The Council Risk Management Committee has been reviewing and monitoring COVID conditions and has determined that in-person events of the size and scope of the Cypress Merit Badge College scheduled for January 16 are not advisable.  Following consultation with Merit Badge College leadership, the college will be rescheduled for April 17.  Please contact the council office to request any refunds if the date of the course will not work for your scout.

Dear scouters, adult leaders, parents and friends of scouting,

            I am excited to announce that the Scouting BSA Southeast Louisiana Council - Cypress District is hosting a Merit Badge College for the fifth consecutive year!  Attendance increased last year and we look forward to another great day this year.

            This particular Merit Badge College will be offering (18) different merit badge courses.  The intent for this Merit Badge College is for our scouts to be able to leave with completed merit badges.  In some cases, it will be necessary for requirements to be completed in advance.  The pre-requisite requirements are listed in this leader guide on pages 8, 9, and 10.  Please be sure to follow the pre-requisite requirements.  We found that very few scouts, who left the 2020 Merit Badge College with only partially completed merit badges, actually followed up with the college's merit badge counselor.

            In addition to the opportunity for our scouts to earn merit badges, we hope that they will enjoy the day.  Personally, I am happy to just be scouting again in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.  With that being said, they are several procedures, which will be undertaken to protect our scouts and adult leaders.  This event shall be carried out in accordance with the policy and procedures outlined by Scouting BSA and the Southeast Council of Louisiana.  Specific details regarding COVID-19 restrictions will be outlined later in this program guide.  We are encouraging each troop to bring and display your troop flag during the event.  Furthermore, if any troop would like to present the colors and participate in the opening ceremony, please email me at Deputy661@Bellsouth.Net.  

            Thanks for your dedication to scouting and we look forward to seeing you at the 2021 SELA Merit Badge College.

Yours in Scouting,

Thomas Gai
Committee Chair
Troop 11, Chalmette, LA
Eagle Scout 2002

Download the Leader Guide Here

GENERAL INFORMATION

LOCATION:

• Merit Badge College Fees, Requirements, and Class Information:

• Regular Registration is $20.00 per scout. All fees must be paid online via Doubleknot through the Southeast Louisiana Council (SELA) website.  Fees paid through Doubleknot by one scout or adult may be transferred to another scout of adult.  The transfer would include the class schedule.  The scoutmaster for each scout or adult involved in the transfer must agree in writing to the transfer.  The letter is encouraged to be in e-mail form to Cypressdistrictcommissioner@Gmail.Com.  All monetary fee will include entrance to the event, all costs associated with the venue, patches, and lunch. Lunch will include chips, a drink, and a desert.  The main course will most likely be pizza, but is tentative to change.

• Changing Merit Badges College - Scouts and Scouters may opt to change their course selections through Doubleknot provided there is availability.  Changes for Session "1" must be completed prior to 8:00 a.m. on the day of the event; changes for session "2" must be completed prior to 1:00 p.m. on the day of the event.

• Expectations - Scouts are expected to secure and read the merit badge pamphlet (merit badge book) for each merit badge course they are taking at the SELA Merit Badge College

• Merit Badge College Program - Class sized are limited to 12 class except as otherwise noted.  Most classes will be conducted in a single 3 ½ hour session; however, there are three courses, which require the full 7 hours of instruction and will take up both the morning and afternoon sessions.

• Pre-Requisites - Many of these merit badges have requirements that cannot be accomplished in the classroom setting.  These requirements need to be completed prior to attending the SELA Merit Badge College so that the scout can finish the merit badge at the Merit Badge College.  Several of the merit badges have requirements that need to be researched so that they can be discussed with the Merit Badge Counselor.  Scoutmasters should encourage scouts to take the advantage of the winter break to complete all pre-requisites for their selected merit badges.    

• Merit Badge results and Documentation - No later than the month of January, merit badge results will be sent to the unit leaders.  The documentation will show the requirements that the scout completed. Courses will be shown as "COMPLETE" if the scout completed all merit badge requirements to the satisfaction of the Merit Badge Counselor or "PARTIAL" if there are requirements that were not completed.  "PARTIAL" reports will include the requirements that were completed during the Merit Badge College.

• Unit leaders shall be responsible for checking the documentation and ensuring course completion information has been provided for each scout and scouter.  Please notify the Cypress District staff of any errors on the unit report by e-mail to Deputy661@Bellsouth.Net or Mr. Harry Deimel -  Deimelh@Bellsouth.Net .

It is the unit's responsibility to have an authorized leader sign for a scout's completion of any requirements completed prior to or after the Merit Badge College.If scouts complete Soil and Water Conservation Merit Badge they are on their way to National Outdoor Badge for Conservation.  It also counts towards the following Nova Awards: Let it Grow, Splash, Harris Bronze Supernova, and Edison Silver Supernova STEM.

Payment of Fees:
All fees must be paid below. 

MERIT BADGE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY OF SCOUTING SCHEDULE: