By Julian Matuszewski
PROGRESSION FROM LIFE SCOUT TO EAGLE SCOUT
As a Life Scout, you should be fully participating in the Troop, with an emphasis being placed on leadership, as well as teaching skills to younger Scouts. Scouting values and concepts should be an integral part of your daily life. At this point, you should be starting to “give back to Scouting” through leadership, training of other Scouts, recruiting and keeping Scouts active in the program. When you make the decision to take that next step to earning the Eagle rank, the most important thing to remember is leadership. “Leadership” often gets dropped from our vocabulary when discussing “the project”. The word “LEADERSHIP” appears first in the official title because it’s the primary focus of the required project. BSA aim for the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project is “boy led”; it is not about you or your family doing the work; you need to “LEAD”.
STEPS FOR THE EAGLE PROJECT
o First and foremost: Talk with the Troop 54 Advancement Chairperson Mrs. Martian to see if you have the required number of Merit Badges completed and/or if you will have them completed before your 18th birthday. Also check to see if you have a Position of Responsibility that qualifies for an Eagle rank and you will be active (if you are approaching the age of 18) for at least six months in that position. If so, you can continue, if not, please speak with the Scoutmaster and Life to Eagle Advisor.
o Idea: Brainstorm an idea for your project. The Eagle Project is supposed to be conceived, planned, and executed by you, the Eagle candidate. If you can’t come up with a project, you may ask your Charter Organization Representative, Scout leaders, religious leaders, local non-profit organizations (ie. library, park & rec. department, etc.) or leaders of groups you belong to and see if they have a list of projects that need to be done. Choose a project that you are passionate about or you have a connection with.
http://www.meritbadge.org/wiki/images/5/56/Sample_Eagle_Project_Ideas.pdf
http://www.meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Eagle_Scout_Leadership_Service_Project
o Beneficiary Understanding: Talk with the beneficiary and get feedback on the project idea. Brainstorm and refine the idea, estimate how much your project will cost, and talk about funding. Be sure that the beneficiary fully understands your plans and agrees to them. Also make sure that they understand what is expected of you to become an Eagle Scout.
o Pre-Approval: The idea for your project must be pre-approved before you start the project. First, schedule a meeting with the Troop 54 Eagle Advisor, Mr. Ryan Miller and Mr. Craig Bradshaw to get feedback and verbal pre-approval. Bring all notes regarding the project, including information on how it will be carried out, cost, funding, etc. Next, start filling out the Eagle Scout Service Project Proposal form with Mr. Ryan Miller. Eventually, schedule an Eagle Committee Board meeting to review your proposed project. This meeting will help you identify issues your project will likely develop. After the Eagle Committee board signs off, you can move to the next step. Schedule meetings and get approval signatures from the beneficiary, the Troop Scoutmaster Mr. Bradshaw, the Troop Committee Chairman Mr. Taylor, and finally the District Eagle Project Chairman, Mr. Mosqueda. Lastly, you need to present your idea in front of a group of Troop Eagle Scouts who are there to guide you and provide feedback.
Eagle Workbook
Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook.
Find the download on this page. Do not open the PDF in the browser. Instead, save the PDF to your computer and then open the fillable PDF from our files.
o Carry out your project: Plan, Develop, and LEAD the project! This does not mean you are doing all the work yourself. Get volunteer help and experts to provide guidance. All aspects of the Eagle Project must show LEADERSHIP! Obtain necessary permits. Keep track of all the volunteers’ time from the start. Take before and after pictures and keep documentation of the project, including receipts. Minor changes in scheduling, materials, personnel, or work assignments that do not materially affect the project scope or outcome do not require further approval. However, if a major change is needed, you should contact the Eagle Advisor immediately for guidance.
o Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook: It is your responsibility to make sure that you are using the most current Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook. The book contains different sections, Proposal, Plan, and Report and they all must be typed out neatly, complete with details. Include pictures with labels. Use a 3-ring binder with protective plastic sleeves for all of the documents. This binder will become your Eagle Scout Information Book.
o Final Approval: After completing the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, meet with the Eagle Advisor for feedback and approval. There is no district approval required at this time; however, the workbook will be reviewed at the Eagle Board of Review. The board has the right to reject the project if it was not fully completed, was drastically changed without approval, or was not lead by the Eagle candidate. Obtain final approval signatures from the beneficiary and the Scoutmaster. Next, schedule a meeting with the District Eagle Project Chairperson for review.
Important Contacts
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Ryan Miller: Troop 54 Eagle Rank Advisor rypmil@gmail.com
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Craig Bradshaw: Troop 54 Scoutmaster troop54scoutmaster@gmail.com
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Mike Taylor: Troop 54 Committee Chairman mtaylor@wasocal.com
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Susan Martian: Troop 54 Advancement Chairperson leegs@msn.com
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Bob Mosqueda: Rio Hondo District Eagle Project Chairman jamminjamboree1@aol.com