Mining in Society Merit Badge

SME and the MEC worked with the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) to develop the Mining in Society merit badge, including the requirements, pamphlet, badge design and other materials. In our ongoing efforts to help Scouts learn about the mining industry and its impact on their lives, we’re pleased to provide this resource page for those earning the badge, their merit badge counselors and others.  Have questions? Contact us at mec@smenet.org.

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2023 NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE – JULY 19-28, 2023

The National Scout Jamboree is a quadrennial two-week encampment for boys and girls, ages 13-18, in the Scouts BSA program. Held at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in rural West Virginia, it includes activities such as camping, hiking, fishing, boating, skateboarding, and shooting sports, plus cultural and learning experiences for the thousands of Scouts in attendance. Since 2013, the Minerals Education Coalition has provided a booth at national jamborees, introducing Scouts to the Mining in Society merit badge. The 24th World Scout Jamboree, held at the Summit in 2019, welcomed 40,000+ participants from around the globe and the MEC provided a mining exhibit there as well. Delayed from 2021 to 2023 due to the pandemic, planning for the next national jamboree is now underway. Around 13,000 Scouts are expected to attend.

Our 2023 exhibit was themed “Mining in Our Modern World: Journey to the Middle of Your Mobile.” The exhibit emphasized many messages embodied in the Mining in Society merit badge. Most importantly, however, we continued to help Scouts make a personal, direct connection to the importance of mining to their lives. The 2023 event was attended by more than 15,000 scouts ages 12-18 from around the country. In total we had 1,950 visitors to our booth and 766 Scouts earned the Mining in Society merit badge.  Thank you to our sponsors CONSOL Energy, WAAIME, Coronado Global Resources, Blackhawk Mining and SME Florida section, and thank you to the Office of Surface Mining and Reclamation and Luck Stone for providing on-site support/co-hosting.

NEWS

New Edition of Mining in Society Merit Badge Pamphlet Now Available!

Thanks to the efforts of Stan Krukowski, Charlie Zimmerman and other members of the MEC Scouting Committee, a new edition of the Mining in Society merit badge pamphlet was released in the second half of 2023. This edition includes updated text, statistics, graphics and photos, providing Scouts with a great resource to help them earn the merit badge. The hefty 96-page pamphlet is available at local Scout Shops and at scoutshop.org, as well as in electronic format for Kindle.

RESOURCES FOR EARNING THE MINING IN SOCIETY MERIT BADGE

Check out these helpful reference sheets for anyone working toward a Mining in Society Merit Badge!

MINING PROFESSIONALS:  GET INVOLVED!

  • Find answers about the MiS merit badge in the Frequently Asked Questions document.
  • Learn more about Boy Scouts of America merit badges.
  • Read the Mining in Society merit badge requirements.
  • View the Mining in Society merit badge introduction video.
  • Review the BSA merit badge counselor resources.
  • Purchase the Mining in Society merit badge pamphlet.

BECOME A MINING IN SOCIETY MERIT BADGE COUNSELOR

  • Complete an adult application to become a Mining in Society Merit Badge counselor with Boy Scouts of America.
    Position code: 42; Scouting position description: Merit Badge Counselor
  • Create an online account with BSA, then complete the BSA Youth Protection Training (YPT). From the My.Scouting.org portal, click on E-Learning. Print completed certificate.
  • Contact your local Boy Scouts of America council. Submit your completed adult application, merit badge counselor information form and YPT certificate.
  • Join the Roll Call!  Counselors:  let us know you’re out there and sign up for more information and resources.
  • FYI:  The Mining in Society merit badge patch number is 619674.

SUPPORT OUR ENGAGEMENT WITH SCOUTING 

A 50-minute video highlighting the Mining in Society merit badge, recent changes to the BSA program, steps to becoming a merit badge counselor (including the BSA’s Youth Protection Training) and guidelines for large group training sessions is available for mining professionals and others interested in helping Scouts earn the badge

SME SECTIONS

Learn how your SME Section can be involved:

PERSONAL SUPPORT

Learn more about how you can directly support the SME Foundation’s engagement with Scouting through a contribution to the SME Foundation.

PREVIOUS NEWS

MEC Scouting Outreach During COVID

Despite the pandemic, online learning brought the Mining in Society Badge to Scouts nationwide through the efforts of the MEC Scouting Subcommittee and volunteers. Charlie Zimmerman, Chair of the MEC Scouting Subcommittee, reached out to the Central Florida Council, BSA, to join in on their distance learning badge program. Within two weeks, Charlie and others had developed a program of four one-hour presentations covering all eight badge requirements, including live Q&A. Over 600 Scouts signed up for the online course, and the online presentations took place the week of April 13. By the end of May, 426 Scouts had submitted their completed work for the merit badge, with an additional 211 having partially completed the badge. Dan O’Connor provided expertise for a similar 50-Scout virtual merit badge training program, and a repeat of the Central Florida Council program is being considered for the fall.

    2019 WORLD SCOUT JAMBOREE

MEC and SME staff and volunteers hosted a booth at the 24th World Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve BSA facilities in West Virginia, July 22-August 2, 2019.  Scouts from around the world learned about the importance of mining and minerals in their daily lives.  The focus was on the mined minerals crucial to modern technology, and the booth was entitled, “Modern Mining:  Journey to the Middle of Your Mobile.”

   2017 NATIONAL SCOUT JAMBOREE

MEC and SME staff and volunteers hosted a Mining in Society merit badge booth at the 2017 National Scout Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Family National Scout Reserve BSA facilities in West Virginia, July 19-28, 2017.  In all, 2270 Scouts visited the booth, and 618 completed the requirements to earn the merit badge during the Jamboree.

Above, Scouts check out the incredible size of the mining truck tire in a display provided by King Tire Service and Coronado Coal’s Toney Fork mine in Lorado, West Virginia.

MINING IN SOCIETY SUCCESS STORIES

Scouts, Scouters, parents, SME members, sections or student chapters:  Send us your Mining in Society (MiS) success stories!

Did you or your Scouts(s) learn or do something exceptional while earning the badge?  Did you host a special MiS event?  Want to recognize someone who provided outstanding assistance, or just share your thoughts on your experience?

Please drop us a note at mec@smenet.org – pictures are always welcome, too!