So You Want To Be an Eagle Scout? - Troop 571 to Eagle Guidebook - … · Web viewAny Venturer or Sea Scout who achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity

For Scouts – Leaders – Parents

http://www.troop571.org/Pages/LifetoEagleProgram.aspx

Last Revised: December 9, 2014

Table of ContentsSo You Want To Be an Eagle Scout?...............................................................................................5

Troop 571

Life to Eagle Guidebook



Introduction...................................................................................................................................6

Age Requirement Eligibility............................................................................................................8

Complete Base Requirements.......................................................................................................9

Requirement 1—Be Active In Scouting......................................................................................9

Requirement 2—Live the Principals of Scouting. (Letters of Recommendation).....................10

Requirement 3—Earn 21 Merit Badges....................................................................................12

Requirement 4—Serve in a Position of Responsibility.............................................................13

Eagle Scout Service Project..........................................................................................................16

Requirement 5—Complete a Service Project...........................................................................16

Obtain the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook...............................................................17

Review the Project Workbook with Your Eagle Project Coach.............................................18

Select an Organization and Service Project Idea...................................................................18

Restricted Projects................................................................................................................18

Purpose of the Project..........................................................................................................19

Project Restrictions...............................................................................................................19

Example Projects..................................................................................................................19

Review Project Concept with Scoutmaster...........................................................................23

Complete the Contact Information (Page 6).........................................................................23

Complete Project Proposal (Pages 7-10)..................................................................................23

Project Description and Benefit............................................................................................25

Giving Leadership.................................................................................................................25

Materials.............................................................................................................................. 25

Supplies................................................................................................................................ 26

Tools..................................................................................................................................... 26

Permits and Permissions...................................................................................................... 26

Preliminary Cost Estimate.....................................................................................................26

Project Phases...................................................................................................................... 26

Logistics................................................................................................................................ 26

Safety Issues.........................................................................................................................26

Further Planning...................................................................................................................27

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Project Proposal Approvals...................................................................................................27

Prepare Project Final Plan (Pages 11 – 17)...............................................................................29

Eagle Scout Service Project Final Plan Cover (Page 11)........................................................30

Present Conditions or Situation (Page 12)............................................................................30

Work Processes (Page 12)....................................................................................................31

Giving Leadership (page 15).................................................................................................31

Carrying Out the Project:......................................................................................................... 31

Recruiting Volunteers...........................................................................................................32

Motivating Your Team..........................................................................................................32

Track Your Hours.................................................................................................................. 33

Document the Process..........................................................................................................34

Write up Project Report (Pages 19–20)....................................................................................34

The Application Submittal Process...............................................................................................35

Write a Statement of Your Ambitions and Life Purpose...........................................................35

Sign Your Eagle Scout Application............................................................................................36

Requirement 6—Take Part in a Scoutmaster Conference........................................................36

Common Problems with Final Application...............................................................................37

Get Signature of Troop Committee Chair.................................................................................38

Submit Application to the Council Service Center....................................................................39

Council Review of Application..................................................................................................41

District Scheduling of Board of Review....................................................................................42

Requirement 7— Successfully Complete a Board of Review....................................................43

Purpose of the Board of Review...........................................................................................43

Preparing for Your Board of Review.....................................................................................43

What to Bring & What to Wear............................................................................................44

The Review and Sample Questions.......................................................................................44

Board of Reviews Decision....................................................................................................46

Appealing a Decision............................................................................................................ 46

After the Board of Review............................................................................................................47

Council Certification of the Board of Review............................................................................47

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Obtaining the Eagle Scout Award.............................................................................................48

Receiving the Eagle Scout Rank................................................................................................48

The Eagle Court of Honor.........................................................................................................48

National Eagle Scout Association.............................................................................................49

Other References.........................................................................................................................49

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So You Want To Be an Eagle Scout?

Congratulations on achieving the rank of Life Scout! You are one step away from the highest ‐rank in Boy Scouts. Becoming an Eagle Scout will be joining an exclusive club of only 2,151,024

people (as of 2011) who have achieved this achievement this distinction in the last 100 years. You will find that the requirements for Eagle Scout are not much different from the requirements you met for your other ranks, just at a more challenging level.

This guidebook has been developed to help explain the process of advancing from Life to Eagle. The purpose of this document is to provide a single reference to the resources you will need to complete your trail to Eagle. Please take the time to read this guidebook. If you are unsure about anything you read, talk with your adult scout leaders. It is especially important that you understand the procedures for developing your Eagle Scout Service Project.

Achieving the Eagle rank is your responsibility. Many people will help you along the way, including your unit leader, your parents and fellow scouts. You will get assistance from adults on your district youth development committee, many of whom you have probably never worked with before. None of these people can earn the rank for you. It is up to you to make sure that you understand the requirements, complete them in a timely manner and submit the proper documents to receive your rank advancement.

Enjoy the Eagle trail!

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http://www.troop44bushkill.org/clipart/BSA_Ranks/BSA_Rank_Patches/Eagle_Scout_badge_(type_8a).png


Introduction

The purpose of this guidebook and the references shown below, are to provide you, the scout, with the information and tools to successfully make your journey from Life to Eagle Scout. The layout of this document will take you through completing the Eagle Rank Application and the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook field by field and answer questions as you go along.

Scouts with a disability should contact the district Advancement Committee Chair for additional information.

The Eagle rank advancement introduces some new adult roles to the advancement process than you have not worked with before.

Troop Eagle Coach - The Eagle Coach is a troop based position that help you understand the specific requirements that need to be completed to achieve the rank of Eagle and specifically help you through the Eagle Scout Service Project.

District Eagle Scout Advancement Coordinator – This individual coordinates the review of your Eagle Scout Service Project, and your Eagle Scout Board of Review

If you have unanswered questions regarding the requirements, contact your troop Eagle Coach, Scoutmaster, your troop Advancement Committee Chair, or your District Advancement Committee Chair.

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IMPORTANT NOTICE TO PARENTS:The rank of Eagle Scout is only obtained by young men who work hard and take initiative. As

your son’s parents we ask you to step back and let them take the lead. Becoming an Eagle Scout is not for all boys and should not be forced on a scout. Please encourage, motivate, and support your son. It is their responsibility not yours to contact the troop, district, or the council

on the status of various steps. Please let them take that responsibility.


What to Do First

1. Create a Life to Eagle Notebook. Obtain a copy of the following documents. These are available on the troop website. Be sure you use current copies. Read all the material carefully and completely. If you have any questions, talk to your Scoutmaster or Eagle Coach. You should download a copy of each of these documents and print out each and put them in a 3 ring binder. This will save you a lot of time later.

a. Current Official BSA Eagle Rank Requirements http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/boyscouts/advancementandawards/eagle.aspx

b. Eagle Scout Rank Applicationhttp://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_WB_fillable.pdf

c. Eagle Scout Service Project Workbookhttp://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/EagleWorkbookProcedures.aspx

d. Guide to Advancement – Chapter 9 - The Eagle Scout Rank www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf

e. Life to Eagle Guidebook (this document)http://www.troop571.org/Pages/LifetoEagleProgram.aspx

f. Life to Eagle Scout Checklisthttp://www.troop571.org/Pages/LifetoEagleProgram.aspx

g. Confidential Eagle Scout Reference FormFind this on the council advancement forms webpage. http://www.troop571.org/Pages/LifetoEagleProgram.aspx

h. Additional Useful References: i. The Boy Scout Handbook (34554): Your handbook contains requirements

for all ranks and should have a signed record of your advancements from the Boy Scout badge through Life rank.

ii. The Guide to Safe Scouting (34416): This document contains the official BSA policies regarding health and safety. Your project must be conducted in accordance with these policies. It is available on the national BSA website at www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS.aspx.

2. Meet with your Troop Eagle Coach - As soon as you become a Life Scout, request a meeting with a troop Eagle Coach from the troop Advancement Committee Chair to discuss your plan to become an Eagle Scout. They will help you set goals and a timeline for completion.

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http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS.aspx




http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/33088.pdf

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/EagleWorkbookProcedures.aspx

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/EagleWorkbookProcedures.aspx

http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_WB_fillable.pdf

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/boyscouts/advancementandawards/eagle.aspx

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/boyscouts/advancementandawards/eagle.aspx


Review Your Official BSA Records

Contact your troop Advancement Chair and ask them to verify your records as shown in both the National BSA database and run an individual advancement report from TroopMaster. You can review your records on Troopmaster Web (http://www.troopmasterweb.com/troop571 ). Now is the time to make any corrections to insure the national advancement records match your unit’s records. Your application data needs to match the BSA National Database.

Age Requirement Eligibility

BSA Requirement: “Merit badges, badges of rank, and Eagle Palms may be earned by a registered Boy Scout, Varsity Scout, Venturer, or Sea Scout. He may earn these awards until his 18th birthday. Any Venturer or Sea Scout who achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity Scout in a team may continue working for the Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks and Eagle Palms while registered as a Venturer or Sea Scout up to his 18th birthday. Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts who have completed all requirements prior to their 18th birthday may be reviewed within three months after that date with no explanation. Refer to the Guide to Advancement, No. 33088, section 8.0.3.1, for boards of review to be held between three and six months, or more than six months after the 18th birthday.”

If a scout wants to report they are an Eagle Scout on a college application then they should plan on having their Eagle Board of Review completed before November of their senior year in high school.

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http://www.troopmasterweb.com/troop571


Make sure this date is the same as in Troopmaster and the BSA Database.

What must be done before the Scout’s 18th birthday?

All requirements 1 through 6 All work on your Eagle Scout leadership service project.

The following can take place after your 18th birthday.

Final signatures including the "Certification by the “Applicant" and "Unit Approval." Delivery of your Eagle Scout Rank Application to the Council Service Center. Receipt of letters of recommendation by district Eagle Scout Coordinator. Council certification of your Eagle Scout Rank Application. Eagle Scout rank board of review

Earning your Eagle rank before your 18th birthday means you will be able to wear the Eagle Scout badge on your uniform. You may not wear the Eagle Scout rank badge as an adult after your 18th birthday however you should wear your Eagle Scout Knot with pride an adult leader.

Complete Base Requirements

You may complete Eagle rank advancement requirements 1 5 in any order after you have ‐passed your Life Scout board of review.

Requirement 1—Be Active In Scouting“Be active in your troop, team, crew, or ship for a period of at least six months after you have achieved the rank of Life Scout.”

NOTE: Use the date that is on your individual advancement report from TroopMaster.

When is a Scout Considered “Active”?

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The following is from the Guide to Advancement 4.2.3.1 Active Participation:

“The purpose of Star, Life, and Eagle Scout requirements calling for Scouts to be active for a period of months involves impact. Since we prepare young people to go forth, and essentially, make a positive difference in our American society, we judge that a member is “active” when his level of activity in Scouting, whether high or minimal, has had a sufficiently positive influence toward this end. Use the following three sequential tests to determine whether the requirement has been met. The first and second are required, along with either the third or its alternative.

1. The Scout is registered. The youth is registered in his unit for at least the time period indicated in the requirement, and he has indicated in some way, through word or action, that he considers himself a member. If a boy was supposed to have been registered, but for whatever reason was not, discuss with the local council registrar the possibility of back-registering him.

2. The Scout is in good standing. A Scout is considered in “good standing” with his unit as long as he has not been dismissed for disciplinary reasons. He must also be in good standing with the local council and the Boy Scouts of America. (In the rare case he is not, communications will have been delivered.)

3. The Scout meets the unit’s reasonable expectations; or, if not, a lesser level of activity is explained. If, for the time period required, a Scout or qualifying Venturer or Sea Scout meets those aspects of his unit’s pre-established expectations that refer to a level of activity, then he is considered active and the requirement is met. Time counted as “active” need not be consecutive. A boy may piece together any times he has been active and still qualify

Alternative to the third test if expectations are not met:

If a young man has fallen below his unit’s activity oriented expectations, then it must be due to other positive endeavors— in or out of Scouting—or to noteworthy circumstances that have prevented a higher level of participation. In this case a Scout is considered “active” if a board of review can agree that Scouting values have already taken hold and been exhibited. This might be evidenced, for example, in how he lives his life and relates to others in his community, at school, in his religious life, or in Scouting. It is also acceptable to consider and “count” positive activities outside Scouting when they, too, contribute to his growth in character, citizenship, or personal fitness. Remember; it is not so much about what a Scout has done. It is about what he is able to do and how he has grown. “

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Requirement 2—Live the Principals of Scouting. (Letters of Recommendation)

BSA Requirement: “Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf.”

You will need to ask 5-6 people to provide a written letter of recommendation about their observations about how you live out the principals of scouting in your daily life. It is recommended that you start this process early in your Life rank so it will not delay you when you get your service project completed.

The six required references are:

1. Parents or guardians 2. Religious 3. Educational 4. Employer (If any) 5. Two other references

Note on Employer reference: If you do not have an employer you may leave the field blank.

Note on religious reference: If your personal religious practices don't include interaction with a pastor, rabbi, priest, or some similar person, you should consider someone else who is your spiritual advisor. In some situations this might be your parent or guardian

If a scout is home-schooled by a parent, use other educational sources: music lessons; a sports coach; etc. It should be someone who has a major role in one of your educational pursuits.

Talk to six people that know you and ask if they would be willing to submit a letter of reference. Explain what it is for and answer any questions they might have.

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1. Download a copy of the “Confidential Eagle Scout Reference Form” from the troop website under the life to eagle program section.

Edit the word document specific to you.1. Add the name of the person who will be providing the reference on the “Reference

Name” field.2. Add your name on the “Eagle Scout Candidate Name” Field 3. Add your Phone number

2. Print out one personalized copy for each reference.3. Get #10 size letter envelopes for each form.‐4. Go to the district website at (http://www.seattlebsa.org/Alpine-District/Alpine-District-

Advancement-Committee ) Get the name and address of who the letters should be sent to and write or print it on the envelope.

5. Place a stamp on the envelope6. Give the envelope to each reference and ask that they complete it, and mail it as soon

as possible.

Let them know they may be contacted by someone from the district Advancement Committee about their reference. The letters must be mailed to the district directly and not given back to you.

“Scouts are not responsible for follow-through or any other aspect of the reference letter process. It is up to the district to make every effort to collect the responses. If after a reasonable effort no response can be obtained from any references, the board of review must go on without them. It may not be postponed or denied for this reason, and the Scout may not be asked to submit additional references or to provide replacements. Completed reference responses of any kind are the property of the council and are confidential, and only review-board members and those officials with a specific need may see them. The responses are not to be viewed by, or returned to, the Scout. Doing so could discourage the submission of negative information. For the same reason, those providing references shall not be given the option of waiving confidentiality. Once a review has been held, or an appeal process conducted, responses shall be returned to the council, where they will be destroyed after the Eagle Scout credentials are released or the appeal is concluded.” Guide to Advancement 9.0.1.7

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http://www.seattlebsa.org/Alpine-District/Alpine-District-Advancement-Committee



Requirement 3—Earn 21 Merit Badges

BSA Requirement: “Earn a total of 21 merit badges (required badges are listed below). List the month, day, and year the merit badge was earned.” Use the dates from TroopMaster.

Earn a total of 21 merit badges including the following: (a) First Aid, (b) Citizenship in the Community, (c) Citizenship in the Nation, (d) Citizenship in the World, (e) Communications, (f) Personal Fitness, (g) Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving, (h) Environmental Science OR Sustainability(effective 1/1/2014), (i) Personal Management, (j) Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling, (k) Camping and( l) Family Life, (j) Cooking(effective 1/1/2014). Where there is an option for a required badge such as Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving, the badge(s) not used as the required badge may be used as one of the non required badges. ‐ Be sure to cross‐out badges not earned where there is an alternate.

Remember: Three of the merit badges (Personal Fitness, Personal Management, and Family Life) require specific time based tracking and take at least three months to complete. You cannot keep records for three months in only three weeks. Don’t wait until the last moment.

Requirement 4—Serve in a Position of Responsibility

BSA Requirement: “While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of six months in one or more positions of responsibility. List only those positions served after Life board of review date.

■Boy Scout Troop. Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Order Of The Arrow Troop Representative, Den Chief, Scribe, Librarian, Historian,

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Quartermaster, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, Chaplain Aide, Instructor, Webmaster, Or Leave No Trace Trainer.

■Varsity Scout Team. Captain, Cocaptain, Program Manager, Squad Leader, Team Secretary, Order Of The Arrow Team Representative, Librarian, Quartermaster, Chaplain Aide, Instructor, Den Chief, Webmaster, Or Leave No Trace Trainer.

■Venturing Crew/Ship. President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Boatswain, Boatswain's Mate, Yeoman, Purser, Storekeeper, Webmaster, Or Leave No Trace Trainer.”

No listed position is more important or qualifying than the others. You may serve in more than one position to fulfill the six months requirement and the time does not need to be continuous.

These roles can be either Scoutmaster assigned or elected by the troop.

Note: Bugler, Asst Patrol Leader, Patrol Scribe, Patrol Quartermaster do not satisfy this requirement. Some older handbooks list Bugler as qualifying but that was a printing error.

When you are deciding on which role to take on walk yourself through these steps, if you get stuck, pick another role:

a. Are you passionate or at least interested in that position?

b. Will it challenge you, or bore you to death?

c. Will you be able to manage your time and tasks to make sure you can fulfill your responsibilities and Duties? If not, who would you be able to turn to help you [delegation is key in higher positions of responsibility], is there anyone?

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You must actually serve in the position(s) of responsibility, not just have the title. The board of review will ask you to discuss your duties and describe how you fulfilled them. Scoutmasters have an obligation to train Scouts in their leadership positions but is up to you to fulfill the requirements. Your Scoutmaster will also be ascertaining if you are fulfilling the requirements of your position of responsibility. If you are not doing so you may be removed from the position. If you are not sure, ask your Scoutmaster

Dates listed must be after your Life board of review date and must cover a full 6 months across any number of positions. Do not put “Present” as the end date.

From the Guide to Advancement: “4.2.3.4.3 Meeting Unit Expectations. If a unit has established expectations for positions of responsibility, and if, within reason (see the note under “Rank Requirements Overview,” 4.2.3.0), based on his personal skill set, the Scout meets them, he fulfills the requirement. When a Scout assumes a position, something related to the desired results must happen. It is a disservice to the Scout and to the unit to reward work that has not been done. Holding a position and doing nothing, producing no results, is unacceptable. Some degree of responsibility must be practiced, taken, or accepted. …. It is unfair and inappropriate— after six months, for example—to surprise a boy who thinks he has been doing fine, with news that his performance is now considered unsatisfactory. In this case, he must be given credit for the time.”

See: 4.2.3.4 Positions of Responsibility in Guide to Advancement for more details.See: Troop 571 Handbook – Demonstrating Leadership

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Eagle Scout Service Project

Requirement 5—Complete a Service Project

BSA Requirement: “While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project must benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your unit leader and unit committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, No. 512-927, in meeting this requirement.”

Use the latest “Completion Approval” date from your Eagle Scout Service Project Report section of your workbook on page 20.

The Eagle Scout service project differs in an important way from other service activity you have done for earlier ranks. You must plan, develop and lead the entire project. You must show leadership of at least two people. The project will provide an opportunity for you to use many of the skills you have learned while earning merit badges such as Communication, Citizenship in the Community and Personal Management. This will be one of the most challenging and time‐consuming parts of advancing to Eagle. The KEY to this project is demonstrating leadership, which should be easy after your various leadership responsibilities in the troop and ascension through the ranks.

You should plan on your project taking somewhere from 2-6 months to complete everything from initial idea, planning, approval, through conducting the project, final report and final acceptances.

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Obtain the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook

BSA in October 2011 issues a new workbook to help with the planning and reporting for your project. You can either go to the scout shop and purchase a copy to hand write your project or download an updated version from the BSA website. (http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927_fillable.pdf) This version is a pdf editable version. It is very important to only use this version versus other versions you might find on the internet. If you need to type more than will fit in any section simply create a separate document and write “See separate document” on the official form.

The workbook is divided into three major parts.

Proposal - The first section is for writing your proposal which explains what you plan on doing. It must be approved by your scoutmaster, beneficiary organization, troop committee, and district Advancement Committee before you begin any work on your project. This makes sure everyone is in agreement on what the project is going to be about.

Final Plan – This section helps you detail out all the specifics of what need to happen to make sure it is a successful project.

Project Report – This section is for reporting the details of what really happened with the project.

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http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927_fillable.pdf


Review the Project Workbook with Your Eagle Project Coach

The troop has some adults who are willing to serve as your Eagle Project Coach. Contact the Troop Advancement Committee Chair to get assigned a Coach. The coach is not part of the proposal approval. Though it is a Scout’s option, coaches are highly recommended—especially those who are knowledgeable and experienced with project approvals. Their greatest value comes in the advice they provide after approval of a proposal as a candidate completes his planning. A coach can help him see that, if a plan is not sufficiently developed, then projects can fail. Assistance can come through evaluating a plan and discussing its strengths, weaknesses, and risks. Coaches shall not have the authority to dictate changes, withdraw approval of the proposal, or take any other such directive action. Instead, coaches must use the BSA method of positive adult association, logic, and common sense to help the candidate make the right decisions.

Select an Organization and Service Project Idea

Review the workbook and think about various project ideas. Most qualified organizations will be happy for you to do an Eagle service project for their benefit. The religious organization or school you attend, are good places to start. Project opportunities can also be found at public parks and community organizations.

Be creative, innovative, and open-minded about what projects might be right in front of you that you hadn’t considered before. There are massive projects, small projects, complex projects, simple projects, and everything in between. But, none of that matters; what matters most is that you pick a meaningful project. There will be days when you will not want to do a thing because you are exhausted or overworked. So, you need a project that you can pick up and run with no matter how much you might want to sleep in that weekend. Or maybe even a project which you are passionate about, a project which motivates you to keep working. These are the types of projects which are hard work but fun in the end. Many people many not openly state this, but many Eagle Scouts are remembered by their projects, and can often dominate the conversation between you and a total stranger, when you both find out you are eagle scouts. Pick a project you will be proud of and passionate about, then you can never go wrong. That said; make sure that you have a project that is actually feasible; Rome wasn’t built in a day.

Restricted Projects

There are restrictions, however, on the type of organization for which you may do your project. It is important that you make sure the organization that benefits from your project meets the BSA guidelines. Your Scoutmaster can help with this. Some ineligible project types include:

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Work involving any BSA activities, including council property, projects that benefit the troop, is not acceptable for an Eagle Scout service project.

You may not do a project for a business, be of a commercial nature or be a fund raiser. ‐ You may not consider routine labor such as a job or good turn you normally do as a

Scout. You cannot use fund raising as the goal of your project

Purpose of the Project

Project Restrictions

Example Projects

Some examples of projects that have been done in the past are:

• Built church sign

• Landscaped church grounds

• Repaired church playground

• Built church janitor closet

• Repaired & cleaned out storage shed

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• Built chuck boxes for Girl Scout troop

• Repaired church home for aged & sponsored social event for residents

• Built newspaper re-cycling bins for Elementary School

• Built bull-pens, dugout roofs for High School baseball field

• Built cabinets for Sunday School rooms

• Repaired, re-roofed, landscaped church gazebo

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•

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Some other project idea sites

http://www.scoutorama.com/project/

http://www.eaglescout.org/project/select.html

http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/eagle/eagleproj1.asp

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http://www.usscouts.org/usscouts/eagle/eagleproj1.asp

http://www.eaglescout.org/project/select.html

http://www.scoutorama.com/project/


Review Project Concept with the Troop Eagle Project Coach

Discuss your project concept with the group you intend to help. Be sure you both understand and come to agreement as to what they need and what you will do. This is not a required step but highly recommended so you don’t spend time writing up a project proposal for a project that does not qualify.

Verbally discuss your project idea with the Troop Eagle Project Coach to be sure it is an acceptable project as required by BSA guidelines. Contact your district Eagle Board chair if you have questions. Make any required revisions.

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Complete the Contact Information (Proposal Page A)Complete the form with all the key contacts. Use the contacts below.

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Complete Project Proposal (Pages 7-10)

The first phase of your service project is to write a project proposal and get it approved. Your proposal must be completed first. It is an overview, but also the beginnings of planning. It shows your unit leader, unit committee, and council that the following tests can be met. For your proposal to be approved, it must show the following:

1. It provides sufficient opportunity to meet the Eagle Scout service project requirement. You must show that planning, development, and leadership will take place; and how the three factors will benefit a religious institution, a school, or your community.

2. It appears to be feasible. You must show the project is realistic for you to complete.

3. Safety issues will be addressed. You must show you have an understanding of what must be done to guard against injury, and what will be done if someone does get hurt.

4. Action steps for further detailed planning are included. You must make a list of the key steps you will take to make sure your plan has enough details to be carried out successfully.

5. You are on the right track with a reasonable chance for a positive experience.

Your proposal need only be detailed enough to show a reviewer that you can meet the tests above. If you find in order to do that, the proposal must be lengthy and complicated; your project might be more complex than necessary.

If your project does not require materials or supplies, etc., simply mark those spaces “not applicable.” Remember, do not begin any work or raise any money or obtain any materials until your project proposal has been approved. If you submit your proposal too close to your 18th birthday, it may not be approved in time to finish planning and executing the project.

Some Helpful hints for developing your project proposal:

1. Make it easy for your project to get approved. Provide all the information needed to understand your project. The more detail the better, as long as the detail is relevant. Remember that your project proposal is the only information the committee has about your project. If there are details you do not include, the committee will not have all the information they need to evaluate.

2. Write clearly and format your project neatly, so that it is easy to read. Write the project proposal so that it reflects the standard of excellence expected of an Eagle Scout.

3. As you come up with an idea and begin to develop your project, keep a record or journal of everything that happens and record the time you spend on any activity related to

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your project. When you have completed your project, you will need to include the hours you spent during the planning stage.

4. The Eagle Scout Service Project takes time. You should plan the start of your project so you have plenty of time to complete it prior to your eighteenth birthday.

5. The paperwork takes much longer to complete than expected.

Project Description and BenefitYou should give a simple, but specific, description of your project. Your project must have measurable goals/deliverables. Having specific goals is the only way to measure your project and know if you have met those goals. In order to approve your project, your district Advancement Committee needs to know exactly what you plan to do. Be sure to give quantities of whatever product your project will produce, for example: the number of benches, the number of trees or the length of a trail section. This is not the place to tell how you are going to build something, how long it is going to take, what materials you are going to use, or any details of that nature. Those things will come later in the workbook. Describe how your project will be of benefit to the group.

Giving LeadershipOne of the primary goals of your project is to demonstrate leadership skills. Your proposal must show that you understand what leadership is. Some of the factors that show your understanding of leadership are:

Initiative and effective communication with the benefiting organization Thorough planning Making contacts for permitting, donations of materials and so forth Understanding how team members will be organized and instructed to complete the

work of the project Leading the work and assigning tasks to team members, rather than relying on adults to

provide leadership or having them do tasks that can be performed by youth Inspecting the work to assure that it was done properly Dealing with change and unexpected obstacles Develop a financial plan and securing funding for the project, rather than asking family

to pay for it

For ideas on what leadership means, review the leadership principles you learned in leader training you received as a Scout. Incorporate these principles into your project plan.

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MaterialsDescribe the materials to be used; "Materials" is a broad category including materials that will become part of your project, supplies that may be used up or discarded but necessary to do the work and tools. A suggestion is to list of all materials, supplies and tools in a chart or table, including where you are going to obtain them, and how much each will cost or its value if it will be donated.

SuppliesDescribe all the supplies that you will use up. These are items like tape, tarps and garbage bags. You do not need to have exact quantities yes but you need to show you know what you will need to make the project a success.

ToolsIdentify the types of tools you will need for your project. Will you need power tools, where will you get the tools? Will you have to rent the tools? Show that you understand everything that is needed to complete your deliverables.

Permits and PermissionsYou must address the need for required permits. You should not apply for permits prior to project approval but you should have copies of any needed forms required to obtain the permits. Permits should be requested by the beneficiary organization.

Preliminary Cost EstimateEstimated the total cost of the project to determine what funding you might need. Most projects require fundraising of some form; even it is coming from the beneficiary organization. You do not need to have exact costs. The reviewers just need to know if it is reasonable for there to be enough funds raised to carry out the project.

If funding is needed beyond contributions from the scout, his parents or relatives, the troop or members and families of the troop, or the beneficiary, then a Fundraising Application (page 17 must be completed. Review the procedure and limitations on page 18 carefully.

Project PhasesDivide your project into logical phases that need to be complete. It is good to start with finishing you planning, securing funding, getting permits and permissions, securing materials and supplies, gathering tools. You can also detail out the events that will happen on the day(s) of the project build. Breaking down the project into different phases will help prepare you for defining out specific tasks you want people to do for you.

LogisticsHow will you handle transportation of materials, supplies, tools, and helpers? Will you need a Tour Permit? Will you need electrical power at the site? How will you get it? What about water, bathrooms,

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Tarp tents to provide shelter if it rains. Remember you are the host for this event and you want to make your helpers comfortable.

Safety IssuesDescribe any safety hazards and explain how you will ensure the safety of those carrying out the project; almost every Eagle project has some potential safety hazards. Anticipating the hazards your team members will face, and developing ways to make sure they are safe, are important aspects of leadership. The Guide to Safe Scouting discusses BSA policies for two deep‐ adult leadership and other youth protection issues as well as the BSA policies regarding the kinds of activities Scouts are permitted to participate in and address safety requirements for activities. Pay special attention to the Guide to Safe Scouting requirements for using any power tools. You must tell what precautions you will take and provisions you will make for first aid and emergency medical treatment.

Further PlanningIn this section you want to list the things you need to do next. How will you complete the final plan? What do you still need to get accomplished? This will help you make sure you are heading in the right direction.

Project Proposal Approvals

There are four approvals that are needed for the project proposal – Unit Leader (Scoutmaster), Unit Committee (Troop Committee), Beneficiary Representative, and District Advancement Committee. While the first three can officially be done in any order, you might find it beneficial to get the approvals first from the Beneficiary Representative, then Scoutmaster, then the Troop Committee.

Beneficiary – This is the most important approval since the purpose of your project is to provide the organization with some very specific benefits. Meet with your contact for those whom you are doing the project for. You need to go over your proposal in detail and make sure everything is to their liking. This proposal should include what you are doing and generally how you are planning to do it. Materials and funding are always the biggest of concerns and should be relatively thoroughly planned out. Once they are happy with your project make sure to get their signature.

Scoutmaster – The scoutmaster can help make sure your project is adhering to BSA policies. Next you are to contact the Scoutmaster to set an appointment time to review your proposal and to get his input. If the Scoutmaster is pleased and sees no changes are necessary then ensure you obtain his signature.

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http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS.aspx


Troop Committee – The Committee can help you think through some of the details on your project. This can be very helpful as you prepare to complete your detailed plan. Contact the Troop Advancement Committee Chairman and ask for an Eagle Service Project Board of Review. At the appointed date and time be prepared to present your entire project to the troop Committee. Wear your complete uniform and ensure you have any and all materials needed neatly ready to present to the committee. Once the committee discusses and approves your project obtain a signature from the Committee.

District – Once you have the above signature then go to the district website at http://www.seattlebsa.org/Alpine-District/Alpine-District-Advancement-Committee and call one of the Eagle Project Reviewers listed and set up a meeting to review your project proposal. This is the final step in your approval process. You will need to meet with a District representative and present your project proposal to and gain their approval and signature. These meeting vary in forum and setting, so ask the reviewer to describe how you can best prepare for the review.

Final approval of your project proposal is entirely up to the district advancement committee. They are looking for a project that will allow you to demonstrate your leadership skills to the best of your abilities.

Eagle Scout projects are evaluated primarily on impact—the extent of benefit to the religious institution, school, or community, and on the leadership provide by the candidate. There must also be evidence of planning and development. This is not only part of the requirement, but relates to practicing our motto to “Be Prepared.” However, in determining if a project meets requirement 5, reviewers must not require more planning and development than necessary to execute the project. These elements must not overshadow the project itself, as long as the effort was well led, and resulted in otherwise worthy outcome acceptable to the beneficiary.

No work can be started on the project before the district approval.

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Attention: Unit, District, and Council ReviewersEagle Scout projects must be evaluated primarily on impact: the extent of benefit to the religious institution, school, or community, and on the leadership provided by the candidate. There must also be evidence of planning and development. This is not only part of the requirement but relates to practicing the Scout motto, “Be Prepared.” However, in determining if a project meets Eagle Scout requirement 5, reviewers must not require more planning and development than necessary to execute the project. These elements must not overshadow the project itself, as long as the effort was well led and resulted in otherwise worthy results acceptable to the beneficiary.



Project Proposal Evaluation Criteria

For your proposal to be approved, it must show the following:

1. It provides sufficient opportunity to meet the Eagle Scout service project requirement. You must show that planning, development, and leadership will take place; and how the three factors will benefit a religious institution, a school, or your community.

2. It appears to be feasible. You must show the project is realistic for you to complete.

3. Safety issues will be addressed. You must show you have an understanding of what must be done to guard against injury, and what will be done if someone does get hurt.

4. You are on the right track with a reasonable chance for a positive experience. Action steps for further detailed planning are included. You must make a list of the key steps you will take to make sure your plan has enough details to be carried out successfully.

Eagle Scout projects are evaluated primarily on impact: the extent of benefit to the religious institution, school, or community, and on the leadership provided by the candidate. There must also be evidence of planning and development. This is not only part of the requirement but relates to practicing the Scout motto, “Be Prepared.”

However, in determining if a project meets Eagle Scout requirement 5, reviewers must not require more planning and development than necessary to execute the project. These elements must not overshadow the project itself, as long as the effort was well led and resulted in otherwise worthy results acceptable to the beneficiary.

Prepare Project Final Plan (Pages 11 – 17)

The second part of the project is creating a final plan. This is where you move from approvals to making sure that the project comes off as successful. This is a 5 page part of the workbook that covers the following sections.

Comments from Project Proposal Review Changes to Project Description and Benefit Present Condition or Situation Project Phases

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Work Processes Permits and Permissions Materials Supplies Tools Expenses and Revenue Leadership Logistics Safety Contingency Plans

Most of sections in this part of your workbook are self-explanatory. Listed below are some special assistance to help you determine how to fill in the form.

Eagle Scout Service Project Final Plan Cover (Page 11)

On page 11 there is a cover for the start of the Eagle Scout Service Project Final Plan. Enter in your name plus your project start date which is the earliest date of your project proposal approvals found on page 10. Your projected completion date is the date you anticipate will be the last date you will be using volunteers to carry out your project.

Complete the Eagle Scout Service Project Final Plan after your proposal has been approved. This is a tool for your use—no one approves it—and it can be important in showing your Eagle Scout board of review that you have planned and developed your project as required. For this reason you are strongly encouraged to share the final plan with a project coach. The project coach will be assigned to you by your troop advancement committee chair. A coach can help you avoid many problems associated with service projects, and thus improve your chance of passing the Eagle board of review. If materials, etc., were not needed, mark those spaces “not applicable.”

Present Conditions or Situation (Page 12) Describe what the existing situation is in the area where you will be doing your project. If your project involves building something, explain what the current condition of the building site is. Describe the current situation within the benefiting organization that your project will change. This section should help the district Advancement Committee understands why the project is needed and what the circumstances are prior to beginning the project. “What is wrong” and “how are you going to fix or improve.” Describe the method you will use to complete the

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project; this is where you tell how you will complete your project. Several things should be included to describe the method you will use to complete your project:

Plans and/or Drawings: If your project involves building something, you should have complete plans for what you are going to build. This includes drawings such as a floor plan or map of the site where the construction will take place, as well as plans for the items built. The plans must include complete, accurate dimensions of what you will be building. Floor plans and maps must indicate exactly how the elements of the project will be situated, with as precise measurements as possible.

Work Processes (Page 12)How will you organize your team members to do the work of the project? Will they be organized into teams? Will you assign jobs to individuals? Remember, you are the leader of the project, and it is up to you to decide how the team members are directed to accomplish the work. It is okay for you to demonstrate what you need your team members to do, but the bulk of the work should be done by them, under your direction.

Giving Leadership (page 15)You are required to give leadership to at least two individuals. You are not required to list individuals by name, but you must have an idea of how many team members you will need for the project and where you will recruit them. Creating a team list or a roster of tasks and responsibilities will assist you in the project. The most common source of team members is your own troop, crew or team. You may be able to recruit school friends or people you know from other organizations to which you belong.

Adults may be part of your team as team members or for safety issues, but their work should be minimal. Your project plan must demonstrate that you understand the requirements for adult participation. You should discuss what adults will be present and what their roles in the project will be. Adults should not be a major part of your work force.

Carrying Out the Project:

You are finally done with the major approval paperwork and can begin the process of actually doing your project. At this point you must have all approval signatures. Now there are some key things to remember:

Time – Make sure you have enough time to complete your project well before your 18th birthday.

Scheduling – Make sure you plan ahead in advance for each work party getting the word out well in advance and provide details. Scouts always need service hours.

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Budget – Make sure you pay close attention to how much money you have, and how much you are spending. Look for donations, discount price donations, and sales to maximize your spending capacity. If you end up with unused donations at project completion, they must be returned to the donator per BSA National requirements.

Materials – Ensure you have the right materials, enough of the materials, and a little extra on site so if you finish early, you can begin on the next work party’s tasks. There is nothing wrong with being ahead of schedule.

Recruiting VolunteersVolunteers are your lifeblood, it may be difficult to operate without supplies, but it is impossible to operate without extra help. This is your project; you are here to delegate and to lead those whom are helping you with your project. Remember the whole point of this project is to help the community and demonstrate leadership. It may sound cliché but lead them “gently but firmly.” Then again, the best leadership style is typically, led by example. Once you have covered the basics of the projects, shift your focus to the work force. First you need to make sure you have a work force before you can start managing them. Think about the various aspects of gaining volunteers:

1. How will people know about your project? Get the word out. These days’ texting and Facebook are more popular among scouts than e-mail or announcements and are a great resource to inform and remind volunteers. Create an event and invite people to join, or follow up with text reminders. But don’t forget asking individuals in-person is the only surefire way to get a volunteer.

2. Kids don’t remember much; adults are too busy to read every e-mail. Get the kids excited to help and ask their parents to take them to it. Follow this up by subsequent e-mail notifications to the troop informing the parents all about your project. Make it as easy as possible for volunteers to come and help, soon enough you will have more than you know what to do with.

3. Why will they want to come and help? Tell them what they can gain from helping you. Also, tell them how their work will benefit the project recipient.

4. Where is it? Directions are nice.5. When will it be? Give people at least a week’s warning, with several work parties listed so they

can choose and don’t feel obligated to one specific work party. You may be competing for volunteers over other Eagle Projects, however try to schedule around this conflict. Another benefit of planning ahead and making the schedule known.

6. What kind of tools will they need to bring if any? Do you need a specific talent from within the troop for a specific task? Feel free to blanket the troop asking adults for their help in certain fields. Good changes are if they’ve made a profession or hobby out of it, they’d be happy to help.

Motivating Your TeamA happy work force is an effective work force. If you can keep your volunteers busy, engaged, and having fun, not only will they work but also come back. Consider this when coordinating volunteers and delegating tasks:

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1. Let friends work with friends in small groups. They will talk, have fun, but not to the point where they get distracted. If they do feel free to move them around the site a little. Or assign them to tasks which repeatedly take them back and forth across the site, allowing them to talk but not too much.

2. Rotate tasks, even if muscles don’t get sore, minds can. Some tasks can get boring fast. By rotating tasks people feel more effective and are also more attentive in their work.

3. Lead, don’t dictate. You job is to set an example, and to guide people so their work is constructive, not chaos. Overexerting your authority will only discourage them from working, or keep them from coming back

4. If you are working during specific times in the day, look into, or either plan on having a lunch or snack time for people to rest and eat/drink something. The promise of food alone will often lure in many young scouts which will undoubtedly be the majority of your volunteers.

5. Keep morale high. As a leader you are not there just to coordinate but to encourage and motivate people. If you keep the environment comfortable and fun things go much more smoothly, which mean less headaches for you.

6. Support other Eagle projects. Remember, what goes around, comes around. If you are seen helping other projects, there will be much more interest in helping yours.

7. Lastly, pitch in. Don’t be afraid to get your hands dirty. You can lead just as effectively from the bottom of a hole as you can look in from the top. Keep an eye on everything by glancing around once in a while, and checking in with groups randomly. If you see someone having trouble delegate what you were doing to someone else and lend a helping hand where it is needed most. Younger scouts often love working with an older scout and will often make them work faster and harder. By simply consciously rotating yourself around the site, you can make it much more productive.

Track Your HoursRecord the amount of time spent on the project by you and your project team members. As you begin to develop your project, you should keep a record or journal of everything that happens and record the time you spend on any activity related to your project. When you have completed your project, you will need to include the hours you spent on the project.

On page 20 you report the people and total hours spent by you, other youth, BSA registered adults, and other adults.

The use of a check in sheet will help you track who actually is there. Make sure you include all ‐the hours you spent planning your project. Some of the time spent on planning your project may include the following:

Travel time to and from the project site

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Ordering, pick up and deliver of materials Telephone conversations, e mails, text messages ‐ Time of people who prepare & serve lunches & snacks—include time to shop for food Fund raising efforts for materials ‐ Obtaining permits Time spent presenting your project to your unit committee if this is your unit’s

procedure Obtaining approvals from your Scoutmaster, unit committee and district committee

Document the ProcessEither delegates the documentation of your project to a parent (they love taking pictures anyhow) or other scout/adult. You will want to have an ongoing picture record of the changes you make and the steps you finished. Pictures are worth a thousand words or more, which means less writing for you later on.

Write up Project Report (Pages 19–20)

Complete this portion after the project has been finished. This is your final report. Note the space for you to sign (confirming that you led and completed the project), and also the signature lines for the beneficiary and your unit leader’s approval that your project met Eagle Scout requirement 5. As with the proposal and final plan, if materials, etc., were not required, mark those spaces “not applicable.”

The Project Report contains the following sections.

Summary – What went well and challenging Changes – What changed from your plan Leadership – how did you demonstrate leadership Materials, Supplies, Tools – What changed from what you planned for Hours – How many people and hours were investing in the project Funding – How much money did the project cost and where did the funds come from Photos – Show the before, during and After photos Approvals – Beneficiary Organization Representative and Scoutmaster

The Eagle board of review must review and approve your completed project based on your approved project proposal. If you do a good job of reporting in your workbook, it will be easier for board members to understand what happened during your project and you will spend less time answering questions about information you may have left out.

The completed workbook is reviewed during your Eagle Scout board of review.

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The Application Submittal Process

Once your final service project report has received completion approval from the beneficiary representative and the scoutmaster, you can now move into the application submission part of your Eagle Scout rank.

Write a Statement of Your Ambitions and Life Purpose

In requirement #7 of the Eagle Scout application it asks you to “…In preparation for your board of review, prepare and attach to your Eagle Scout Rank Application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations, during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service."

Of all the Eagle requirements, this should probably be the least stressful. It's a chance for you to reflect on your accomplishments and introduce yourself to the Eagle Board of Review. Don't over think this. It is basically a cover letter and informs the Board who you are more than what is on the application.

Some questions to help you write your statement 1. What are your ambitions through high school and beyond? 2. Will you attend college? 3. What career do you hope to pursue? 4. What talents will you develop? 5. Do you plan to start a family, open a business or give back to your community? 6. Be specific. Think big. How do you want to change the world?7. What positions have you held at any organization? List positions in which you

demonstrated leadership skills. Include roles such as camp counselor, student-body officer, community volunteer, and mentor or project leader.

8. What honors or awards have your received?

There is no minimum length. Most scouts make it a page or two. This should be in essay form, organized into paragraphs. Focus on one main idea per paragraph. For example, discuss goals for personal development in one paragraph, career goals in the next. Include stories or personal experiences that have shaped your character and ambitions, but keep them brief and relevant. Don't worry about being modest. This is your chance to shine.

Read more: How to Write an Eagle Scout Personal Statement | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4814388_write-eagle-scout-personal-statement.html#ixzz1c3aE5165

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http://www.ehow.com/how_4814388_write-eagle-scout-personal-statement.html#ixzz1c3aE5165

http://www.ehow.com/how_4814388_write-eagle-scout-personal-statement.html#ixzz1c3aE5165


Sign Your Eagle Scout Application

You now can sign your application, add your telephone number (if anyone has questions), and date your application.

Requirement 6—Take Part in a Scoutmaster Conference

BSA Requirement: “Take part in a unit leader conference. Attach to this application a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, camp, community, or other organizations during which you demonstrated leadership skills. Include honors and awards received during this service."

The Scoutmaster conference for the Eagle rank is similar to the ones you had for other ranks. However, in addition to discussing personal advancement, there is discussion of ways you can help your unit and the Boy Scouts of America and what your Scouting goals are after achieving the rank of Eagle.

The Scoutmaster will also review your ambitions and life purpose document

It is a good idea to review your workbook with your Scoutmaster prior to going to your board of review.

Make sure your Scoutmaster also signed the Unit Approval Unit Leader section on the application.

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This is the final step that must be done before your 18th birthday. See other details in the Age Requirements section.

Common Problems with Final Application

Some of the problems other scouts have had with their application are the following.

1. References: Must list all six (five if not employed). If not affiliated with an organized religion, then the parent or guardian provides this reference.

2. Missing Dates either on the form or in the BSA Scouting Database: a. Project Dateb. Scoutmaster’s Conference Datec. Eagle Board of Review Dated. Merit Badge Dates - check the unit number in which each badge was earned. Attach the

Application for Alternate Eagle Scout Rank Merit Badges, if applicable.e. Joined Scouting, f. Birthdateg. First Class through Life Boards of Reviews Datesh. Positions of responsibility with “FROM” and “TO,” i. Eagle service project final signature date, j. Eagle board of review

3. Project Name and grand total of hours under requirement 5

4. Signatures: a. Scout Applicant Signature b. Scoutmaster Signature (unit leader) c. Troop Committee Chairman Signature (unit committee chair)d. Board of Review Signature

5. Position of responsibility: Must be one of those listed for Eagle Scout rank.

6. Missing Statement of Ambitions and Life Purpose

7. Less than 4 months between 1st Class and Star

8. Less than 6 months between Star and Life

9. Less than 6 months in position of responsibility since Life Board of Review date

10. Missing Merit Badges for Star, Life or Eagle ranks

11. Using outdates Eagle Appliation.

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Review the document below that the Chief Seattle Council uses to check your application. Make sure you have everything correct.

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If your application does not pass the Council review they will send you and copy the Scoutmaster with the above form informing you what needs to get resolved.

Get Signature of Troop Committee Chair

The last step before you submit your application to the council is to meet with your troop committee chair and have them review your application to make sure everything looks fine.

Once your troop committee chair has signed your application it is ready to be sent to the council.

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Submit Application to the Council Service Center

You will need to turn in the following after you have final approval from your troop committee chair.

1. Your original Eagle Scout Rank Application2. Your Ambitions and Life Purpose Statement

Make a copy for your records.

We recommend you hand carry them to the Service Center located at:

Chief Seattle Council3120 Rainier Avenue SouthSeattle, WA 98114(206) [email protected]

The Council will stamp receipt of your application and make a copy for you.

All other documents such as your project workbook and Scout Handbook are only necessary for your Board of Review.

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What Happened to My Eagle Application?

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Complete Application with

Requirement #6

Make a copy -Take original to Council Office

Council verifies EVERYTHING -Sends to District Eagle

Coordinator

District Eagle Coordinator matches Application & Req. #6 with Letters of Reference

If Sufficient Letters – Packet sent out to 1 of 7 Eagle BOR

Chairs

Packet includes: Eagle Application Requirement #6Letters of Reference

Eagle BOR Chair contacts Eagle Candidate to Schedule Board

of Review

Eagle Candidate returns only the Application to Council

Office – They send to BSA HQ

Candidate receives letter from BSA HQ

officially now an Eagle

If Insufficient Letters, Application is held for a short

time – scout may be contacted

If Requirement #6 is missing, Application is held and scout is

contacted

Getting to this point may take 3-4 weeks

Steve O’ConnellDistrict Eagle Coordinator2425 209th Avenue NESammamish, WA [email protected]


Council Review of Application

The council Registrar will verify all data according to the records on file in the National BSA database.

If any dates or other information is missing or incorrect per advancement records on file in the National BSA database, a copy of the application is returned to the Scoutmaster with explanation. Corrections must be made on an official signed Advancement Report and returned to the Council Service Center as soon as possible. Do NOT submit corrections directly on the Eagle Rank Application. This process will continue until the Registrar is able to certify that the application is in agreement with the records on file and that the dates, tenures and so forth qualify the Scout to request a district board of review. This process assures the district that all the records are in order and that no problems exist before holding the board of review.

The length of time it takes for review by the council office will vary, depending upon the number of applications received. Generally, this takes 48 hours for the certification to be completed.

Once certified, the original application is forwarded to your district Eagle Scout Coordinator by the Registrar signifying that your records are certified and the board of review can proceed. A copy of the certified application is also returned to your Scoutmaster by the council. The council will also send a letter to the scout informing them that the application has been sent to the district.

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District Scheduling of Board of Review

Once the district receives the certified application, the Eagle Application Coordinator (http://www.seattlebsa.org/Alpine-District/Alpine-District-Advancement-Committee) will verify that they have received a reasonable number of reference letters or enough time has passed.

“Scouts are not responsible for follow-through or any other aspect of the reference letter process. It is up to the district to make every effort to collect the responses. If after a reasonable effort no response can be obtained from any references, the board of review must go on without them. It may not be postponed or denied for this reason, and the Scout may not be asked to submit additional references or to provide replacements. Completed reference responses of any kind are the property of the council and are confidential, and only review-board members and those officials with a specific need may see them. The responses are not to be viewed by, or returned to, the Scout. Doing so could discourage the submission of negative information. For the same reason, those providing references shall not be given the option of waiving confidentiality. Once a review has been held, or an appeal process conducted, responses shall be returned to the council, where they will be destroyed after the Eagle Scout credentials are released or the appeal is concluded.” Guide to Advancement 9.0.1.7

Once the Eagle Scout Coordinator has concluded they have all of the recommendations they expect they will assign the application to an Eagle Board of Review Coordinator and forward them the application, references, and the life ambitions document.

The Eagle Board of Review Coordinator will either contact the Scoutmaster, Troop Committee Chair, Troop Advancement Coordinator, or the Troop Eagle Scout Coordinator they have on record and provide them with possible date(s) for the Eagle Board of Review. They may also contact the scout directly. The troop will also be asked to provide 3 adults to sit on the Board of Review and a meeting location. The Troop Committee Chairman will then call a BOR of members of the Troop Committee.

It can take several weeks (2-6 weeks) from when you turn in your application until when your board of review gets scheduled. Once the troop received the call to schedule the BOR, it usually happens within a week or two.

Requirement 7— Successfully Complete a Board of Review

BSA Requirement: “Successfully complete an Eagle Scout board of review. The applicant appeared before the Eagle Scout board of review on this date, and this application was approved.”

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Purpose of the Board of ReviewThe purpose of the board of review is to verify you have successfully completed the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout. It is an opportunity for you to talk about what you have accomplished and what you learned in Scouting. It should be a pleasant experience for you, as well as for the members of the board.

The review is not an examination; the board does not retest the candidate. Rather, the board attempts to determine your attitude and your acceptance of Scouting’s ideals and spirit of Scouting. The board will make sure these standards have been met in all phases of your life. A discussion of the Scout Oath and Scout Law is in keeping with the purpose of the review, to make sure that you recognize and understand the value of Scouting in your home, unit, school and community. They will review the completed Eagle service project workbook to ensure it was successfully completed as originally approved. They will ask you to describe how you fulfilled the leadership requirement.

Preparing for Your Board of ReviewBefore coming to your Eagle Scout board of review, remember the Scout Motto — "Be Prepared." No two boards are exactly alike, so it is impossible to anticipate the exact questions asked. However, you must be able to explain in your own words the meaning of the Scout Oath and Scout Law. You must be able to explain how you have applied them to everything you do in your daily life. If you spend some time thinking about your Scouting experiences, including your advancements, outdoor activities, ways you demonstrated leadership, patrol and troop positions you held and what you accomplished, your service to the community, religious activities, and anything else you have learned, you should be able to answer any question that you will be asked. You should review your completed project workbook carefully. You should be familiar with every aspect of your project and be prepared to answer questions about it.

The board wants to hear about you and your Scouting career. They are not there to ask you questions that will put you on the spot or trick you.

What to Bring & What to Wear

The only thing you must bring is your original copy of your completed Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook.

The board chair will have your original Eagle Scout Rank Application, letters of recommendation, and your Life Goals and Ambitions.

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It is recommended you bring your Scout handbook so that it can be ceremonially signed (not required but fun to have it fully signed off).

Optionally you might want to bring your “Blue Cards” for your Merit Badges or better yet a TroopMaster Individual Advancement report so you can have a reference of all your ranks, merit badges, and events that you attended.

Verify your uniform is correctly put together. You should be dressed in your full and proper uniform. Make sure you have your Life Rank badge on. Your uniform should include all the appropriate badges sewn on properly. You should wear your merit badge sash. Verify that all your merit badges are sewed on correctly. Make sure you have any current positions of responsibility badges on. Review the Official BSA insignia guide to make sure you are ok. http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/06.aspx.

If you are over 18, you should wear appropriate dress clothes or the appropriate adult leader uniform. You should bring your youth shirt to show the board.

Your parents are welcome and encouraged to come to the BOR meeting location and can wait outside the BOR meeting room if they wish; however you will meet with the BOR by yourself.

The Review and Sample Questions

The District Representative will be leading your Eagle Board of Review. It is likely they will excuse you from the room for a while as they read your letters of recommendation, application, life goals and ambitions, service project workbook, and discuss the review process.

Remember you have done all the hard work, you have nothing to prove, you simply need to let your work, achievements, and character speak for themselves. A way to view your entire Board of Review, which will take the edge off is; what happens in that room will not decide whether you become an Eagle or not. You have already decided it by your actions and achievements. The entire board of Review is simply a process to place a face with a reputation. It is an opportunity for them District Representative to get to know you, and you to explain who you really are. It is no more nerve-racking or complicated than that. Simply answer every question thoughtfully and honestly, and you will do fine.

The approximate time for this Board of review should be 30 - 50 minutes. Generally the review will be in three parts. Part 1 will be about the scout oath and law and what it means to you, part

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http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/Media/InsigniaGuide/06.aspx


2 will be about your scouting experience and how you have grown, and part 3 will be a discussion of your eagle service project.

Sample Questions:

1. What would you suggest adding to the Scout Law (a thirteenth point)? Why? 2. What one point could be removed from the Scout Law? Why?3. What Scout Law is the hardest to keep? 4. Why is it important to learn how to tie knots, and lash together poles and logs? 5. What is the difference between a "Hollywood hero" and a real hero? 6. Can you give me an example of someone who is a hero to you? (A real person, not a

character in a book or movie.) 7. Why do you think that the Family Life merit badge is on the list of required merit

badges? 8. What camping experience have you had, that you wish every Scout could have? 9. Have you been to Philmont or a National (International) Jamboree? What was your most

memorable experience there? 10. What is the role of the Senior Patrol Leader at a troop meeting (campout, summer

camp)? 11. If you could change one thing to improve Scouting, what would you change? 12. What do you believe our society expects from an Eagle Scout? 13. The charge to the Eagle requires that you give back to scouting more than Scouting has

given to you. How do you propose to do that? 14. As an Eagle Scout, what can you personally do to improve your unit? 15. What will you be doing in your unit, after receiving your Eagle Rank? 16. Tell us how you selected your Eagle Service Project. 17. From your Eagle Service Project, what did you learn about managing or leading people?18. What are the qualities of a good leader? 19. What part of your Eagle Service Project was the most challenging? Why? 20. If you were to manage another project similar to your Eagle Service Project, what would

you do differently to make the project better or easier? 21. What are your future plans (high school, college, trade school, military, career, etc.)? 22. Tell us about your family (parents, siblings, etc.). How do you help out at home? 23. What do you think is the single biggest issue facing scouting in the future? 24. How do your friends outside of Scouting react when they learn that you are a Boy

Scout? How do you think they will react when they learn that you have become an Eagle Scout?

25. Why do you think that belief in God (a supreme being) is part of the Scouting requirements?

26. You have been in Scouting for many years; sum up all of those experiences in one word. Why?

27. What one thing have you gained from your Scoutmaster's conferences over the years? 28. How does an Eagle Scout continue to show Scout Spirit? 29. If the Scout is a member of the Order of the Arrow:

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What does OA membership mean to you? How does OA help Scouting and your unit?

30. [Traditional last questions] Why should this Board of Review approve your request for the Eagle Rank? Or why should you be an Eagle Scout?

Board of Reviews Decision

Just like all other board of reviews, the Scout is excused from the room. The board members then consider whether the Scout is ready. The board's decision must be unanimous. Once the decision is made, the Scout is invited back into the room, and the Chairperson informs the Scout of the board's decision. If the Scout is approved, there are general congratulations and handshakes all around.

If you optionally decided to bring your Scout Handbook then this is the time to ask that it be signed.

Rarely there are issues which prevent the Scout from being approved. If there are, the board must detail the precise nature of the deficiencies. The Scout will also be told about the appeal process (see next section) and what they should do next. The Chairperson must send a written follow up, to both the Scout and the Scoutmaster, regarding the deficiencies and the next course of action.

Appealing a Decision

The decision of the Eagle Scout board of review must be unanimous for advancement. If you do not meet the requirements, you are told the reasons for your failure to qualify. A discussion is held with you as to how you may meet the requirements within a given period. Your Scoutmaster may be part of the discussion. A follow up letter will be sent to you confirming the‐ agreements reached on the action(s) necessary for your advancement.

Should you disagree with the decision, the appeal procedure is as follows. The Scout, his parent(s) or guardian(s), may appeal the decision to the next level. If a Scout chooses to appeal, the board will provide the name and address of the council Advancement Committee chair. All requests for appeal must be made in writing to the council Advancement Committee chair, signed by the Scout and/or his parent(s) or guardian(s), and shall set forth in detail the reasons for the requesting an appeal. All documents presented during the board will be retained by the district board chair and submitted to the council Advancement Committee chair.

The council Advancement Committee chair will schedule a board of review. All parties will be interviewed or written statements will be obtained. A written report setting out all details of the appeal and the reasons for the committee’s decision shall be prepared and forwarded to

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the council Executive. A copy shall be furnished to the Scout bringing the appeal. If the council board of review does not find in favor of the Scout, he or his parent(s) or guardian(s), may appeal the decision to the national Youth Development Committee. A decision at either level finding in favor of the Scout shall be final. Scoutmasters have no right of appeal of a decision.

All decisions of the national Advancement Committee in reference to appeals shall be final

After the Board of Review

When the board of review has voted unanimously to approve your application for Eagle rank, the board members sign the application and your scout handbook and the project workbook is returned to you. These are returned to you.

Per BSA policy, the letters of recommendation are never shown to the Scout or anyone outside the board of review and destroyed by the district representative after the review.

It is the scouts’ responsibility to take just the signed application back to the Council Service Center for it to be processed.

Council Certification of the Board of ReviewWhen the scout returns the application at the Council Service Center, the Scout Executive signs the application to certify that the proper procedure was followed and that the board of review has recommended the candidate for the Eagle Scout rank.

The application is forwarded to the national BSA Advancement office in Texas. They verify the information, record the accomplishment, and prepare a certificate.

Obtaining the Eagle Scout AwardThe National BSA Advancement Office records the award and returns an official Eagle Scout certificate to the Council Service Center, which then notifies by email the Scoutmaster and the Scout.

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It is the responsibility of the Scout or unit to pick up the certificate from the Council Service Center or arrange to have it mailed. The family is responsible for purchasing the Eagle Scout Award Kit from the Scout Shop, which contains the cloth emblem, medal and several pins.

The Eagle Court of HonorAn Eagle Court of Honor should be a special occasion. You and your family will remember it for the rest of your lives. The Eagle Court of Honor should be held separately from a unit Court of Honor. Make it a ceremony worthy of the young man who has achieved Scouting's highest award.

A full discussion of the Eagle Court of Honor is beyond the scope of this document.

Attached is an example Script:

There are many resources available to help you plan your Eagle Court of Honor. Many websites have information, including sample ceremonies.

www. eagles cout.org/finale/coh/coh.html

http://www.scoutsonline.com/troop30/eaglecoh.asp

http://www.eaglescout.org/finale/coh/coh.html

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http://www.scoutsonline.com/troop30/eaglecoh.asp


http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=Eagle+Court+of+Honor&view=detail&sid=EFC090AF54724C588B710D3A3AFAD967&id=CF7F03731F040A52F3F325733FCF8D42539B875B&first=0&FORM=IDFRIR


Congratulatory LettersIt is a great honor to not only receive the Eagle Rank but also to be recognized for this great accomplishment. One way to do this is through Congratulatory letters. Some examples of whom you might want to ask are:

City and county officials: Your mayor, city council officials, school board president, superintendent, parks and recreation director

Religious leaders

State officials: The governor, your area’s state legislators

Business leaders: CEOs and executives at major corporations based in your city

U.S. officials: The president, cabinet members, senators, representatives, military leaders, department heads

Past presidents or elected officials no longer in office

Prominent national people: astronauts, athletes, filmmakers, actors, and famous Eagle Scouts like Mike Rowe or Steven Spielberg

Anyone who means something to your Eagle Scout: Get creative! Does he have a favorite author, athlete, musician, or actor? Try to track down that person’s contact information.

Some resources for more information are:

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2012/05/02/how-to-request-congratulatory-letters-for-your-eagle-scout/

http://usscouts.org/eagle/eaglecongrats.asp

http://usscouts.org/eagle/specialrecs.asp

National Eagle Scout AssociationThe National Eagle Scout Association is a useful one which could prove very beneficial to your future aspirations and goals. If you are interested in becoming a member I would suggest the onetime payment of $180 for a lifetime membership. It is far more cost effective then renewing every year at a rate of $25. In my opinion you never know when you will need it, or when it will come in handy. This is by no means a requirement, but a future resource if you want it. Details can be found at www. nesa .org

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http://www.nesa.org/

http://usscouts.org/eagle/specialrecs.asp

http://usscouts.org/eagle/eaglecongrats.asp




Other References

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Eagle_Scout_Leadership_Service_Project

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http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Eagle_Scout_Leadership_Service_Project

Documents

So You Want To Be an Eagle Scout? - Troop 571 to Eagle Guidebook - … · Web viewAny Venturer or Sea Scout who achieved the First Class rank as a Boy Scout in a troop or Varsity