The Lewis and Clark District of the Pony Express Council is excited to host the 2025 Missouri Western State University Merit Badge College on Saturday, March 15.

There are a total of 22 merit badges offered at the 2025 event, compared to 15 in 2024. We are also offering 3 different adult leader training options. 

The cost to attend if signed up before 3/1 is $25 per Scout and $10 per adult, and this includes all program supplies, a patch, and lunch. Registrations between 3/1 and 3/8 will cost $30 for Scouts and $15 for adults. Online registration will close on 3/8 and any call-in or walk-in registrations after that will be allowed but will cost $35 for Scouts and $20 for adults. 

Schedule for the Day 

*** Please note that this is the actual schedule. The computer system has slightly different class period times listed that we are unable to modify, but the times published below are correct.***

Schedule

7 a.m. counselor breakfast (Blum Student Union)
8 to 8:45 a.m. troop check-in (Blum Student Union)
9 to 11:30 a.m. morning session classes (various locations across campus)
11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. lunch (Blum Student Union)
12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. afternoon session classes (various locations across campus; Scouts depart after classes end)
3 to 3:30 p.m. counseors turn in paperwork (Blum Student Union)

Registration, including adjustments to classes, will run through 3/10/25. All classes are open until they reach capacity.

The following merit badges are being taught. Adults should NOT sign up for any merit badges, but should only sign up for the Adult Leader Training if taking that. 

Merit Badge/Class- Classroom- Suggested prerequisites- Counselor

Adult Leader Trainings (each is offered as half-day session in both morning and afternoon):

Youth Protection Training/Merit Badge Counselor Orientation- Agenstein 123
Safe Swim Defense/Safety Afloat- Agenstein 126
High Adventure Opportunities in Scouting- Agenstein 323 

Eagle Required Merit Badges:

Citizenship in the Community- Popplewell 102 (all day)- 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, 4b, 7a, 7b- Eric Turner
Citizenship in the Nation- Spratt 205 (all day)- 5, 6, 7, 8- Eugene Lickenbrock
Citizenship in the World- Popplewell 201- (all day)- 3a, 3b, 7- Don Payne
Communication- Murphy 109 (all day)- 1, 2, 4, 5, 7, 8- Brandi Lopez
First Aid and Emergency Preparedness- Murphy 105 (all day)- First Aid 2, E Prep 3c- Shawn Harmer
Environmental Science- Murphy 108 (all day)- 2, 6, 7, 11- Gary Gile
Family Life- Murphy 110 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 1, 3, 4, 5, 6- Gary Proffit
Personal Fitness- Looney 226 & WBalcony (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 1a, 1b, 6, 7, 8- Steve Williams
Personal Management- Murphy 104 (all day)- 1, 2, 9- Tom Jones
Sustainability- Popplewell 101 (all day)- 8a- Erik McGuire

Elective Merit Badges:

American Heritage- Popplewell 202 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 2, 4- Jeff Daise
Coin Collecting and Collections- Popplewell 205 (half day class, a.m. only)- Coin Collecting 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f- Collections 1, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f- Amanda Terhune
Stamp Collecting and Collections- Popplewell 205 (half day class, p.m. only)- Stamp Collecting 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d, 7e, 7f, 8a, 8b, 8c, 8d, 8e-  Collections 1, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 4e, 4f- Amanda Terhune 
Digital Technology- Popplewell 206 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h- Jake Kelly
Electricity- Murphy 112 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 2, 5, 8, 9- Matt Lee
Engineering- Murphy 205 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- no pre-reqs- Dave Davis
Fingerprinting- Spratt 216 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- no pre-reqs- Brian Jackson
Fire Safety- Popplewell 111 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 6a, 6b- Lisa Harmer
Fishing- Popplewell 207 (all day class)- 1, 4, 5- Christian Muff
Law- Popplewell 302 (half day class, a.m. and p.m. sessions offered)- 4- Jason Eslinger

Merit Badge/Advancement Notes:

Please encourage your Scouts to visit with the counselors while in class to verify which requirements are or are not completed. Scouts who take the time to complete preprequisite work or preparation of assignments for merit badges will contribute to a more fun and productive merit badge class for everyone. Scouts who bring either proof of requirements being completed or documentation signed by their parent or Scout leader stating they have completed pre-requisites can ask the counselor to mark the pre-reqs off at the end of class. 

For all badges, please read the merit badge pamphlet. All merit badge pre-reqs and requirements will reflect the new 2025 advencement updates. For the latest requirments, please visit https://www.scouting.org/skills/merit-badges/all/. 

At the conclusion of the event, the counselors will turn in the record sheets to the Council and shortly thereafter we will email out a pdf document by troop showing which badges were completed and/or partially completed. We'll use the Black Pug system to track the merit badge records and can generate completed blue cards upon request if needed.