2026 Jamboree

We're gearing up for the 2026 National Scout Jamboree, and we want YOU to be part of our Mining in Society Merit Badge team at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia (July 22–31, 2026)!

As part of Scouting America’s program for youth of all backgrounds, this is your chance to help thousands of Scouts discover how mining powers their everyday lives (and campouts), and to represent the people and professions that make our industry strong.

Here's how you can help:

1. Let us know if you're interested
Whether you're ready to sign up or just want more info, email smefoundation@smenet.org. We'll be staffing the booth with SME members, students, and professionals from across the country. Full Jamboree, 1 week and off-site day-staff options are available. Funding is available for SME members on a first-come basis — don't wait!

2. Sign up to staff the exhibit
Our theme, "The Mineral Scout: All of the minerals you need to camp," will connect thousands of Scouts to the essential role of mining in everyday life. We will send sign up details, when you reply with your interest

3. Spread the word
Even if you can't make it, you can help! Please share this information with students, colleagues, or friends in the industry who might want to participate.

Let’s keep building momentum from the 2023 Jamboree and "Elevate" 2026 to our best yet. 

A Look Back at the 2023 Jamboree

The National Scout Jamboree is a quadrennial two-week encampment for boys and girls, ages 12-18, in the Scouts BSA program.

Held at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in rural West Virginia, it includes activities such as camping, hiking, fishing, boating, skateboarding, and shooting sports, plus cultural and learning experiences for the thousands of Scouts in attendance. Since 2013, the Minerals Education Coalition has provided a booth at national jamborees, introducing Scouts to the Mining in Society merit badge. The 24th World Scout Jamboree, held at the Summit in 2019, welcomed 40,000+ participants from around the globe and the MEC provided a mining exhibit there as well. 

Our 2023 exhibit was themed "Mining in Our Modern World: Journey to the Middle of Your Mobile." The exhibit emphasized many messages embodied in the Mining in Society merit badge. Most importantly, however, we helped Scouts make a personal, direct connection to the importance of mining to their lives.

The 2023 event was attended by more than 15,000 scouts ages 12-18 from around the country. In total we had 1,950 visitors to our booth and 766 Scouts earned the Mining in Society merit badge.

Thank you to our sponsors CONSOL Energy, WAAIME, Coronado Global Resources, Blackhawk Mining and SME Florida section.

Thank you to the Office of Surface Mining, Reclamation and Enforcement (OSMRE) and Luck Stone for providing on-site support/co-hosting.

And a big thank you to the following SME members who took time away from their busy lives to travel to West Virginia and volunteer at the booth: Charlie Zimmerman, Edward Wellman, Mitchell Harvey, Nicol Alvarez, David Bremer, Emily Carroll, Andy and Julie Cole, Louis Irwin, Dan O'Connor, Eric Shereda and Kathleen Tew.



 
 

2023 JAMBOREE SPONSORS

For more information on the MEC’s Scouting outreach program, visit MineralsEducationCoalition.org/scouts

MEC continues to support Scouting year round through the Mining in Society merit badge web page. On that page you can learn all your need to know about becoming a Mining in Society merit badge counselor. Then, by completing the Roll Call form, you will be added to our mailing list for MiS merit badge counselors for future communications regarding the merit badge, support materials and your role as a counselor.