The Badges
Kids and Rocks. Pride and Joy... Image credit: Ronna Watkins
(See more about this image below)
The Badge Program is one of many American Federation of Mineralogical Society (AFMS) Future Roundhounds of America (FRA) programs designed for club to use in working with youth. The program is designed to reward youth with a series of badges, patches, and a completion pin. For each badge, there are easy to use activity guides.
This program is only available to clubs or societies affiliated with the AFMS and FRA. The program is free to AFMS affiliated clubs including the patches, badges, pins, and downloadable material.
There are detailed requirements for each of the requirement options in the Badge Manual written by Jim Brace-Thompson. The Leader only has to choose 3 of the listed requirements for the Juniors to pass the badge.
When you Click on the Badge title in the list below, you will go to the webpage for that badge.
On each individual Badge page, you will find the section of the Badge Manual relating to that badge. Click to enlarge it to see the descriptions of the requirements before deciding which three you will use with your Juniors.
Note: Jim has included ample information and materials to teach every option listed. You can download the manual section for each badge from its individual badge page.
LIST OF BADGES
Click underlined individual badge pages for the FRA Badge Manual requirements and background information, as well as supplementary activity sheets and sample meeting/class outlines contributed by current FRA Juniors leaders. Watch as more are being added each week during Summer 2022!
How do other leaders do this? Click here...
You can plan your badge sessions any way you want as long as at least three requirements are completed according to the tasks stipulated.
Supplemental worksheets and packets designed by leaders from across the county are available for many badges. These help take some of the guess work out of planning meetings, completing activities, keeping records, and even ideas for awarding and displaying badges.
If you would like to see how some other leaders are doing it, feel free to check out the optional supplemental materials offered on some of the individual badge webpages. Understand that those leaders chose the requirements that best fit their group, and their materials only address the requirements they chose. You may prefer to use different requirements from the Badge Manual for your group and proceed as you like.
About the image on this page
Fossils, rocks and minerals are clearly fascinating to this Junior. His club gives him opportunity to learn, share his knowledge, and take pride in the badges he earns.
Image Credit: Ronna Watkins