Life to Eagle Conference March 2010

Presented by Michael Cox

Sandia District Advancement Committee

Chairman

With Thanks to John Varney

Filling out the Eagle Application

Requirement #1

Be active in your Troop, Team, or Post for at least 6 months

after you have earned the rank of Life Scout.

Requirement #1 (interpreted)

Be active in your Troop, Team, or Crew for at least 6 months

after you have earned the rank of Life Scout.

Requirement #2

Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath

and Law in your daily life.

Requirement #2 (interpreted)

Prove that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life by

getting witnesses.

Recommendation Options

• At present, who and how someone is contact for a letter of reference is determined by your Troop.• Letters–Most desirable–Delivered sealed to Eagle Board of

Review

• Telephone interview• Form letter or survey

Letters of Recommendation

• Parents or guardians

• Religious leader

• Teacher or other educator

• Employer (if any)

• Two other references

Selecting References

• Always ask first.

• Explain the purpose of the recommendation ( you might also have to explain the Scout Oath and Law).

• Explain how the recommendation will be given.

• Allow plenty of time.

• “Will your recommendation be positive?”

Requirement #3

Earn 21 merit badges (12 required and 9 optional)

Required Merit Badges

• Camping

• Citizenship in the Community

• Citizenship in the Nation

• Citizenship in the World

• Communications

• Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving

Required Merit Badges

• Environmental Science

• Family Life

• First Aid

• Personal Fitness

• Personal Management

• Swimming or Hiking or Cycling

Previous Required Merit Badges

• 1911 – Athletics, Personal Health, Public Health

• 1934 – Bird Study, Civics, Cooking, Pathfinding, Pioneering, Safety

• 1961 – Firemanship, Nature

Merit Badge Requirement

• Be able to document the merit badges that you list.

• Merit badges can be earned in any sequence and at any time.

• Merit badges do not need to precede project.

• 21 is the minimum number of merit badges. It’s OK to earn more.

Requirement #4

While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of 6

months or more in a designated position of responsibility.

Requirement #4

While a Life Scout, serve actively for a period of 6

months or more in a designated position of responsibility.

Designated Positions

• PL, SPL, ASPL, Troop Guide, OA Rep., Den Chief, Scribe, Librarian, Quartermaster, JASM, Chaplain Aide, Instructor, Historian, Venture Patrol Leader

• Varsity team Captain, Co-captain, Program Manager, Squad Leader, Team Secretary

Designated Positions (continued)

• Venturing Crew/Ship positions: President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer / Boatswain, Boatswain’s Mate, Yeoman, Purser, Storekeeper

Requirement #5

While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to

others in a service project...

The Eagle ScoutLeadership Service

Project

The Eagle Scout LEADERSHIP Service

Project

Planning Document

• Use either the paper Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook (18-927) or better yet…

• The Eagle Scout Application can also be found here. Download the form from the BSA website www.nesa.org/trail/manual.html

Planning Document (continued)

• The .rtf file can go straight into your word processor.

• Photos can be scanned into the planning document.

• Use of the electronic form permits electronic review and corrections.

• Keep signatures on a separate page.

Project Selection

• It must benefit a religious institution, school or the community (and be approved by the benefiting organization).

• It cannot benefit a business or your Troop.

• It must have “lasting value.”

Project Scope

• Total time is usually 100 or more man-hours.

• It requires the direction of others.

• It must be challenging.

• It must be within the skills of the Scout.

Project Proposal

• Proposal approval must precede starting the project.

• Proposal must be approved by:–Benefiting organization

–Scoutmaster

–Troop Committee

–District representative

• Appearances count; use proper grammar and spelling.

District Approval ( What I will be looking for)

• Standard - Can I hand your proposal to another Life Scout and the project will still get done without you?

• Design or engineering approvals needed?

• How many people will participate?

• When do you propose to do the project?

District Approval (2)

• Complete, step-by-step details?

• Drawings, diagrams or photographs?

• Detailed list of tools and materials needed?

• Plan for acquiring tools and materials?

• Plan for transporting materials from the supplier to the worksite?

Why We Worry About Safety

Safety

• How can somebody get hurt during this project?

• How do you plan to prevent these injuries?

• How do you plan to deal with these injuries when they occur despite your plans to prevent them?

Creature Comforts

• How will you use your workers?–Consider work teams

–Consider rotating tasks

–Adults present at all worksites

• Rest periods, food, drink, and toilet?

• Transportation to and from worksite - BSA tour permit needed?

Alternative Plans

• What will you do if the weather doesn’t cooperate?

• What will you do if other major changes occur?

• What will you do if the proposal needs changes before it can be approved?

Your Role During the Project

• You must execute the plan.

• You are in charge - all questions come to you, all direction comes from you.

• All adults adults work for you - sometimes as consultants.

• You do what needs to be done in order to make the project a success.

After the Project

• Thank those who helped.

• Make sure that the project meets the expectations of the benefiting organization.

• Return, replace and restore.

• Write report.

Project Report

• It is a detailed description of what happened during the project.

• If something goes wrong, that’s OK - How did you deal with it?

• Include pictures of completed work and happy, smiling workers.

• List all workers and their time.• It must be approved by Scoutmaster and

benefiting organization.

Project Report

• Standard 1 -- Someone who wasn’t at the project site can read your report and explain exactly what happened.

• Standard 2 -- 20 years from now, your kids will find your report in the attic - They should be impressed.

Project Name and Grand Total Hours

• Enter project name or description

• Enter grand total hours ( from page 10 of the Eagle Leadership Project Workbook.

• Use new form 58-728A

Requirement #6

• Write a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution, school, etc.

• Participate in a Scout Master Conference

The Statement

• Listing of positions is easy; describing life purpose is hard.

• Describe your future life.

• Describe how you plan to get there.

• Share the statement with your Scoutmaster during the Scoutmaster conference.

After All 6 Requirements Are Met

• Certify the application by signing and dating it.

• Get Unit approval by having the Scout Master and Committee Chair sign the application

After All 6 Requirements Are Met (continued)

• Take the completed application and statement of ambitions and life purpose to the GSW Council Service Center for Certification.

• Wait for their review and certification before scheduling a Board of Review (allow 2 weeks).

The Board of Review

• A Troop responsibility

• Requires a Sandia District representative (allow 2 weeks for one to be assigned)

• Decision must be unanimously positive.

• You are now an Eagle Scout!

After the Board of Review

• Take everything (application, statement of ambitions and life purpose, project proposal and final project description) to the Council Service Center.

• Wait up to 6 weeks.

• Schedule a presentation only after your Scoutmaster receives your certificate.

Common Misconceptions

• I have to earn all of the required merit badges before considering a project.• I can decide to become an Eagle

Scout any time before my 18th birthday.• Once I have completed all of the

requirements, becoming an Eagle Scout is almost automatic.

QUESTIONS?

How to reach Mr. Varney

Home phone 883-4407 Work Phone 348-1105

E-mail JCVFIRST@MSN.COM

Leadership Service project workbook electronic

version. Can be found at http://www.scouting.org/nav

/scouts.html