Announcing the Animation Merit Badge

We are bringing the behind-the-screen skills of Pixar, DreamWorks, Disney and many other creative career opportunities to our Scouts with the recent announcement of the Animation Merit Badge.

Our merit badge committee huddled with several animation experts  after hearing from our Scouts that animation is a high-interest skill for our members.  They’ll learn animation principles, manage complete hands-on design projects, tour animation studios and work with career professionals as part of the badge requirements.

These creative skills will offer diverse and fascinating career opportunities for our Scouts in fields related to science, engineering, technology and math (STEM), which is why the Animation Merit Badge is such a great addition to our quiver of STEM-related knowledge and training.

Animation is a growing career opportunity for our Scouts. According to the U.S. Bureau for Labor Statistics, demand for multimedia artists and animators will increase as consumers continue to demand more realistic video games, movie and television special effects, and 3D animated movies.

But animation careers are not limited to entertainment and gaming, according to this federal employment projections report:

• Additional job openings will arise from an increasing need for computer graphics in the growing number of mobile technologies.
• The demand for animators is also increasing in alternative areas such as scientific research and design service, including medical illustrators and animators.
• Other animation career options also exist in factory simulations, automotive design, satellite tracking and even predicting the weather.

And, for the first time, we will be delivering a merit badge to our Scouts in print and digital formats.  This will allow Scouts to achieve the Animation Merit Badge using their wireless devices, providing a new level of convenience and digital interactivity young people have become accustomed to.  Other merit badges will have this capability in the near future.

Our organization consistently relies upon our youth to develop fresh ideas that can increase the fun and learning opportunities in their Scouting experiences. The Animation Merit Badge is a great example of a Scout idea that was brought to life for fellow Scouts.

I encourage all of you to keep a close eye on what your Scouts come up with for training ideas and unit activities. Their innovations can mean a lot to our sustainability as an organization!

Thanks, Wayne