Col. James T. Hatfield Merit Badge Challenge

Merit Badge Challenge is a Council wide event that helps to pair Scouts with counselors and industry professionals to give them the opportunity to earn various Merit Badges. Scouts gather over the course of 2 or 3 Saturdays, depending on the location, to work on the completion of multiple merit badges. Each of the venues offer a variety of merit badge options and they try to have a little bit of fun in the process.

North at Fairfield High School

The schedule of merit badges for this event can be found under Attachments on this page.
Dates: Jan. 17 and Feb. 21, 2026

Located at 8800 Holden BLVD, Fairfield, Ohio 45014

The North-Fairfield HS event will consist of 2 Saturdays with 4 class periods each Saturday. Class sessions will be 90 minutes long. If you have 1 session time, your total time in classroom is 3 hours.

East at Grant Career Center

The schedule of merit badges for this event can be found under Attachements on this page.
Registration will close on Wednesday, February 4, 2026.

Feb. 7 & 21, March 7, 2026

Located at 718 W. Plane St., Bethel, Ohio 

The East-Grant Career Center event consists of 3 Saturday mornings, Feb. 7th, Feb. 21st and March 7, 2026. Each Saturday there are 3 sessions each with a duration of 1 hour and 15 minutes:

• A-8:30am-9:45am
• B-10:00am-11:15am
• C-11:30am-12:45pm

Scouts will take the same badges and keep the same schedule all 3 Saturdays.

NKY at Scott High School

The schedule of merit badges for this event can be found under Attachements on this page.

Registration will open on Monday, February 2nd at 6:00 pm.

March 7th & 28th, 2026

5400 Old Taylor Mill Rd, Taylor Mill, KY 41015

The NKY-Scoot High School event consists of 2 Saturdays, March 7th and 28th. Their class sessions are 80 minutes, so if you have 1 session, your total time on the classroom would be 2 hours, 40 minutes:

• A-8:30am-9:50am
• B-10:05am-11:25am
• C-12:05pm-1:25pm
• D-1:40pm-3:00pm

Scouts will take the same badges during the same session times both Saturdays.

Refund Policy:

Due to the high demand of this event and many of the classes, there will be no refunds issued if multiple registrations were created. Individuals or groups that cancel a program reservation 30 days prior to the date of the event will receive a refund of fees paid, less a 20% administrative charge. No refunds will be issued after the 30-day cancellation deadline. Fees are transferable to a previously unregistered scout.

Questions? Please contact Michelle Byrne at michelle.byrne@scouting.org.