The Eagle Paper Trail……..
The trail to Eagle is rugged, but the part most people put off until last is one of the easier sections of the trail.
You can make your last few steps to Eagle go smoother if you do a little homework along the way. This is the Paper Trail. Collect, write, and keep the following records up to date–
- Date you earned each merit badge (12 Eagle badges and 9 other badges). If you don’t have complete records, the Scoutmaster has these dates.
- Dates you held all leadership positions since earning Life (write in your Scout Handbook).
- Eagle Service Project Workbook (get from troop Board of Review/Scoutmaster and make sure you fill it in and get all the needed signatures).
- Eagle Project Report
- Eagle Scout Application
- Letter of Recommendation form to give each letter writer
- Letters of Recommendation
Eagle Scout Service Project……..
The Eagle Scout service project is different from other service projects you have done because you are now the Leader. The Eagle project must meet three criteria–
- It must be of significant value to the community outside of Scouting (town, church, school, etc.).
- It must take considerably more time than a Star or Life project (though planning and preparation time count).
- You must provide leadership to others during the project (the project idea does not have to be original, but you must be in charge; and two people cannot lead the same project).
So here’s what you need to do to successfully complete the Eagle Scout Service Project–
- Get the Eagle Service Project Workbook from the Board of Review.
- Come up with a workable idea. This is the hardest part! Talk to the Scoutmaster and the Board of Review for help. Talk to local agencies that serve the needy, or that provide services to the elderly.
- Write up a preliminary plan, showing what you will do, who it will benefit, materials needed, costs, number of people involved, etc (see Eagle Service Project Workbook).
- Present your preliminary plan to the Board of Review. They will help you develop your plan into an achievable project.
- Write up your plan and present it to the District Eagle Chairman (appointment to be set up by Scoutmaster).
- Raise Funds. Get necessary donations of material. Get volunteers. Do the project. You and your parents are responsible to provide necessary support for the project (transportation, snacks, meals, etc.).
- Keep a detailed time log of every hour you spend planning, phoning, coordinating, executing, etc. This will be useful at the Board of Review.
- Take photos of the project!!! This will show the Eagle Board of Review what you have done better than words.
- Throughout the process, make sure you keep the Eagle Service Project Workbook up to date, and make sure all signatures are there.
- Write up a brief (half page) summary of the project to include with your Eagle application (for application requirement 5).
Scoutmaster Conference……..
After you have completed all merit badges, fulfilled the minimum six months as a leader, and completed your Eagle Scout service project, make an appointment with Scoutmaster to arrange a Scoutmaster Conference. Only the Scoutmaster does Eagle conferences.
- Bring your project report, Eagle Service Project Workbook, any photos, and a photocopy of the Eagle application.
- At the conference, the Scoutmaster will guide you on how to complete the Eagle Scout application.
Eagle Scout Application……..
Get an Eagle Scout application from the Board of Review Chairman/Scoutmaster. Make a photocopy to do your work on, and do not fill out the final application until after the Scoutmaster Conference.
The Scoutmaster will help you fill out the application at the Scoutmaster Conference.
You’ll need the dates for every merit badge (the Scoutmaster can provide these if your records come up short).
You will need the names of those you want to write letters of recommendation for you (see next column).
The Scoutmaster will help you on application requirement 6 (ambitions/life purpose, positions of leadership and honors & awards).
After the Scoutmaster Conference, fill out the final application, sign it, and take it to the Committee Chairman and Scoutmaster for their signatures. The Scoutmaster will deliver the application to the Great New York Council, where they will check all information and dates. If everything is OK, they will send the form back to the District Eagle Chairman. If anything is not OK, they will send it back to the Scoutmaster and then on to you for correction.
Letters of Recommendation……..
The Eagle Board of Review will want five or six letters of recommendation for you. These will be given to you by the District Eagle Chairman at the time of your Eagle Project Proposal review. You need to select the recommenders, give them the letter of recommendation form, and give them a firm deadline to return the letters. The letters will be sent directly to District Eagle Chairman.
The letters should show how you have lived like an Eagle Scout in all phases of your life (home, school, church, etc). You will need recommendations from–
- your parents
- religious leader (minister, teacher, etc; see the Scoutmaster for guidance if you don’t have a church)
- school (teacher or principal who knows you well)
- employer (if any)
- 2 others of your choice who know you well (neighbors, Scout leaders, etc)
Eagle Board of Review……..
After all requirements are complete, after the Scoutmaster Conference, after you have completed the paperwork, and after the Greater New York Council has approved the application, you will be contacted by the Scoutmaster of your pending Eagle Board of Review. He will arrange the date and place for the Eagle Board of Review, in consultation with the District Eagle Chairman, the troop Board members, and you.
The Eagle Board of Review will include two or three troop review members familiar to you, and it will include one or more district Review members. The District Eagle Chairman will chair the review.
The Board will ask you about your project, leadership, and how becoming an Eagle affects and changes you. This is typically the easiest review you will have (though you should make sure to review the Scout Law and Promise). The Board members will enjoy seeing the fruits of several years of Scouting in you. The Eagle Board of Review is not so much a test as it is a celebration of the completion of your long, challenging, and successful journey toward Eagle.
Eagle Court of Honor……..
The Eagle Court of Honor is special, and it is separate from our regular Courts of Honor.
The Eagle and his family are responsible for all aspects of the ceremony–
- Planning–The Scoutmaster has information about ceremonies, but there is no set way an Eagle Court of Honor must be (the inside back cover has a “typical” program, but actual program is totally up to you). The Scoutmaster normally will bring the troop flags & stands, Law/Promise candle stands, troop Eagle plaque, the Eagle presentation kit, and Eagle neckerchief. Most ceremonies have a reception afterward with a cake and punch, though some get much more elaborate.
- Date/Time/Place–The Eagle and his family select a date and time, in consultation with the Scoutmaster and troop calendar. The ceremony can occur at our regular meeting place (or in the sanctuary or small chapel), or you can choose to have it at your church, home, yard, or other appropriate place.
- Cost–The Eagle’s family is responsible for any costs of the ceremony, including refreshments. The troop provides the Eagle presentation kit and neckerchief.
- Participants–You determine who will be the color guard, speakers, etc, and you are responsible to invite them and make sure they will be there. The most important guest is the one you select to “charge” the Eagle with his responsibilities as an Eagle Scout. He/she should be a person of importance in the Eagle’s life. You also need to choose who will pin on the Eagle badge (often but not always a parent).
- Invitations/Programs–You can purchase special Eagle invitations from the Scout Store or make your own, and have them engraved or photocopied. The Scoutmaster can provide mailing labels for all troop members, if desired. You can also buy program covers for the program, which can be photocopied on the covers. The program typically also has biographical information about the Eagle, list of accomplishments, awards, etc.
Troop 268 