Merit Mastery: Your Guide to a Year of Success
Boys like to have fun and achieve; and, to be recognized for their accomplishments. Each Ranger should have the opportunity to advance and complete their top award ['Gold Medal'] in each group.
You can provide that opportunity for your Rangers to earn their Advancements through Good Planning & Tracking (follow-through).
The Royal Rangers advancement program is designed for a 3-year cycle for each group. Establishing a solid foundation in Discovery Rangers [DR] is important; because it can be built upon in Adventure [AR] and Expedition Rangers [ER]; and can be applied at camps. Merits must be carefully selected; because once a pattern is established, changing it becomes difficult. Planning begins with developing a 3-year cycle for Merits in each group.
- Select Skills Merits for each group.
These Merit schedules are general examples. Suggest to establish the Discovery Rangers Merit schedule (all 3 years) first.
This 'recommended' Merit schedule provides a good basic template; 1-2 Leadership Merits, one required Merit per year; scheduling the Discovery and Adventure Rangers Bible Knowledge Merits in the same year allows the Pastoral staff to be involved in the Merits; also, Global Missions Merits with your Missions team.
A 3-year skills Merit plan is shown in the [Skill Merits Planner] (pg.1). The ‘Church’ Merits are scheduled in the same year(s) as the Bible Knowledge Merits; and the Missions Merits [BGMC, etc.] with Global Missions Merits. Some of the Merits may be naturally grouped; e.g., RopeCraft and Lashing; ToolCraft and Models & Design; Air Gun Safety, Marksmanship, and BB Gun. An additional consideration is to ‘stagger’ some of the Merits that use the same resources; e.g., BB Gun Merits.
Skills Merits Planner (pg.2) displays a table of skill Merit progression through the different Ranger groups. For example, DR (blue) Safety Merit can be applied in AR (green) Fire and Home Safety; Backpacking; Hiking; Cycling; Swimming...; ER (silver) Adv. Backpacking; Mtn. Biking; Traffic Safety, etc. ToolCraft; RopeCraft; Compass; and Gun Safety are basic skills that can be applied in advanced Merits and camps.
Some skill Merits may be earned by the Ranger through school studies: Am.History; Chemistry; Foreign Language, etc. And others can be earned through church studies: Bible Quiz and Bible Reading.
Additional Skill Merits may be earned by completing JLDA Camps; e.g., Camping, Canoeing, Backpacking, Winter Camping, etc.
And, Skill Merits can be earned by playing a sport.
- Set-up a weekly calendar.
Once you have established which Merits are planned in a year; then schedule when each lesson will be taught. The Skills Merit Planner (pg.3) shows an example of a ‘completed’ plan.
Record each meeting date; noting special events: Thanksgiving holiday; Christmas holiday break; Spring break; Summer break; Special Events, Ranger Derby, Camps; etc.
Schedule each Leadership Lesson; then the Skill Merit and Bible lessons.
The timing of the Merits within the year should be considered. The required Merit (Bible Knowledge and Global Missions) should not be scheduled 'during the summer months when attendance may be lower'. The required Merits should be taught during a time when most of the Rangers are in attendance; such as the fall season, when school is just starting. The Merits that can be best taught outdoors should be scheduled in a season that the weather (and sunlight) is more comfortable. Also, consider having 'fun' Merits or give the leaders a break during the summer; reserving this time for special events or planning.
Another consideration is to align some of the Bible Lessons with the Skill Merits; e.g., book of John, Genesis, etc. in conjunction with the (blue) Bible Knowledge Merit. Book of Acts with the Global Missions, etc.
This process may seem like a lot of work; but the upfront investment will pay dividends for many years. Also, the weekly schedule works when a leader is not able to attend; others can step in for that week and teach the Merit &/or Bible lesson; it also helps in coordinating the different groups for resources and instructors.
- Tracking Ranger Progress
Now that the boys have completed the Merit requirements, the final step is to track the lessons that are taught for each week. A ‘Merit Tracker’ a simple way of noting which lesson(s) and the Rangers present for that lesson(s). This information can easily be transferred to a tracker such as Navigator; or a spreadsheet.
Plan the Work; Work the Plan & remain flexible.
