Scouting 🤝 STEM

For those who don’t know, I’ve been a Boy Scout since I was 11. I actually got my Eagle Scout in October last year, and since then have been an advocate for STEM in Scouting. The reason being, Scouting doesn’t have to be limited to outdoor skills as the skills we learn in scouting are oftentimes applicable to all of the main STEM fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

STEM finds itself in Scouting through the following ways:

• Merit Badges
• Nova Awards
• Supernova Awards
• Other Awards

Each of these have their merits and have specific requirements that can be found on the following website: https://www.boyscouttrail.com/. I’m actually a counselor for the following STEM merit badges (Animation, Digital Technology, Engineering, Moviemaking, Programming, Soil and Water Conservation, and Space Exploration) which all have their own individual challenges. I’ve counseled most of these merit badges before and I am happy to be a counselor for any of these badges for any Scouts outside of my home council of Greater Los Angeles.

Ultimately, I hope that this article provides scouts with the opportunity to find a counselor who may be able to connect with them on a different level due to my age. I’m currently 18 and fresh out of Scouting which makes the connection a little bit more easy for Scouts especially those ones who may be intimidated by adults. Even though Boy Scouts are seen as the outdoorsy people spending all their time in the woods, there are many ways to find STEM interwoven.