Record Number of Scouts Attend Ole Miss Merit Badge College
University faculty, staff and students help teach classes, organize events for event
OXFORD, Miss. – A record crowd of Scouts from five states convened at the University of Mississippi recently for a one-day Merit Badge College, learning about subjects ranging from aviation and climbing to chemistry and cybersecurity.
The event, in its fifth year, drew 244 registered Scouts and Scout leaders from across Mississippi and from Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and Tennessee.
Reid Randle (left), a Life Scout with Troop 146 in Oxford, takes a selfie after a plane ride with Craig Hart (center), a pilot and flying instructor from Water Valley, at the University-Oxford Airport. Randle earned Aviation merit badge at this year's Merit Badge College. Photo by Jason Bouldin
"It is amazing how fast the Merit Badge College has grown," said Ben Pharr, director of the university's Mississippi Center for Supercomputing Research and one of the event organizers. "We had 65 Scouts registered for our first Merit Badge College in 2022.
"The Merit Badge College represents the successful coming together of the Scouting and university communities for a fun day of learning and new experiences."
Scouts could select two merit badges from 19 different classes, including:
- AI and Cybersecurity
- Climbing
- Aviation
- Weather
- Photography
- Chess
- Personal Fitness
- Chemistry
- Emergency Preparedness
- Citizenship in the Nation
- Citizenship in the World
- Environmental Science.
Tupelo meteorologist Matt Laubhan (right) has lunch with his daughter, Emily, at Rebel Market during this year's Merit Badge College. Photo by Jason Bouldin
Isaiah Wigginton, a First Class Scout with Troop 4 in Oxford, participated in the Aviation merit badge class, which included a short flight at the University-Oxford Airport.
"We learned so much about planes and flight," he said. "Then we made planes out of foam plates. Mine flew the farthest, and I won an iron meteorite. We learned how to complete a preflight checklist on our plane.
"It was my first time to fly in a plane, and it was amazing! We were 3,000 feet in the air looking out above Oxford. I felt so small compared to everything below."
Instructors included Ole Miss undergraduates, graduate students, faculty and staff members. Jason Ritchie, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, taught the Chemistry merit badge, and Emmy-winning Tupelo meteorologist Matt Laubhan taught the Weather badge. Other instructors included local veterinarians, a physician, pilots, an attorney, Ole Miss alumni and area professionals.
Cadets from the Ole Miss Army ROTC program present the colors during the opening ceremony for this year's Merit Badge College. Photo by Jason Bouldin
Cadets from the Ole Miss Army ROTC presented the nation's colors during the morning opening ceremony. Noel Wilkin, the university's provost and executive vice chancellor for academic affairs, welcomed the Scouts to campus.
"Being prepared for the future begins with education, and education across a wide range of topics is critically important at a young age," said Wilkin, an Eagle Scout himself. "It is impossible to predict the trajectory of one's life and career. However, there is one fundamental factor that is beneficial regardless of one's path, and that is education.
"Merit badges enable scouts to gain knowledge, skills and abilities and develop confidence that comes with understanding a particular topic."
Ole Miss exercise science major Bruce Pike (center left, holding manilla envelope) works with Scouts from across Mississippi on Personal Fitness merit badge in the Olivia and Archie Manning Athletics Performance Center. Photo by Jason Bouldin
Scouting America, formerly Boy Scouts of America, is a youth leadership organization for girls and boys ages 11 to 18. The merit badge program helps Scouts advance in rank and experience while introducing them to a wide range of knowledge and skills including sports, crafts and hobbies; outdoor skills; trades and future careers; citizenship; and STEM fields.
The Chicksa District of Scouting America's Natchez Trace Council, headquartered in Tupelo, organized the Merit Badge College. The event also helps Scouts learn more about what college life is like, said Gary Wilson, the event's chair.
"For so many of these Scouts, it may be the first opportunity that they have had to visit a college campus," Wilson said. "It is a chance for the Scouts to get a feel for what it may be like to attend college … and Ole Miss is making a great first impression."
Top: An Ole Miss student worker helps Fin Cole (center), a Star Scout in Troop 45 in Oxford, get his harness secured for a climbing session at the university's South Campus Recreation Center. Many of the Scouts at this year's Merit Badge College earned Climbing merit badge. Photo by Jason Bouldin