PROVEN SUGGESTIONS FOR EAGLE SCOUT CANDIDATES

GETTING STARTED:

1)      The Eagle Scout rank is a huge accomplishment and is earned by less than four percent of all Boy Scouts.  The Eagle rank will never be a “gimme” simply for participating in scouts over an extended period of time.

2)      Use the resources offered to you.  Do not turn down help.

3)      Observe other Eagle Projects.  Attend the project work days.  You will learn how best to give instructions (that will be followed quickly and accurately) by taking directions from another scout.  Other Eagle projects are great learning opportunities for your Eagle Project.

4)      Review prior Eagle project booklets which include the proposal and write-up for scouts that have earned Eagle.  The advancement chair keeps copies of these reports for scouts to borrow.  This is a useful resource to get a feel for what the paperwork should look like. 

5)      Interact with younger scouts at meetings, on campouts and at service projects.  Earn their respect before you try to lead them in your Eagle Project.

6)      Ask for help.  Get to know the adult leadership.  They are your biggest advocates besides your family and your mentor.

7)      Remember that the Eagle Project is for YOU to show your leadership abilities. 

8)      Communicate with your parents.  That is your job, not the troop leadership’s responsibility.  Be honest with your parents in regards to where you are at in the project, both physically and mentally. 

9)      Choose your mentors wisely.  These are the adults that you will closely work with.  Pick someone that you are comfortable with.  Make sure that your primary mentor is very familiar with the Eagle process.  This will help you navigate the paperwork, the methodology and the expectations of the Eagle Rank. 

10)  Meet with your mentor on a regular basis. Keep your mentor updated.  Rely on your mentor for insight.  Listen to your mentor.  Do what your mentor asks of you.  

11)  Every Eagle Scout project needs to serve the community at large!  Choose a project that you can get excited about.  This will help you stay on task and be motivated to finish the Eagle Project.

 “SURVIVAL TIPS”

12)  The biggest one- YOU have to want Eagle for yourself.  Be honest with yourself and evaluate your own goals.  Talk to other Eagle Scouts and find out firsthand what it means to be an Eagle Scout.  (The Eagle Scouts serving as Junior Assistant Scoutmasters in the troop: Will Gerbs and Andy McCray.  Adults involved in our troop: Jack Gerbs and Monte Williams.  Eagle Scouts in the community: Mayor John Agenbroad.) 

13)  Make the Eagle project a priority in your busy school, sports, church and family life schedules.  It must be a priority for you and your family.  An Eagle Project is very time-consuming, very challenging and very involved.  Most importantly, the Eagle project is very rewarding.  Pool all your resources!  You will need them.

14)  Accept that the process is filled with ups and downs.  There will be frustrations, challenges, changes, uncertainties, etc.  This is normal.  However, remember the rewards- new friendships, a sense of real accomplishment, incredible relief when it is done and the Eagle Rank is presented to you! 

15)  Stop and think about the big picture.  The Eagle Scout award is the one achievement you can earn as a youth that will follow you as a positive mark for the rest of your life.  Once an Eagle, always an Eagle is well known by those familiar in the scouting program and also outside of scouting! 

16)  Expect to be challenged by the troop leadership.  Rise to the occasion by stepping outside your comfort zone, putting the needs of the troop before your own and looking for opportunities to lead and serve without being asked.

17)  Remember that the troop adults are trying to help you understand the importance of the steps you must go through to get to Eagle, not just the finished project.  Many of these steps will be repeated as you go through life. 

18)  Understand that there is no one stereotype of Eagle Scout.  You get to blaze your own path within an established, unchangeable, well-respected and tested framework of Eagle Scout requirements.  Community service is the one constant. 

19)  Each scout has their own set of strengths and weaknesses and unique personality that they bring into an Eagle project.  If you don’t know yours- ask the people around you for an honest assessment.  There are many categories of weaknesses and strengths: communication, leadership, fundraising, initiative, creativity, adaptability, follow-through, etc. 

20)  Remember that the Eagle Scout project will test you and stretch you like no other requirement that you have worked on in scouting.  However, you can do this.  You can persevere, you can survive the committee approval process and you can earn your Eagle rank.

PROJECT PLAN APPROVAL:

21)  Expect lots of questions and be ready to take notes when you present your project proposal to the leadership committee for approval.  The committee’s job is to make sure that the proposal covers all the bases before the work begins. 

22)  Be committed to finding answers, making changes and adjusting your project proposal as you work with the leadership committee.  As a result, you will be better prepared to execute the project plan when the time comes.

23)  The required method of communication for project proposal approval is to e-mail a copy of your plan to the troop adults four days before a scheduled meeting.  Then follow up the e-mail with an individual phone call to determine the adults that can attend.  Keep the Advancement Chair updated.    

24)  Expect to do many project rewrites.  The committee wants you to be successful.

 EXECUTION OF PROJECT PLAN:

25)  Have a communication plan to inform the scouts, troop leadership and the other boys’ parents about your Eagle project and the need for volunteers.  Use all your resources to get the word out, ie. e-mail, phone calls, verbal announcements at meetings, “take home” papers handed out to scouts at the meetings and ask in person, when appropriate.  Different families rely on the different forms of communication.  (For example, one family may never check e-mails, another scout may miss many meetings because of sports, etc.)  

26)  Keep in mind what the proper and expected parental involvement is.  As a general rule, your parents are only involved with your Eagle Project to offer advice on your project plan, to motivate you and to transport you and other scouts to get the Eagle project done.  If you follow and thoroughly understand the Eagle project methodology, your parents will do very little of the actual “work” for your Eagle project. 

 THE OTHER REQUIREMENTS FOR EARNING EAGLE

27)  A position of responsibility is required for the Eagle Rank.  Simply being elected to a position does not fulfill this requirement.  You must be present at a majority of the meetings and contribute positively to troop functions, ie. meetings, Patrol Leader Conference meetings, campouts, Summer Camp, etc.  Remember that your leadership abilities and growth will be judged more closely during the time between Life and Eagle.

Scout Spirit is one of the requirements of the Eagle Rank, as it is for the lower ranks.  Scout Spirit is demonstrated by being involved with the troop on many different levels.  These include, but are not limited to, campouts, troop meetings, service projects (not your own), wearing the full class A uniform, following the scout law and setting an example for the younger scouts