Any questions regarding the merit badge day, please contact Eileen Williams at 618-246-3012 or by email at southernillnesa@gmail.com or taleka812002@yahoo.com

NESA Merit Badge Day will be held on Saturday, September 30, 2023, Whispering Pines Carlyle Illinois

Registration Opens at 8:00 a.m.  Flags ceremony at 8:45 a.m.

The merit badge classes will begin at 9:00 A.M. and end around 4:00 PM.

Morning class 9:00 am - Lunch 12:00   Afternoon Class 1:00 pm - End of Day 4:00 pm

Not all classes last all day due to class size and participation which could result in the class ending earlier than scheduled. Parents/Leaders/rides will receive a phone call from their scout for an earlier pickup should the scouts class end early.

The Southern Illinois National Eagle Scout Associations 2023 focus will be providing the Eagle required Merit Badges at all our merit badge days.  To ensure your scouts ability to complete merit badges, we are asking our counselors to serve a year teaching their class.  The continuity of the counselors from merit badge day to the next allows scouts who did not complete their badge at their first attempt the same counselor will be available at the next merit badge day to sign off on scouts’ requirements not completed from the previous merit badge day. 

We feel that continuity of counselors at these events will help the scouts to complete their badge at the next merit badge day.

Merit Badges scheduled for this event are:

Full Day Classes - Camping, Cooking, Emergency Prep, Environmental Science, Family Life, First Aid, Hiking/Backpacking (combined class)  and Sustainability,

Half Day Classes - Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Personal Fitness, and Personal Management, and Cycling.

Some information that your scout needs to know:

NEW!!!!!!!!!!!!  NEW LUNCH OPTIONS - SUPER SIZE YOUR LUNCH

Participants may preorder lunch which is prepaid during your registration. Lunch will consist of a Hamburger/Cheeseburger, chips, drink, dessert or Hot Dog, chips, drink, dessert.  For $7.00 paid in advance during the online registration process. If your Scout would like to have two hamburgers or two cheeseburgers, or two hot dogs is available at the cost of $10.00 by selecting the Super Size lunch option. Preordering the scouts lunch allows us to have enough food on hand. Otherwise, lunch that is not pre-ordered will be $11.00 the day of the event or $12.50 if Super-Sized at the trading post. Throughout the day, the trading post will be open for the scouts to purchase individually wrapped snacks, soda, and bottled water. Please bring CASH for onsite trading post purchases.

Blue cards ARE NOT needed and Will NOT be accepted for this event. They may be printed from your original online registration at least two weeks after the NESA Merit Badge Day event. PLEASE allow the volunteer staff that time to enter all the information before you contact them for the blue cards.

What to Bring
Scouts should be in a class A uniform, bring a merit badge pamphlet, worksheet(s), notebook, pen/pencil, and any other supplies required for each merit badge session. Special items or apparel will be listed as required in the catalog for each merit badge. Each scout should bring all information of completed pre-requests for their merit badge. 

Bring a camp chair for your scout to use during his/her merit badge class

Why Does NESA Charge a Fee?
The Southern Illinois National Eagle Scout Association of the Greater St. Louis Area Council NESA Committee provides funds for scholarships, annual Eagle Recognition Banquet, and your Eagle Scouts presentation box used at their Eagle Court of Honor, as well as other activities benefiting Scouting. All proceeds from activities such as the Advancement Day go right back into the program providing for merit badge programs and scholarships.

Merit Badge Sessions
Scouts may choose from Merit Badges that are in the course catalog. Attendance of the Merit Badge class DOES NOT guarantee completion of the Merit Badge even if all the pre-requisites have been completed prior to the event!! Sometimes counselors wish to talk about pre-requisites prior to assigning them for completion.

NESA Advancement Day is an opportunity for the Scout to meet with a counselor to review the Merit Badge material and demonstrate their skill and knowledge in that area to the counselor.

Sessions include instruction, group discussion, demonstration, and evaluation. The Scout should be prepared to actively participate and discuss the material covered in the Merit Badge Pamphlet. This is best accomplished by reading the merit badge pamphlet and completing the prerequisite work as listed in the Class Catalog for the merit badge you are seeking. If needed, you may purchase and download the current Merit Badge book for $2.99 using the following link: https://www.scoutshop.org/literature/program-literature/merit-badge-pamphlets.html

If a Scout has completed some of the merit badge requirements, they should bring proof with them.

Yours in Humble Service,

Nick Bagby, Chairman, Advancement Days

Eileen Williams, Administrator, Advancement Days