By BSA design, Scouts work on merit badges "on their own" away from the regular weekly meetings.
This enables scouts to work at their own pace and gets them used to
interacting with adults who are not their parents (part of his natural
growth). 21 badges are required to
earn Eagle. There are 13 "Eagle required" badges (silver bands) which
present him with a wide array of knowledge and the remaining 8 or more
(green bands) allow him to choose badges that interest him.
Note that merit badge work must be done EXACTLY as stated in the Merit Badge booklets. "Explain" means to explain. "Demonstrate" means to actually demonstrate (not just discuss). Merit badge requirements can not be modified by either the MBC or Scoutmaster.
Some info on the Merit Badge process:
The day a boy signs his BSA application,
he is eligible to start working on Merit Badges. There is no BSA age
restriction on any of the badges.
1. Scout chooses a badge
(or badges) that he'd like to work on (alone or with other Scouts).
2 He informs the Scoutmaster of his intention
to work on a badge, and is issued a "blue card" and given the contact
information for a registered Merit Badge Councilor (MBC). A MBC can be
ANY registered MBC from any Council. He is not obligated to work with
councilors in his home unit or Council. Judgment as to whether a Scout
successfully completed the badge requirements rests with the MBC. Blue
Cards are used to track completion of the individual requirements for
each badge.
3. The Scout(s) contacts the MBC
and make arrangements to meet as often as necessary to complete the
badge requirements (following Youth Protection guidelines at all
times). Prior to the first meeting, the Scout should obtain a Merit Badge booklet (Scout
Shop or Troop Library) so he is prepared to work on the badge. At the
first meeting with the MBC, he should present the blue card which the
councilor keeps so that he can update completion dates and keep track of
the Scout's progress.
4. Upon completion, the MBC will sign all 3 segments of the blue card, and return it back
to the Scout who in turn, presents it to the Scoutmaster for final
signature indicating final recognition that all work is complete.
5. The Scoutmaster will pass the signed segments along to the troop's Advancement Chairperson
who will record the work on the Troop and Council levels, and ensure
the Scout is presented with his badge on the next possible opportunity. *
* While NOT mandatory that a badge be presented right away, the BSA
strongly encourages "instant recognition" for effort. The typical model
is to present the badge by the next meeting, and present the "pocket
card" during a formal presentation at the next Court of Honor.
6. The Scout will be given 1 segment of his blue card which he must keep
so that it can be produced when applying for his Eagle Rank. The Troop
should also retain a segment for their records as will the MBC for his
records. Scouts should NOT LOSE their blue cards! They will need to
produce them when/if applying for Eagle Scout.
7. A scout CAN change to a different MBC at any time,
so long as the MBC is registered for that badge. This is quite
common, especially when returning from Summer Camp where future meetings
with a camp-provided MBC is highly unlikely. If a Scout wishes to work with a different councilor, he should talk with the Scoutmaster for guidance.