Why Rush?

[Wapiti]

My son, who just turned 15 last month, returning home one weekend from working on staff at our council's camp said that he wanted to do his Eagle Project this fall. He started making phone calls to get a project lined-up.

This boy has done just about all there is to do in Scouting: 2 trips to Philmont, 2 terms as ASPL, 1-1/2 YRS as a Den Chief, 2 terms as Quartermaster, & Brotherhood member of OA.

[WeeWillie]

Wapiti

SPL @ JASM don't appear on his resume. I held both PORs and they were the highlights of my Scouting youth experience. I aged out as Star with an Army ROTC Scholarship thanks to my leadership experience.

My son made Eagle @ 15 He became JASM and subsequently aged out and is off to college this month. He has also been offered an Army ROTC Scholarship.

Your son still has plenty of opportunities in Scouting should he desire. It really depends on how appealling your program is.

[milominderbinder2]

I've heard of First Class Emphasis, but where does BSA talk about earning one rank per year after that?

Here is the paragraph from page 25 of your Advancement Policies:

"It is important that the troop committee and the Scoutmaster set an advancement goal for the year. A basic goal should be for each Scout to advance a rank during the year. New Scouts should earn their First Class rank during their first year in the troop. By doing so, these new Scouts become net contributors to the troop and are able to care for themselves and others..."

The text is online here:

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php?ti ... ment_Goals

The predecessor to the Advancement Policies was Advancement in the Troop which stated that "The average age at which Scouts attain Eagle is 14." Prior to 1963, the tenure requirements for Eagle only totaled 12 months. For more history see:

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Fi ... First_Year

Let me ask the thread's question the other way around.

Is this Scout's goal to do the least possible to earn Eagle, to only average three merit badges a year? To earn Eagle at age 17 years, 11 months?

Another Eagle Scout may have wanted all the adventure he could find. He may have continued on, completing double, triple, or even six times the minimum possible. Just for the fun of it.

The boy who does the least work possible may wonder why the other Eagle Scout rushed to do so much more - they both wear the same medal?

That's not something you can explain.

- Craig

[smtroop168]

What do you call someone who finishes last in Medical School but has met all the requirements? Doctor!

There are lots of variables in the Eagle Scout achievement equation. Sometimes X=13; sometimes X=17.99. The most frustrating thing is when we adults are given the tag of "standing in their way" and making them earn it (e.g. my 1/2 a project scout) by parents when in reality the scout is the one standing in their own way.

[milominderbinder2]

Each Scout should advance at his own pace. We should not force them along nor should we invent requirements to stop them. We are here to help provide opportunities.

Whether an Eagle Scout earns 21 or 121 merit badges, he wears the same medal: Eagle Scout.

- Craig