# Getting the Eagle Badge in Boyscouts



## PhotonGuy (Jul 16, 2014)

There have been many posts on this board about boyscouts, many of the people posting here have been involved in boyscouts either as a boyscout themselves or helping out in boyscouts somehow, and there've been some people claiming to be eagle scouts. I must say if you do make it to eagle its really great. I was a boyscout myself, I never did make it to eagle, the furthest I got was star. Anyway, lets say you're a life scout, the rank right before eagle, and you want to be an eagle scout. Is there anything wrong with talking to your scoutmaster about it? It would make sense that you should talk to your scoutmaster and ask him what you need to do to be an eagle scout if you're unclear about something. As a matter of fact, you have to talk to your scoutmaster since from what I remember one of the requirements to be an eagle scout is a community service project, and for that you need to talk to your scoutmaster so he can set you up with something. So there shouldn't be anything wrong with a life scout asking his scoutmaster what he needs to do to be an eagle scout.


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## Blindside (Jul 16, 2014)

I was/am an Eagle Scout.  Yes you should be talking with your Scoutmaster about your target for fulfilling the requirements.  However your scoutmaster isn't there to set you up to fulfill the requirements, that is your job.  The community service project is supposed to be found, designed, and led by the scout themselves, not their parent or other leader.  I have had scoutmasters call me (I manage several National Wildlife Refuges) to see if we had any available projects, but after that it is all up to the scout.  One of the biggest failings I have seen in the past oh, 15 years of working with candidate eagle scouts is that many of them have been pushed through too quickly and are not really ready (IMO) to have a real leadership role.


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## PhotonGuy (Jul 16, 2014)

Still, the scout would have to talk to their scoutmaster about making eagle scout. After the scout finds a community service project he would then have to ask the scoutmaster if it would qualify as a service project since the scoutmaster would have to approve it. Only then would the scout contact other scouts to help him with the project and start on it. So fulfilling the requirements for eagle scout has to involve communication between the scout and scoutmaster.


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## Blindside (Jul 16, 2014)

PhotonGuy said:


> Still, the scout would have to talk to their scoutmaster about making eagle scout. After the scout finds a community service project he would then have to ask the scoutmaster if it would qualify as a service project since the scoutmaster would have to approve it. Only then would the scout contact other scouts to help him with the project and start on it. So fulfilling the requirements for eagle scout has to involve communication between the scout and scoutmaster.



In my opinion, good leadership involves communication from both directions, so yes, I would expect that candidate Eagle Scouts would be talking with their scoutmasters.  Senior Patrol Leaders should be talking with their patrol leaders, patrol leaders with their APLs, a leader who is running without feedback from their membership is often going to fall on their face.


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## jks9199 (Jul 16, 2014)

PhotonGuy said:


> Still, the scout would have to talk to their scoutmaster about making eagle scout. After the scout finds a community service project he would then have to ask the scoutmaster if it would qualify as a service project since the scoutmaster would have to approve it. Only then would the scout contact other scouts to help him with the project and start on it. So fulfilling the requirements for eagle scout has to involve communication between the scout and scoutmaster.



Yes, it does. It says so in the requirements. Others have agreed. What's your point?

Sent from my Galaxy Nexus using Tapatalk


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## rlobrecht (Jul 16, 2014)

I'm the Scoutmaster for my son's Boy Scout Troop.  I expect Life Scouts to talk to me about their progress, and to initiate the progress.  But I don't require them to do it on their own.  I will also reach out to them to give them little hints and pushes from time to time.  We also have a program in our Troop where an Assistant Scoutmaster (or other adult) is set up to coach them through the paperwork.  We have a big Troop, so it helps to spread the load, and also gives the Life Scout a chance to work with different adults.

I feel there is more to this question than is being asked.


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## Blindside (Jul 16, 2014)

rlobrecht said:


> I'm the Scoutmaster for my son's Boy Scout Troop.  I expect Life Scouts to talk to me about their progress, and to initiate the progress.  But I don't require them to do it on their own.  I will also reach out to them to give them little hints and pushes from time to time.  We also have a program in our Troop where an Assistant Scoutmaster (or other adult) is set up to coach them through the paperwork.  We have a big Troop, so it helps to spread the load, and also gives the Life Scout a chance to work with different adults.
> 
> I feel there is more to this question than is being asked.



Hi Rick,
As a side question, what is the average age of your life scouts?  I think I was 17 when I was working on Eagle Scout.  Many of the Scouts that I have seen have been younger, here in Washington mostly around 16, in Wyoming they were really pushing the time limits with 14 and 15 year olds.


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## PhotonGuy (Jul 17, 2014)

Blindside said:


> One of the biggest failings I have seen in the past oh, 15 years of working with candidate eagle scouts is that many of them have been pushed through too quickly and are not really ready (IMO) to have a real leadership role.



It really depends on the scout. A scout who wants to be an eagle sooner will complete the requirements sooner. While scouts shouldn't be pushed too much, they should be aware of the time limit. A scout has until they turn 18 to become an eagle, so they have to do it within that time limit.


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## granfire (Jul 17, 2014)

we are having 3, possible 4 working on Eagle, one will be cutting it close though, but he did not join the troop until he was 16, with no prior scouting before hand. Accomplishing that in 2 years is amazing. 
(my own kid is not driven and rather lazy...he won't make Eagle)


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## PhotonGuy (Jul 17, 2014)

granfire said:


> we are having 3, possible 4 working on Eagle, one will be cutting it close though, but he did not join the troop until he was 16, with no prior scouting before hand. Accomplishing that in 2 years is amazing.
> (my own kid is not driven and rather lazy...he won't make Eagle)



I have to agree with you on that, getting an eagle badge in 2 years is quite an accomplishment. 16 is quite old to join boyscouts though, I started when I was 11.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 13, 2014)

This thread has died down. I thought I might try to revive it although I don't know if this will do any good.


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## Tames D (Sep 13, 2014)

My son has recently started "laying the foundation" for his Eagle project. He is getting all the paperwork and approvals in order and planning the project. His project will consist of landscaping the grounds of the local Humane Society. It's going to be a fairly big project and require alot of manpower (scout power actually). 
He has been in constant communication with his Scoutmaster from day one, which I think is/should be a requrement. Since I'm an assistant SM, I have been coaching him and helping him through the process so far. Interesting, because I know nothing about landscaping. But I'm a fast learner.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 14, 2014)

Tames D said:


> My son has recently started "laying the foundation" for his Eagle project. He is getting all the paperwork and approvals in order and planning the project. His project will consist of landscaping the grounds of the local Humane Society. It's going to be a fairly big project and require alot of manpower (scout power actually).
> He has been in constant communication with his Scoutmaster from day one, which I think is/should be a requrement. Since I'm an assistant SM, I have been coaching him and helping him through the process so far. Interesting, because I know nothing about landscaping. But I'm a fast learner.



Wow, your son sure sounds like he's working hard for his Eagle badge and he must really have a passion for Boyscouts. I would say that it sounds like he will go far in Boyscouts but from what you've said it sounds like he already has gone far. So I absolutely agree that communication with the Scoutmaster is of utmost importance just like I think communication with a Sensei is of utmost importance.


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## Tames D (Sep 14, 2014)

PhotonGuy said:


> Wow, your son sure sounds like he's working hard for his Eagle badge and he must really have a passion for Boyscouts. I would say that it sounds like he will go far in Boyscouts but from what you've said it sounds like he already has gone far. So I absolutely agree that communication with the Scoutmaster is of utmost importance just like I think communication with a Sensei is of utmost importance.



His biggest motivation is from his older brother, who earned his Eagle rank a while back. They are very competitive.


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## PhotonGuy (Sep 14, 2014)

Tames D said:


> His biggest motivation is from his older brother, who earned his Eagle rank a while back. They are very competitive.


I see, sibling rivalry.


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