What is Merit badge?
A '''Merit badge''' is an award earned by youth members of the [[Boy Scouts of America]] (BSA), based on things within an area of study by finishing a list of [[wikt:periodically|periodically]] updated [[wikt:requirement|requirements]]. The purpose of the merit badge [[wikt:program|program]] is to allow Scouts to find subjects to figure out if they would like to further [[wikt:pursue|pursue]] them as a career or {{broken wikt link|avocation|avocation}}. At first, the program also exposed Scouts to the [[life skills]] of [[wikt:contacting|contacting]] an [[Merit Badge Counselor]] they had not met before, [[wikt:arranging|arranging]] a meeting and then showing the Merit Badge Counselor their skills, kind of like to a job or college interview. Merit badges are an important part of earning the high ranks in Scouting (Star, Life, and Eagle). Eagle requires earning 21 merit badges, including 12 in specific areas such as [[camping]], [[first aid]], and [[citizenship]]; Life requires eleven and Star six. At first, there were fifty-seven merit badges; today, there are 122. Merit badges are also used as ways to move up in Scouting in other countries, such as [[Ireland]]. ==List of Merit Badges== The following is a list of [[Boy Scout]] merit badges. Merit badge that are required for [[Eagle Scout|Eagle]] are in ''italics'' {{col-begin}} {{col-break}} *[[Business|American Business]] *[[Ethnic groups in the United States|American Cultures]] *[[History of the United States|American Heritage]] *[[Trade union|American Labor]] *[[Animal husbandry|Animal Science]] *[[Archaeology]] *[[Archery]] *[[Architecture]] *[[Art]] *[[Astronomy]] *[[Athletics (track and field)|Athletics]] *[[Auto mechanic|Automotive Maintenance]] *[[Aviation]] *[[Backpacking]] *[[Basket]]ry *[[Ornithology|Bird Study]] *[[Bugle|Bugling]] *''[[Camping]]'' *[[Canoeing]] *[[Chemistry]] *[[Cinematography]] *''[[Citizenship|Citizenship in the Community]]'' *''[[Citizenship|Citizenship in the Nation]]'' *''[[Global citizenship|Citizenship in the World]]'' *[