney
- David Baker
- Kyle Verret
- Alex Montoya
- Jordan Jenks
- Kelly Hogan
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Clayton Finney
- Patricia McGinnis
- Alex Montoya
- Clayton Finney
- David Baker
- Derel Jarrell
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Selam Tememe
- Kyle Verret
- Beate Litzenburger
- Helberg Mendoza
- Jordan Jenks
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Marco Rodriguez
- Gina Sitaraman
- Kyle Verret
- Eleanor Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Marco Rodriguez
- Beate Litzenburger
- Clayton Finney
- Eleanor Verret
- Kelly Hogan
- Kyle Verret
- Chris Akbari
- Steve McGinnis
- Kyle Verret
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Marco Rodriguez
- Clayton Finney
- Ethan Perry
- Eleanor Verret
- Clayton Finney
- Steve McGinnis
- Chris Akbari
- Jordan Jenks
- Steve McGinnis
- Kyle Verret
- Alex Montoya
- Clayton Finney
- Heather Montoya
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Ethan Perry
- Kyle Verret
- Alex Montoya
- Eleanor Verret
- Jordan Jenks
- Kelly Hogan
- Kyle Verret
- Ryan Moffett
- Shalini Bhandari
- Clayton Finney
- Ryan Moffett
- Steve McGinnis
- Patricia McGinnis
- Selam Tememe
- Alex Montoya
- Shalini Bhandari
- Alex Mericli
- Alex Montoya
- Jordan Jenks
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Marco Rodriguez
- Ryan Moffett
- Joshua Petrick
- Steve McGinnis
- Alex Montoya
- Clayton Finney
- Chris Akbari
- Jordan Jenks
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Jordan Jenks
- Ethan Perry
- Deborah Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Deborah Verret
- Ethan Perry
- Kelly Hogan
- Patricia McGinnis
- Ryan Moffett
- Selam Tememe
- Steve McGinnis
- David Baker
- Marco Rodriguez
- Kyle Verret
- Clayton Finney
- Ethan Perry
- Jordan Jenks
- Kelly Hogan
- Ryan Moffett
- Alex Mericli
- Marco Rodriguez
- Alex Mericli
- Chris Akbari
- Clayton Finney
- Derek Jerrell
- Eleanor Verret
- Helberg Mendoza
- Joshua Petrick
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Clayton Finney
- Steve McGinnis
- Patricia McGinnis
- Selam Tememe
- Heather Montoya
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- David Baker
- Kevin Horner
- Eleanor Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Patricia McGinnis
- Beate Litzenburger
- Jordan Jenks
- Clayton Finney
- Joshua Petrick
- Ethan Perry
- Clayton Finney
- Derek Jerrell
- Steve McGinnis
- Kyle Verret
- David Baker
- Ethan Perry
- Joshua Petrick
- Beate Litzenburger
- Clayton Finney
- Eleanor Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Steve McGinnis
- Alex Montoya
- Ethan Perry
- Ethan Perry
- Jordan Jenks
- Ryan Moffett
- Patricia McGinnis
- Alex Mericli
- Alex Montoya
- Eleanor Verret
- Jordan Jenks
- Marco Rodriguez
- Ryan Moffett
- Kyle Verret
- Alex Montoya
- Chris Akbari
- Derek Jerrell
- Helberg Mendoza
- Kyle Verret
- Ryan Moffett
- Eleanor Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Alex Montoya
- Nathan Hennessey
- Gina Sitaraman
- Gina Sitaraman
- Nathan Hennessey
- Patricia McGinnis
- Clayton Finney
- Steve McGinnis
- Chris Akbari
- Kyle Verret
- Alex Mericli
- Marco Rodriguez
- Gina Sitaraman
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Steve McGinnis
- Ethan Perry
- Kyle Verret
- Chris Akbari
- David Baker
- Ethan Perry
- Eleanor Verret
- Gina Sitaraman
- Kelly Hogan
- Kyle Verret
- Nathan Hennessey
- Patricia McGinnis
- Steve McGinnis
- Chris Akbari
- Steve McGinnis
- Marco Rodriguez
- Clayton Finney
- Steve McGinnis
- Ethan Perry
- Eleanor Verret
- Patricia McGinnis
- Kevin Horner
- Kyle Verret
- Kyle Verret
- Derek Jerrell
- Jordan Jenks
- Steve McGinnis
- Patricia McGinnis
- Jordan Jenks
- Steve McGinnis
- Alex Mericli
- Alex Mericli
- Joshua Petrick
- Steve McGinnis
- Kyle Verret
- Eleanor Verret
- Marco Rodriguez
- Kyle Verret
- Shalini Bhandari
- Clayton Finney
- Steve McGinnis
- Alex Montoya
- Eleanor Verret
- Joshua Petrick
- Steve McGinnis
- Beate Litzenburger
- Jordan Jenks
- David Baker
- Steve McGinnis
- Gina Sitaraman
- Nathan Hennessey
- Patricia McGinnis
- Steve McGinnis
- Patricia McGinnis
- Derek Jerrell
- Ethan Perry
- Steve McGinnis
- Clayton Finney
- Derek Jerrell
- Ethan Perry
- Ryan Moffett

by Counselor

- American Business
- American Cultures
- Athletics
- Automotive Maintenance
- Camping*
- Chess
- Citizenship in Society*
- Citizenship in the Community*
- Citizenship in the Nation*
- Citizenship in the World*
- Communication*
- Cooking*
- Crime Prevention
- Disabilities Awareness
- Environmental Science*
- Family Life*
- Fire Safety
- First Aid*
- Fishing
- Home Repairs
- Indian Lore
- Personal Fitness*
- Personal Management*
- Photography
- Public Speaking
- Salesmanship
- Sustainability*
- Traffic Safety
- Citizenship in the World*
- First Aid*
- Health Care Professions
- Hiking*
- Personal Fitness*
- Public Health
- Small-Boat Sailing
- Snow Sports
- Cycling
- Dog Care
- Lifesaving
- Multisport
- Swimming
- Electronics
- Entrepreneurship
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Personal Management
- Programming
- Railroading
- Robotics
- Archaeology
- Backpacking
- Camping*
- Chemistry
- Coin Collecting
- Collections
- Composite Materials
- Cooking*
- Dog Care
- Energy
- Engineering
- Environmental Science
- Farm Mechanics
- Fishing
- Geology
- Hiking*
- Home Repairs
- Mammal Study
- Model Design and Building
- Nature
- Plumbing
- Salesmanship
- Stamp Collecting
- Wilderness Survival
- Citizenship in the Community*
- Collections
- Cooking*
- Genealogy
- Law
- Music
- Reading
- Theater
- Bird Study
- Forestry
- Gardening
- Camping*
- Cooking*
- Hiking*
- Motorboating
- Personal Management*
- Scuba Diving
- Water Sports
- Wilderness Survival
- Athletics
- Camping*
- Citizenship in the Community*
- Citizenship in the Nation*
- Citizenship in Society*
- Citizenship in the World*
- Disabilities Awareness
- Dog Care
- Energy
- Family Life*
- Hiking*
- Law
- Nature
- Personal Fitness*
- Pets
- Reading
- Scholarship
- Sports
- Sustainability*
- Archaeology
- Bugling
- Camping*
- Energy
- Exploration
- Forestry
- Gardening
- Geology
- Mining in Society
- Music
- Oceanography
- Orienteering
- Pulp and Paper
- Reading
- Scholarship
- Weather
- Wilderness Survival
- Backpacking
- Camping
- Citizenship in the Community
- Communication
- Cooking
- Family Life
- Hiking
- Journalism
- Leatherwork
- Personal Management
- Photography
- Pioneering
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- Traffic Safety
- Cycling
- Hiking
- Personal Management
- American Business
- Backpacking
- Camping
- Canoeing
- American Business
- American Heritage
- Camping
- Communication
- Cycling
- Entrepreneurship
- Family Life
- First Aid
- Fly
- Fishing
- Golf
- Lifesaving
- Orienteering
- Personal Fitness
- Scuba Diving
- Search and Rescue
- Swimming
- Archery
- Backpacking
- Bird Study
- Camping
- Canoeing
- Citizenship in the Nation
- Cooking
- Emergency Preparedness
- First Aid
- Fish and Wildlife Management
- Fishing
- Hiking
- Mammal Study
- Music
- Snow Sports
- Sustainability
- Citizenship in the Community
- Communication
- Dog Care
- Family Life
- Gardening
- Golf
- Reading
- American Business
- American Cultures
- American Heritage
- Archaeology
- Art
- Athletics
- Backpacking
- Camping*
- Canoeing
- Citizenship in the Community*
- Citizenship in the Nation*
- Citizenship in Society*
- Citizenship in the World*
- Collections
- Communication*
- Cooking*
- Crime Prevention
- Cycling*
- Digital Technology
- Disabilities Awareness
- Dog Care
- Electronics
- Emergency Preparedness*
- Entrepreneurship
- Environmental Science
- Exploration
- Family Life*
- First Aid
- Fishing
- Game Design
- Geocaching
- Hiking*
- Journalism
- Law
- Moviemaking
- Nature
- Personal Fitness*
- Personal Management*
- Pets
- Programming
- Public Speaking
- Radio
- Reading
- Scholarship
- Scouting Heritage
- Space Exploration
- Sports
- Architecture
- Chemistry
- Dentistry
- Disabilities Awareness
- Emergency Preparedness
- First Aid
- Genealogy
- Health Care Professions
- Personal Fitness
- Public Health
- Safety
- Sports
- Backpacking
- Camping
- Citizenship in the Community
- Communication
- Cooking
- Family Life
- Hiking
- Journalism
- Leatherwork
- Personal Management
- Photography
- Pioneering
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- Traffic Safety
- Composite Materials
- Fingerprinting
- Gardening
- Inventing
- Leatherwork
- Painting
- Plant Science
- Reptile and Amphibian Study
- Scholarship
- Sculpture
- Traffic Safety
- Veterinary Medicine
- Camping
- Family Life
- Farm Mechanics
- First Aid
- Gardening
- Golf
- Orienteering
- Personal Fitness
- Personal Management
- Woodwork
- Archery
- Basketry
- Citizenship in Society
- Cooking
- Fingerprinting
- Gardening
- Inventing
- Family Life*
- Fire Safety
- Sports
- American Business
- Animal Science
- Archery
- Astronomy
- Athletics
- Automotive Maintenance
- Citizenship in Society*
- Citizenship in the Community*
- Citizenship in the Nation*
- Citizenship in the World*
- Cycling
- Electronics
- Engineering
- Entrepreneurship
- Environmental Science*
- Farm Mechanics
- Fish & Wildlife Management
- Fishing
- Gardening
- Home Repairs
- Motorboating
- Nature
- Plumbing
- Public Speaking
- Rifle Shooting
- Robotics
- Salesmanship
- Scuba Diving
- Shotgun Shooting
- Soil and Water Conservation
- Stamp Collecting
- Sustainability*
- Theater
- Traffic Saety
- Welding

Parents!

Our Troop lacks counselors for the following merit badges.

If you have an interest and/or expertise in any of the following, please reach out to our Committee Chairperson, Craig Weiland, for guidance on becoming a merit badge counselor.

American Labor
Architecture
Aviation
Basketry
Dentistry
Drafting
Fly Fishing
Golf
Horsemanship
Insect Study
Landscape Architecture
Leatherwork
Lifesaving*
Metalwork
Nuclear Science
Oceanography
Painting
Plant Science
Pottery
Railroading
Rowing
Search and Rescue
Signs, Signals, and Codes
Skating
Surveying
Swimming*
Textile
Truck Transportation
Veterinary Medicine
Whitewater
Wood Carving
Woodwork

The steps to register as a Merit Badge Counselor are as follows:

Pick your merit badges (the current max is 16; we suggest you pick 16) and complete this form. The list of merit badges is here.
You don’t have to be an expert in a topic to counsel a merit badge; you only need to have skills or education in an area sufficient to lead Scouts through their own exploration of the topic.
Complete this online application with your BSA ID and attach your MB selection form to that application.
If you can’t attach the form, email it to Kyle Verret and David Ralph at david.ralph@scouting.org.

A Merit Badge Counselor must be:

At least 18 years old & of good character
Registered with the Boy Scouts of America (position code 42).
YPT trained
Recognized as having the skills and education in the merit badge subjects covered and hold any required qualifications and training as outlined in the Guide to Safe Scouting or the Guide to Advancement—or use others so qualified.
Able to work with Scout-age youth.

Merit Badge Process

Pick a Subject. Talk to your unit leader (Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster) about your interests. Read the requirements of the merit badges you think might interest you, and pick one to earn. Your leader will give you the name of a person from the list of counselors on the previous pages. These individuals have special knowledge in their merit badge subjects and are interested in helping you.

Scout Buddy System. You must have another person with you at each meeting with the merit badge counselor (even if your meeting is held virtually). This person can be your parent or legal guardian, or another registered adult.

Choose the right counselor. The Scoutmaster / Assistant Scoutmaster and Scout should agree on the counselor to be used. Lacking agreement, the Scout must be allowed to work with the registered and approved counselor of their choice.

Merit badge counselors in the Houston area are approved by Sam Houston Area Council to serve as merit badge counselors and counsel-specific badges. Scouts may not work with a counselor on a badge that the counselor is not approved by Sam Houston Area Council, or the council where that counselor is registered, to lead.

Scouts are encouraged to work with various counselors on their merit badges. Earning a large number of merit badges from a small number of counselors, or only from counselors known to the Scout, robs the Scout of the opportunity to learn and grow. Association with adults is one of the methods of Scouting, and working with family members and known adults can deprive Scouts of the opportunity to learn and grow. Scouts meeting with counselors beyond their families and beyond their own units will benefit from the perspectives of many “teachers” and will learn more as a result. Scouts should be encouraged to reach out if at all possible.

If a parent serves as a merit badge counselor for a Scout, they are strongly encouraged to invite other Scouts in our troop to be their Scout’s buddy in completing the badge, or planning a group session for the badge. Inviting other Scouts to work on a merit badge that a parent is leading for their Scout opens opportunities that might not be available to other Scouts in our troop.

Contact the Merit Badge Counselor. Get a signed Application for Merit Badge, No. 34124 or No. 34130 (blue card), from your unit leader. Call or email the merit badge counselor and explain that you want to earn the badge. The counselor may ask to meet you to explain what is expected and to start helping you meet the requirements. You should also discuss work you have already started or possibly completed. Copy your parent(s)/guardian(s) on any emails or have them present when you call.

At the first meeting, you and your merit badge counselor will review and may start working on the requirements. In some cases, you may share the work you have already started or completed.

Unless otherwise specified, work on a requirement can be started at any time. Ask your counselor to help you learn the things you need to know or do. You should read the merit badge pamphlet on the subject. Many troops, schools, and public libraries have them. You may also find them on the Scouts BSA website.

Show Your Stuff. When you are ready, call the counselor again to make an appointment. When you go, take along the things you have made to meet the requirements. If they are too big to move, take pictures or have an adult tell in writing what you have done. The counselor will test you on each requirement to make sure you know your stuff and have done or can do the things required.

Requirements. You are expected to meet the requirements as they are stated—no more and no less. You must do exactly what is stated in the requirements. If it says “show or demonstrate,” that is what you must do. Just telling about it isn’t enough. The same thing holds true for such words as “make,” “list,” “in the field,” and “collect,” “identify,” and “label.”

Only the approved and assigned merit badge counselor may approve merit badge requirements.

An Assistant Scoutmaster, Scoutmaster, Troop Advancement Chair, or assistant may enter requirements from a Scouts BSA Summer Camp, council or district merit badge event, or approved merit badge counselor into Scoutbook.

Get the Badge. When the counselor is satisfied you have met each requirement, he or she will sign your application (blue card). Give the signed application to your unit leader (Scoutmaster/ASM) so your merit badge emblem can be secured for you.

There is no time limit for starting and completing a merit badge, but all work must be completed by the time a Scout turns 18.