EAgle project question

[T83NCMomma]

My son is Star working on Life. He has his Life BOR scheduled at the Council Mid-November. He became Star on May 2, so he will be just past the 6 month time requirement. I foresee no problems with passing his board and being awarded the rank of Life.

He also has his Eagle Project picked out. It is an very unique project that will definitely benefit the community, and it is one that he thought of all by himself. His project will be made somewhere. His first choice is at the local hospital where a new childrens hospital is being built, his second choice is at a local park. It will require many hours to prepare the area, lay it out, and construct the project. He thinks it will be over 150. He also knows already that it will take a couple of months minimum to complete the project.

Here is my question: Can he OFFICIALLY start to gather the information and make a presentation to the hospital to see if he can do the project there before his Life BOR? Or does he need to wait until he becomes Life? He would like to schedule his Eagle Project approval for December (our council does them once monthly), but is not sure if the project will be approved if he is not already locked into a location. The hospital is in the construction phase, and he is concerned if he waits to long to talk to the hospital board, it will be a case of "We are sorry son, if only you had spoken to us sooner...". If that is the case, and he has to do it at the park, then there could be months of red tape getting it approved.

More information to make your responses easier: He is 15 (just turned), he is SPL, he has 30 plus merit badges (all of the Eagle including options will be done by the time he has the Life BOR...he is currently waiting on one 10 mile hike for Hiking), and our troop is getting ready to have our 60th anniversary next year (2007) and he would like to make Eagle during that year.


And here is a secondary question: Eagle Palms...when he gets awarded his Eagle, will he get palms that day, or after the three month period of time? And if he has say, 15 additional merit badges by the end of that three month period, will he be awarded only one palm, or all three? That is totally his mom's question--not his. I am thinking way far ahead for my scrapbooking!

Thanks in advance for your advice and input.

[Mrw]

I will let someone else weigh in on the project info gathering and organizing questions.

I am wondering after reading this what you mean by Council BOR for Life - normally BOR for anything other than Eagle are done at a trrop level. Also at our Council, Eagle projects are approved at the District level by the District Advancement Chair as they are presented to him.

As for the Eagle Palms: One palm is awarded for each five merit badges past the 21 required for Eagle. In addition to the badges, the palm requires three months being active with the troop since the Eagle badge was earned (Passed the Eagle BOR) or since the last palm was earned, a SM conference and a BOR.

If the Eagle COH is more than three months from the date he earned the award and he has had the additional SM conference and BOR, then the bronze palm can be awarded at that time. The boy can continue to earn additional palms for every five additional badges he earns as long as he has the time requirements as well until he is 18. A boy who earns his Eagle rank within three months of his 18th birthday will not be able to earn palms regardless of how many badges he has completed.

[T83NCMomma]

Our EAgle Board (at council level) does the Life and Eagle BOR. I think all the councils in our district do it that way. I know that it has been this way for at least 10 years, could be lots longer. The Scouts can do Life at troop level, but most of them choose to take advantage of the opportunity to have a BOR at the Council level prior to their Eagle. My son wants to do it that way.

For Eagle projects, the scouts present their project before the Eagle Board for project approval. Then they work on it and go back for the Eagle BOR.

The Eagle Board has multiple members, and it is a rule that if you are tied to that troop, you cannot sit on the board for any of their scouts. The Scouts also may not go before the same board members each time.

Thanks for sharing your knowledge on Palms. It looks as if my son is the first scout in a while who will be going to Eagle with more than just the minimum number of badges. We just had two scouts who passed their Eagle BOR's this past month. They were the first in over 5 years (since before we crossed over from cubs), and they are both turning 18 really soon,so we are all a little new at this.

[JazerNorth]

Here is my question: Can he OFFICIALLY start to gather the information and make a presentation to the hospital to see if he can do the project there before his Life BOR? Or does he need to wait until he becomes Life? He would like to schedule his Eagle Project approval for December (our council does them once monthly), but is not sure if the project will be approved if he is not already locked into a location. The hospital is in the construction phase, and he is concerned if he waits to long to talk to the hospital board, it will be a case of "We are sorry son, if only you had spoken to us sooner...".

Officially? No. Can you get involved with the Hospital Board before Life, sure, but just do not get signatures until after he gets Life.

JazerNorth

[evmori]

The answer to the question is no.

Councils in our district???????

[T83NCMomma]

Councils in our district???????

Nope, we are in NC

[pipestone1991]

^^I think what she meant to say was districts inour councils.

[FrankJ]

The hours spent on the project before life will not count as part of the project hours. Formal approvals cannot happen before life. Discussing the idea with the hospital board informally can happen. Ultimately it is the decision of the council's advancement commitee that counts.

[Scouting179]

He can gather info and do research on the project, but he can't actually work on it until after he make Life, writes up the proposal and gets it properly approved.

[ASM-142]

The hours spent on the project before life will not count as part of the project hours....

I agreee that work performed before life should not count. However, "hours spent" have nothing to do with the Eagle Project since there is no requirement for a set number of minimum hours.

[Scouting179]

You don't get palms when you make eagle, you need 3 months and all the other requirements for each one.

[mhjacobson]

If it will make his transition to Eagle easier, he could forgo the Council BOR for LIFE so that he can start on his project that much sooner. Since BSA does not require a Council BOR for Life, it should not become an impediment to his working on his Eagle project.