Eagle Candidate Seminar PRESENTED BY the Staten Island Council ADVANCEMENT COMMITTEE (Credit is given to Tom Zablocki who created the original presentation, which was then edited by the S.I. Council Advancement Committee) Presenter note: You should include your name and position. Explain your responsibilities and authority in your troop’s Eagle process. IMPORTANT NOTICE On occasion, BSA Eagle requirements change. Be sure to stay up-to-date with all current requirements.

Seminar Objectives To Avoid Any Surprises! To review the requirements for Eagle rank To discuss the Eagle Leadership Service Project To review Eagle application process and TIMELINE To discuss the Eagle Court of Honor To answer any questions from Scouts To understand ALL time commitment Presenter notes: Set the tone for the seminar and put both parents & Scouts at ease. Remind them that the process & procedures for the Eagle is different from the lower ranks because the district, council, and national BSA have approval requirements. Note that in the past there may have been problems because everyone did not understand the process and some pitfalls so that is the reason for this seminar – to avoid any surprises. Note that the troop wants all Scouts to be successful and if they want to earn the Eagle rank, you will help them. Also point out that it is ultimately the Scout’s responsibility (not his parents or the troop leaders) to have a plan for how he will meet all the requirements them follow through to reach his goal. The Scout gets to wear the Eagle rank for the rest of his life, therefore he should be the one to earn it. To Avoid Any Surprises!

Eagle Requirements Merit Badges * 21 minimum Leadership Position * 6 mo. active Active as Life Scout * 6 mo. minimum Eagle Service Project * Demonstrate live by Scout Oath & Law * Scoutmaster Conference Complete Eagle Board of Review Presenter notes: This is a overview, each topic shown here will be discussed in detail in later slides. The key point here is that the requirements must be completed before the 18th birthday. It is possible (but very unlikely) to get an extension from National BSA in very special circumstances. Don’t count on this. * All requirements, except BOR, must be completed PRIOR to 18th birthday!

Remember! Eagle rank is more than just 21 merit badges & a project! the primary emphasis is Presenter notes: So many Scouts and parents think that if the Scout just earns the 21 merit badges and completes a project, the rest is just a given. This is just a reminder that there are other requirements and a boy can be denied Eagle if he does not satisfy all of them. The most common problem is the leadership position – they either assume a position will count, when it is not on the approved list, or they just hold the title, but don’t do any of the required work. Then they are mad when the SM will not sign their Eagle application. LEADERSHIP!

13 Required Merit Badges 1. Environmental Science 2. Family Life 3. Communications 4. Camping 5. Cooking 6. First Aid 7. Personal Fitness 8. Citizenship in the Community 9. Citizenship in the Nation 10. Citizenship in the World 11. Personal Management 12. Swimming or Hiking or Cycling 13. Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving Presenter notes: Review the list of current required merit badges. Since these change from time to time, please verify this list before making this presentation (every time). Carefully explain that only one of the options (example: Swimming or Hiking or Cycling) will satisfy this required merit badge. If the Scout has more than one of these, the others may count as non-required merit badges.

WARNING: Several merit badges require specific, extended periods of time to complete. If the requirement says: Meet with your counselor … Keep records for three months … You must meet with your counselor AT LEAST three months prior to your 18th birthday or you cannot complete the merit badge in time! What merit badge has this requirement? You cannot keep a record of your budget and spending for three months in only three weeks. To ask anyone to backdate merit badge requirements because of poor planning would violate the principles of the BSA and should invalidate the Eagle rank presented as a result of that action. This would be a terrible example to set for other Scouts. Presenter notes: This is a serious pitfall that has often caught Scouts after it is too late to recover (without cheating – which should never be tolerated under any circumstances)

Leadership Position SPL & ASPL are elected, others are assigned Minimum of 6 months (one or more positions) Must do the job - Not just wear the patch Approved positions are: Sr. Patrol Leader Asst. Sr. Patrol Leader Patrol Leader Troop Guide Instructor Den Chief Troop Historian Troop Scribe Troop Librarian Troop Quartermaster Jr. Asst. Scoutmaster Chaplain Aide Troop OA Representative Ooutdoor Ethic Guide Web Master (troop may only have 1 OA rep at a time, must be approved by chapter / lodge) Note: Patrol QM, Asst Patrol Leader, Patrol Scribe do not satisfy requirement

Eagle Leadership Service Project Scout prepares project ideas Scout writes plan / proposal Scout seeks approvals Scout leads completion of project Scout writes final report (with pictures)

Eagle Leadership Service Project Purpose is to “Demonstrate ability to LEAD Others” Must benefit community organization other than Boy Scouts and not on Boy Scout Property May NOT benefit a commercial business May NOT be a “fund raiser”. Must be planned and carried out by one Scout no joint projects Approval process and project completion may take many months to complete - plan ahead! May begin planning project immediately after passing Life Board of Review – work book is on line. (not necessary to earn all 21 merit badges before project.)

Sample Eagle Projects Build a church sign Landscaped church grounds Repaired church playground Built church janitor closet Repaired & cleaned out storage shed for a community group Collected eye glasses for Lions Club Build “patrol boxes” for Girl Scout Troop Repaired church home for aged & sponsored social event for residents Built newspaper re-cycling bins for an Elementary School Re-landscaped and fixed up church sign Built bull-pens for a High School baseball field Built cabinets for Sunday School rooms Repaired, re-roof a church gazebo, landscape grounds Build a bridge in a Park

Eagle Leadership Service Project Plan Meet with an adult advisor before doing too much planning. The project plan write up Must use official BSA Workbook to submit plan and final report (electronic version OK) Download from BSA National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) website) http://www.nesa.org/trail Approvals required with signatures and dates. Scoutmaster / Project Advisor - signatures and dates. Troop Committee - signatures and dates Organization served - signatures and dates District Advancement Committee - signatures and dates Must have Council approval BEFORE starting work! (To begin earlier could invalidate the entire project)

T H E A P P L I C A T I O N

T H E A P P L I C A T I O N

Eagle Application Process Complete all requirements Write project final report – with pictures. Complete Eagle Scout Application Submit Application & Project Final Report to: Troop Committee & Scoutmaster Council verifies Scouts records Returned to District/Council for Board of Review Conduct Board of Review with signatures and dates (this date becomes the actual date of eagle rank) Council approval with signatures and dates National approval Conduct Court of Honor (not a requirement) NEW APPLICATIONS MUST BE USED Utilize the S.I Eagle web site to guide you, to get forms, announce your project, solicit help/bodies and get a list for letters of recognition. www. Siadvancement. org

Board of Review Scheduled after all requirements have been complete and Council verifies records. Conducted with representation from the Council Advancement Committee Advancement Committee checks references Troop Committee Members Should Participate Scoutmaster may not participate, except to introduce the Scout Eagle date of rank is date Board of Review if passed. Important if earning Eagle Palms Scout should be in full Scout uniform It is not a retest of knowledge or skills However, should know the Scout Oath, Law, Motto, Slogan and be ready to discuss how you live by them.

Eagle Court of Honor Special ceremony to recognize only Eagle Scout(s) (Court of Honor is optional, not required) Conducted only after National approval ~4-6 weeks after Board of Review Planned and carried out by Troop and Parents There is no required format. Scouts and parents should guide format Some items to consider: Who to invite - up to the family Date and time to accommodate schedule of special guests Reserve church or other location Reception decorations & refreshments - family responsibility Letters from public officials - family’s choice Photo album of Scouting career at reception

Discussion & Questions