A lost Scout needs help...

[floodphobia777]

Hey everybody,
I am currently a 1st class scout, i am 15 and turn 16 here on the 17th of December. I am starting to panick a bit because i have realized how much i would regret not becoming eagle my entire life if i dont do it. Heres my situation i am first class, I have the following merit badges. Swimming, Citizenship in the Nation, riflery, horsemanship, space exploration, leatherwork, and wilderness survival. ( Bold= eagle required). I am waiting on personal fitness which i've completed and family life. I have well over 4 months leadership and i am unsure about my service project hours. Do i have time to make Eagle, what do i need to do? The service hours are giving me trouble. I asked my SM if i could volunteer at the elderly home as community service ( without pay of course) he said no because its a for profit organization. Does anybody have ideas for service hours that dosnt involve waiting on someone's eagle project. Its hard to focus, this is putting alot of stress on me all the time now.

thanks,
-Max

I am just about in the same situation you are in except that i have three eagle required badges, and around 7 or 8 non-eagle required merit badges.

I think i will be able to make it to Eagle (But it will be hard).

Good luck trying to make eagle!

[pipestone1991]

Hey everybody,
I am currently a 1st class scout, i am 15 and turn 16 here on the 17th of December. I am starting to panick a bit because i have realized how much i would regret not becoming eagle my entire life if i dont do it. Heres my situation i am first class, I have the following merit badges. Swimming, Citizenship in the Nation, riflery, horsemanship, space exploration, leatherwork, and wilderness survival. ( Bold= eagle required). I am waiting on personal fitness which i've completed and family life.

thanks,
-Max

I suggest getting the mbs out of the way. Perhaps go an extra week to summer camp and earn a bunch (especially Eagle-recs). Start asking around to help and finish up those last few hours of service. Food pantrys always need help as do nursing homes.

[wagionvigil]

Not helping me acroos the street is that correct?

[AquilaNegra2]

How about a local thrift store, a VA hospital, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, or any other 501(c)3 organization in your area?

You have plenty of time if you plan it correctly.

[kwildman]

Why would the SM not accept service at a "for profit" place? Going to a nursing home and visiting with the residents, reading to them, playing games, etc. SHOULD count as service hours. The service is to the RESIDENTS and not the operators of the nursing home. I would rephrase the question to the scoutmaster in those terms and see if he would be acceptable to that.

I have taken church youth groups to the elderly care centers and i can tell you that it is not easy for most kids to do. I can also tell you that the residents are very very grateful to visit and share time with young people.

Good luck.

[wagionvigil]

SM is a Jerk

[Lynda J]

Did we ever hear if this young man made Eagle. I have to brag a little on one of my boys. He started in Cubs with me. He had some real anger problems. After we moved up into the Troop there were some issues that caused us to have to ask him to leave the troop. It broke my heart and in some ways I felt I had failed him. Well he came back two years ago and ask to come back. Be had him present his case to the boys and they told him he could come back on a probationary condition. Well two weeks ago we had his Eagle Court of Honor. I don't know if I could be prouder of him if he had been my own child. When he came back the SM sat down with everyone and we counted time. We had 17 extra days for him to make Eagle. Boy was it close and we bit out fingernails to the very end. I am sewing him Rank Patch on his shirt for him just because I want to. He is now registering as an adult with the troop.

[smtroop168]

Did we ever hear if this young man made Eagle.

My guess is no. The last posting was 9/19 2008 and he only made 7 total posts

[Lynda J]

Sad. How a SM can put roadblocks in a Scouts journey

[WeeWillie]

I reread some of the older posts to this topic and saw the comment about not counting service hours at for profit nursing homes. He is my take on the situation. The service being provided is to the residents not the owners, therefore it should count! No matter how caring the nursing home staff is, it doesn't have the impact of someone volunteering to brighten someones day.

[smtroop168]

There is no restriction on what types of organizations a scout can use for Star and Life. What sometimes is lost in translation is that they are suppose to be Service Projects not jusr service hours.

[FrankJ]

It says take part in service projects. It does not say lead, organize or even define what a service project is, although they do need to be approved by your scoutmaster. As long as a scout is providing service, I would be pretty open to what that meant.

[smtroop168]

It says take part in service projects. It does not say lead, organize or even define what a service project is, although they do need to be approved by your scoutmaster. As long as a scout is providing service, I would be pretty open to what that meant.

Yep...me too. For Star and Life ranks, a Scout must perform six hours of service to others. This may be done as an individual project or as a member of a patrol or troop project. Star and Life service projects may be approved for Scouts assisting on Eagle service projects. The Scoutmaster approves the project before it is started.

Actually the Cit in Comm req 7 is closer to a pre-Eagle project effort as it specifically says a charitable organization

Do the following:
a. Choose a charitable organization outside of Scouting that interests you and brings people in your community together to work for the good of your community.
b. Using a variety of resources (including newspapers, fliers and other literature, the Internet, volunteers, and employees of the organization), find out more about this organization.
c. With your counselor's and your parent's approval, contact the organization and find out what young people can do to help. While working on this merit badge, volunteer at least eight hours of your time for the organization. After your volunteer experience is over, discuss what you have learned with your counselor.