You might remember that Nerd Merit Badges thing was predicated by how awesome Susan’s girl-scout sash is. We’ve had a lot of fun imitating scout badges, trying to stay faithful to their size, the consistent color pallette, the whole ethos.

We made a golden-pirate skull Nerd Merit Badge for a javascript conference (JSConf 2010). We used one of Noah Scallin’s Skull-A-Day fonts for the design, with his kind permission.

This is where things get awesome: actual Girl Scouts in California liked the badge, and asked if they could use it as their troop quest. HELL yes, they could! So we re-made the badge in the oval shape of a troop quest.

And now, for the first time, we get to see them! Here’s Troop 202 (The "Skull Scouts!") at their end-of-year awards ceremony, which of course they held at a Victorian graveyard:

There were homemade skull cookies, and the scouts write about their personal bucket lists and their thoughts about mortality. What a GREAT troop, and what a wonderful, serendipitous thing to be involved in!

I’m utterly convinced that after these pictures were taken, the troop went out and solved crimes. Possibly by finding a coffee can in the grass containing mysterious microfilm, or maybe by leaning against the handle that opens the hatch to the underground counterfeiting press. There’s really no way that could not happen, based on these pictures.

Thanks for sending the pictures, you guys, and I hope you enjoy your crest!