About Scouts - Scout Life magazine

Get A Patch for Safe Driving

Spread the word: Texting and driving don't mix.

Progress at the Summit

Follow the goings on at the BSA's newest high-adventure base.

Scouting Open to ATVs, Personal Watercraft

Personal watercraft and all-terrain vehicles are now authorized BSA activities.

How to make the Maui Manwich with Spam

Most of the Spam recipes at the 2011 Greater Niagara Frontier Council’s Onondaga District Klondike were actually pretty good. This one — the Maui Manwich, which uses Spam, barbecue sauce and coleslaw — was judged the best.

Get Ready To Weld

Welding is the BSA's next new merit badge.

Scout talks about backpacking the Appalachian Trail

After walking more than 2,100 miles over six months, Cameron Pendleton and his father made it to Maine and completed the entire Appalachian Trail. Listen as Cameron reflects on his accomplishment.

Summit Trails Open For Business

See the results of SummitCorps 2011 in action!

15 Eagles in Same Troop, Same Year

Troop 101, Noblesville, Ind., knows how to crank out Eagle Scouts.

2012 Eagle Scouts Get Special Badge

Commemorative patch celebrates 100 years of Eagle Scouts.

Venturing Crew 491’s Epic Climb Up California’s Mount Shasta

After a tent-rattling storm, a Venturing crew climbs through the dead of night up super-steep slopes and eventually tackles all that Mount Shasta has to offer.

Eagle Scout Creates Cool, Useful iPhone App

Emergency Beacon app could be a life-saver.

Appalachian Trail Hikers Complete Epic Quest

The AT thru-hike for charity is complete.

JOTA Is Coming!

Jamboree-On-The-Air is Oct. 15-16.

Duo Cycling Through Every State

Two guys have begun an epic bike trip across the country.

Scouts Get Cheap SAT Software

Boy Scouts now have access to software to help prepare for college tests.

Watch as Colorado Scouts Navigate the GeoFox Course

Colorado Scouts use GPS and ham-radio skills to complete a challenging navigation course.

Photos from Troop 11’s trip to Normandy, France

The Scouts from Troop 11, Auburn, Ala., knew what happened on the beaches of France on D-Day, June 6,1944: a massive invasion of Allied troops (the good guys) that would ultimately serve as a key turning point in World War II. But in order to really experience it, they decided to visit the beach and surrounding area themselves.

Get Free Admission to a National Park

Celebrate National Public Lands Day at a park near you.

The Chess MB is Live

You can now earn a merit badge playing one of the oldest games in the world.

Scouts Remember 9/11

Throughout 2011, Boy Scouts across the country have been paying their respects to the events of Sept. 11, 2001.

Scout Raises Money, Saves Lives

Nate Stafford, 13, raised $10,000 for Nothing But Nets.

What does ‘2 degrees of freedom’ mean in requirement 4b?

Thank you for your question. The 2 degrees of freedom refers to the robot not just the attachment. This is just to make sure the robot has some complexity. 2 degrees of

Is Electronics merit badge a prerequisite for Robotics?

This is a good question and one we discussed in our development group. Electronics is not likely to ever be a prerequisite for Robotics. There are many robotics platforms

Chess

Chess is among the oldest board games in the world, and it ranks among the most popular games ever created. Chess is played worldwide—even over the Internet. Players meet for fun and in competition, everywhere from kitchen tables and park benches to formal international tournaments.

Hiking Through A Hurricane

Appalachian Trail hikers survive Hurricane Irene.

Eagle Scout Enters Hall of Fame

Pat Gillick is the first Eagle Scout to enter baseball's Hall of Fame.

Don’t Be Strong — Be Scout Strong

Here's your chance to earn some rewards for getting — and staying — physically fit.

Be a Scout; Recruit a Friend

Now's the time to tell your friends about Scouting.

Take a Picture, Win a Trip

Just visit the federal recreation land nearest you and start clicking.

Scouts Build, Donate Bateau

California Scouts built their own historic boat.

Old Cabin, New Home

One of the oldest Boy Scout camps in America is getting a makeover.

Tips from the Appalachian Trail: Staying Motivated

Here's a great note about staying motivated during a long hike.

Time to “Like” the BL TV Show

In case you didn't know it, Boys' Life has a TV show.

Celebrate the 100th Anniversary of Boys’ Life

Celebrate our 100th birthday with us.

Scouts Blazing Trails at New Base

SummitCorps 2011 has begun.

The BSA Centennial Forest is Complete

The BSA has finished its nationwide tree-planting campaign.

PhilCast: Your Source for All Things Philmont

Check out PhilCast, Philmont's new weekly videocast.

Scenes from the Highland Games

Video of participants at the Highland Games, held at Camp Tahuaya near Belton, Texas.

Scouts Honor Country for Memorial Day

Scouts across the country honored the men and women who died while serving the U.S. Armed Forces.

12,060 Merit Badges, One Cool Video

Check out this video of the world's largest merit badge mosaic.

Eating Big on AT Trail

How much can you eat when you're hiking the Appalachian Trail?

Washington, D.C., Hosts International Scouting Day

International Scouting Day will be hosted by the National Capital Area Council and the Embassy of Sweden to the United States.

Do you all think that the Arduino kits would make a good match for this badge?

Yes, the Arduino controller would be a good choice. As a counselor, though, I would encourage Scouts to use what they have. If a Scout wanted to meet the requirements

Is the Lego Mindstorms NXT kit compatible with the requirements?

Any version of the Mindstorms kits gives you what you need to build a great

If you don’t want to use a kit, how do you start making a robot? Where do you get the supplies?

Taking apart an old radio control car is a great place to start. It has motors, a chassis and a battery already. All you need to do is find a processor of some kind and make sure your control signals work. While operating a radio-controlled car will not satisfy the requirements of the merit badge, taking an RC car, adding a controller (the computer brain that does the robot’s thinking) and some other mechanisms probably will. As always, talk to your merit badge counselor first to make sure that what you are planning is safe and will satisfy the requirements.