I'm always amazed when the urge to write something that the rest of the world "just has to know about" strikes me. It just grabs hold and I have got to stop what I am doing and get it off my chest. Today, such an urge has stricken me and here I am, typing away, about to impart some great tidbit of knowledge. Is it going to be more than potential readers care to know? You bet. That's ok. Read it or not. I still have to write it regardless of what the readers decide to do with it.
On my favorite morning radio show today, the topic of Eagle Scouts was discussed. To make a long story short, it seemed that there was just some general curiosity amongst the panel of radio personalities as to what being an Eagle Scout actually means and how much of a big deal it is to have earned this prestigious award.
I can tell you from personal experience, it is a VERY big deal. And, of course, I'm going to tell you why. After I tell you why, I am going to share with you a little about my own son's experience with the Boy Scouts of America and his journey to becoming an Eagle Scout.
Cub Scouts start out usually around age 6. Sure, it's pretty much fun and games at this point. They do field trips, fun activities, maybe a campout with parents here and there. But guess what? They are also learning. They are learning about being part of a group, taking pride in their uniforms, working as a team to accomplish goals. These rambunctious little boys are building friendships, some of which they will carry with them throughout their lives. As these boys grow older, they are given more challenging tasks, and they begin to learn about what their next steps will be toward becoming a Boy Scout. Parental involvement is crucial. This isn't the kind of organization where you can just dump your kid off so you can go home and have a free hour to mow the yard or whatever.
Finally, when these Cub Scouts complete their requirements to become Boy Scouts they are usually around 11 years old. They will have a "crossing over" ceremony. At this point, the Scouts begin earning merit badges. A common misconception is that merit badges are earned just by doing fun little activities. Sure, part of the activities should be fun. However, earning them requires way more work on the part of the scout. Each badge has items that the scout must be able to perform successfully in relation to the badge, along with demonstrating the knowledge he has acquired during his work toward earning the merit badge. Each merit badge must be taught by a certified merit badge counselor who will also verify that the scout has met the requirements for that particular merit badge.
If I were to try to list an example of the requirements for just one merit badge, you probably would not continue reading. However, here is a link that you may use to take a look at all the different merit badges and what the requirements would be for each one:
BSA Merit Badges and Their Requirements
It's important to know that many of the merit badges are electives that the scout may choose based upon his own personal interests. However, in working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, there are some merit badges that a Boy Scout is REQUIRED to complete. Some of these required merit badges are camping, cooking, family life, personal management, environmental science or sustainability, communications, personal fitness, first aid, and emergency preparedness, just to name a few. To apply for Eagle Scout status, a scout must have earned 21 merit badges. He will need to have earned these between the time he became a Boy Scout at around age 11 and before he turns 18. That probably doesn't sound like much unless you go to that link above and just look at the requirements for just one of those merit badges. I assure you, most merit badges require intensive work and learning.
Now comes something bigger: The Boy Scout must plan, organize and execute a community service project. He must find a non Scouting-affiliated organization within his community that will allow him to provide some sort of service. The project should be something that will leave a legacy. In other words, something that is a long-lasting improvement for the organization for whom he has chosen to dedicate his time and effort. He must meet with a contact person within that organization to "pitch" his project idea. He must submit a written plan to that contact person and get approval signatures from the organization contact person, the local Eagle Scout Committee Chairperson, and his Scoutmaster a.k.a "Troop Leader." He must find and organize volunteers to help him complete the project - volunteers are REQUIRED; the scout cannot simply take on a task and do all the work himself. He must find donors to provide or sponsor necessary materials. He must document all expenditures and volunteer hours. He must manage other people in executing the project. He is in complete charge of the entire project. He is responsible for seeing it through to the end and ensuring that it is done correctly, in a timely manner. He must recognize his volunteers, donors, sponsors and any other people who have helped him with letters of thanks.
Keep in mind, he is younger than 18 years of age as he is working on this project.
Finally, after he has completed his community service project and a variety of folks in high places have signed off on its successful completion, the prospective Eagle Scout must meet with his troop leader and make sure he has met all requirements in order to proceed with his application to become an Eagle Scout. Here is a link where you can see the requirements that he must meet before he will be considered for "Scouting's Highest Honor": http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/eagle.aspx
After all of that work is complete, the prospective Eagle Scout must be interviewed by a committee who will ultimately determine whether he has completed all requirements in a satisfactory fashion in order to receive the prestigious rank. It is possible even at this stage that he will not be approved and will need to repeat or make corrections to some part of his requirements. Prior to the interview, the scout has obtained letters of reference from at least 3 people he knows. These letters of reference are mailed directly to the head of the committee and the scout has no idea what the letters of reference contain. The committee reviews these letters prior to the interview with the Scout.
At last, during the interview, he must demonstrate that he has internalized the standards of the Boy Scouts of America. He must answer questions about his strengths and weaknesses, he will be challenged to share his ideas about how he would improve his own troop, he will share stories of good and bad experiences he has had during his time as a Boy Scout. This interview is not merely a "formality."
If the committee is convinced that the young man is worthy of the rank of Eagle Scout, they will sign off on his application which will then be sent to the Boy Scouts of America Local Council for final approval. The Scout cannot be awarded the rank of Eagle Scout until notification of approval is received back from the BSA Local Council.
Ok, so this blog post has been a little dry. I'd be surprised if anyone has actually managed to read my "in a nutshell" version of what goes into being awarded "Scouting's Highest Honor."
Therefore, I've decided to write a separate blog post in order to share with you my own personal experience during my son's Eagle Scout Journey. I'm pretty sure that's going to be a bit more interesting and hopefully help the average person get a picture of what it really is all about and to understand why in the world a teenage boy would spend so much time and effort toward becoming an Eagle Scout.
To be continued . . .
On my favorite morning radio show today, the topic of Eagle Scouts was discussed. To make a long story short, it seemed that there was just some general curiosity amongst the panel of radio personalities as to what being an Eagle Scout actually means and how much of a big deal it is to have earned this prestigious award.
I can tell you from personal experience, it is a VERY big deal. And, of course, I'm going to tell you why. After I tell you why, I am going to share with you a little about my own son's experience with the Boy Scouts of America and his journey to becoming an Eagle Scout.
Cub Scouts start out usually around age 6. Sure, it's pretty much fun and games at this point. They do field trips, fun activities, maybe a campout with parents here and there. But guess what? They are also learning. They are learning about being part of a group, taking pride in their uniforms, working as a team to accomplish goals. These rambunctious little boys are building friendships, some of which they will carry with them throughout their lives. As these boys grow older, they are given more challenging tasks, and they begin to learn about what their next steps will be toward becoming a Boy Scout. Parental involvement is crucial. This isn't the kind of organization where you can just dump your kid off so you can go home and have a free hour to mow the yard or whatever.
Finally, when these Cub Scouts complete their requirements to become Boy Scouts they are usually around 11 years old. They will have a "crossing over" ceremony. At this point, the Scouts begin earning merit badges. A common misconception is that merit badges are earned just by doing fun little activities. Sure, part of the activities should be fun. However, earning them requires way more work on the part of the scout. Each badge has items that the scout must be able to perform successfully in relation to the badge, along with demonstrating the knowledge he has acquired during his work toward earning the merit badge. Each merit badge must be taught by a certified merit badge counselor who will also verify that the scout has met the requirements for that particular merit badge.
If I were to try to list an example of the requirements for just one merit badge, you probably would not continue reading. However, here is a link that you may use to take a look at all the different merit badges and what the requirements would be for each one:
BSA Merit Badges and Their Requirements
It's important to know that many of the merit badges are electives that the scout may choose based upon his own personal interests. However, in working toward becoming an Eagle Scout, there are some merit badges that a Boy Scout is REQUIRED to complete. Some of these required merit badges are camping, cooking, family life, personal management, environmental science or sustainability, communications, personal fitness, first aid, and emergency preparedness, just to name a few. To apply for Eagle Scout status, a scout must have earned 21 merit badges. He will need to have earned these between the time he became a Boy Scout at around age 11 and before he turns 18. That probably doesn't sound like much unless you go to that link above and just look at the requirements for just one of those merit badges. I assure you, most merit badges require intensive work and learning.
Now comes something bigger: The Boy Scout must plan, organize and execute a community service project. He must find a non Scouting-affiliated organization within his community that will allow him to provide some sort of service. The project should be something that will leave a legacy. In other words, something that is a long-lasting improvement for the organization for whom he has chosen to dedicate his time and effort. He must meet with a contact person within that organization to "pitch" his project idea. He must submit a written plan to that contact person and get approval signatures from the organization contact person, the local Eagle Scout Committee Chairperson, and his Scoutmaster a.k.a "Troop Leader." He must find and organize volunteers to help him complete the project - volunteers are REQUIRED; the scout cannot simply take on a task and do all the work himself. He must find donors to provide or sponsor necessary materials. He must document all expenditures and volunteer hours. He must manage other people in executing the project. He is in complete charge of the entire project. He is responsible for seeing it through to the end and ensuring that it is done correctly, in a timely manner. He must recognize his volunteers, donors, sponsors and any other people who have helped him with letters of thanks.
Keep in mind, he is younger than 18 years of age as he is working on this project.
Finally, after he has completed his community service project and a variety of folks in high places have signed off on its successful completion, the prospective Eagle Scout must meet with his troop leader and make sure he has met all requirements in order to proceed with his application to become an Eagle Scout. Here is a link where you can see the requirements that he must meet before he will be considered for "Scouting's Highest Honor": http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/eagle.aspx
After all of that work is complete, the prospective Eagle Scout must be interviewed by a committee who will ultimately determine whether he has completed all requirements in a satisfactory fashion in order to receive the prestigious rank. It is possible even at this stage that he will not be approved and will need to repeat or make corrections to some part of his requirements. Prior to the interview, the scout has obtained letters of reference from at least 3 people he knows. These letters of reference are mailed directly to the head of the committee and the scout has no idea what the letters of reference contain. The committee reviews these letters prior to the interview with the Scout.
At last, during the interview, he must demonstrate that he has internalized the standards of the Boy Scouts of America. He must answer questions about his strengths and weaknesses, he will be challenged to share his ideas about how he would improve his own troop, he will share stories of good and bad experiences he has had during his time as a Boy Scout. This interview is not merely a "formality."
If the committee is convinced that the young man is worthy of the rank of Eagle Scout, they will sign off on his application which will then be sent to the Boy Scouts of America Local Council for final approval. The Scout cannot be awarded the rank of Eagle Scout until notification of approval is received back from the BSA Local Council.
Ok, so this blog post has been a little dry. I'd be surprised if anyone has actually managed to read my "in a nutshell" version of what goes into being awarded "Scouting's Highest Honor."
Therefore, I've decided to write a separate blog post in order to share with you my own personal experience during my son's Eagle Scout Journey. I'm pretty sure that's going to be a bit more interesting and hopefully help the average person get a picture of what it really is all about and to understand why in the world a teenage boy would spend so much time and effort toward becoming an Eagle Scout.
To be continued . . .
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