Communications Merit Badge

1. Develop a plan to teach a skill. Have your merit badge counselor approve the plan. Make teaching aids. Carry out your plan. With the counselor, check to see if the learner has learned.
2. Choose a product or service. Build a sales plan based on its good points. Try to "sell" the counselor on buying it from you. Talk with the counselor about how well you did in telling about the product or service and convincing the counselor to buy it.
3. Do the following:
   1. Show how you would make a telephone call inviting an expert in the field of your choice to give a demonstration to your unit on that person's area of expertise.
   2. Show how to create an effective recorded message and how to leave a voice-mail message.
4. Do the following:
   1. Write a five-minute speech. Give it at a meeting of a group.
   2. Show how to introduce a guest speaker.
5. Attend a town meeting where two or three points of view are given. Listen and take notes. Make a report from your notes. Tell your troop or patrol what you heard.
6. Do ONE of the following:
   1. Write to the editor of a magazine or your local newspaper to express your opinion or share information (on any subject you choose). Or, write to an individual or organization to request information (on any subject). Send your message by fax or electronic mail, if possible. Otherwise, mail a traditional paper letter.
   2. Create a page on the World Wide Web for yourself or to give information about your Scout troop, school, or other organization. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.
   3. Use desktop publishing to produce a newsletter, brochure, flier, or other printed material for your Scout troop, school, chartered organization, or other group. Include at least one article and one photograph or illustration.
7. Prepare an autobiographical resume that you would use in applying for a job.
8. Find out about careers in the field of communications. Choose one career and discuss with your counselor the qualifications and preparation needed for it.