Eagle Projects

[wagionvigil]

What is approved in one council OR district may not be approved in another council or district. But when the Blood Drive was done about 6 years ago. The Scout Did all the set up planning etc which is required. Had several write ups in the lOcal paper before during and after. Arranged to have cookies etc at the hall which he had to get. Made all the Red Cross Contacts.This was the first that was done and it has not been repeated But it was done and was an approved project.There was alot more time and effort put into this one than a boy that cleaned up an old cemetary.
My son built four benches for a nature walk 12 years ago. Not much it would seem but in this case the benches had to be carried aproximately 1 mile from the trail head for just the first one, each weighed in at about 150# and we mixed cement also so we carried water, mix ,and tools plus the 2 3' x 10 " deep holes that had to be drilled in the ground for each bench. One bench was destroyed within 2 weeks the other three are now gone also. They lasted about 4 years.
WE have a neighboring district that the Advancement chair requires a minimum of 200 hours which really he cannot do but no one has fought him on it yet.

[Lynda J]

Had one boy collect books for a shelter. They almost didn't approve his project but when he explained that he had taken the books and translated them onto tape in three different languages they approved it.

One boy painted the fire hydrants in his community. He went to the Fire Department and the City Council and proposed the project and got their approval. Got the paint and supplies donated and arranged to get other boys to help. They painted over 200 hydrants..

I know that some Councels don't like blood drives. They don't feel it requires enough work on the scouts part. But depending on how he sets it up I don't see anything wrong with this type of project.

[Scouting179]

In our city, Virginia Beach, VA, the city parks dept has a web site with actual projects they are wanting prospective Eagle Scout and Gold Award Scouts to do. They do not fund the project, but they provide the idea and organizational support for it.

[Scouting179]

...They almost didn't approve his project but when he explained that he had taken the books and translated them onto tape in three different languages they approved it....

This makes it sound like he started the project before it was approved as you state he had already translated them. He's not supposed to start until he has it approved by the SM/Troop Committee/District (at least that's how it works here).

A prospective Eagle is also not to start until after he passes he Life BOR, though thinking of ideas before that is okay.

[West]

My son asked me to post this here today. He is already starting to think about his Eagle project and is in desperate need of some suggestions.

Everyone in his troop has either made park benches or picnic tables, and although these are really nice, he wants something a little more original. Got any ideas?

Well, way back when I started a soup kitchen and ran it for 4 months. This included everything you need to do to get one of running, starting with proveing there is a need, getting people to work it, a place to hold it, advertiseing to get people there, set up, clean up, dealing with the health department and a host of other issues. I wouldn't recomend it for someone who is 17 and needs one they can get done fast. The worst part of it was that after my time running it, it didn't last very long. There was a problem with the consistancy of attendence by the people who needed it. One week we had 25 people (and almost ran out of food). The next week we had no one. Usually there were about 5-10 people. But for whatever reason in the first 4 weeks after the missions group of my church took over only 1 person showed up (total, not even the same guy 4 times). So they decided to drop it as there were better uses of their time and money. That was disapointing.

[Lynda J]

No it was actually the approval that he almost didn't get. But once he explained what he really wanted to do they did approve the project.

[optimist]

Somebody needs something -- find out what it is and do it. The very minute the local Recreation Director found out I was the new Scoutmaster he told me he had several needs suitable for Eagle Scout projects.

Probably the biggest local Eagle project was something intended to be simple. Blue birds are greatly diminished in our area because their natural nesting places are somewhat different from most birds and had been adversely affected over the last few decades. The Scout's project was to make and distribute 40 blue bird boxes to help reestablish the blue bird population. When people found out about it, he ended up having to make hundreds, and one of them resides on the Georgia governer's mansion lawn

[mommatoodle]

ok - you can think about your project before you make life - can you start fund raising? I know of one boy who just made got his BOR for Star and made the comment that he was already fund raising.

Just curious...

[wagionvigil]

I would suspect that would be part of carrying out the project which starts after the Life BOR.

[optimist]

Although an Eagle project cannot be just a fund-raiser, it may include a fund-raiser. Arranging for funding is part of the process and thus must be done after the Scout has earned Life and his project plan has been approved.

[wagionvigil]

In todays paper there was an article about a scout that collected things for our troops over seas. He got money and articles. He arranged packing and shipping. USA Today was also involved. todays date is the 12th and you may look at this today only ay
http://www.heraldstandard.com

[mommatoodle]

I know that an eagle project is not just fundraising. It just bothered me that this boy was starting fundraising for a project that has not been approved - (don't even know what it is) he just made star and has at least 6 months to get to life. I didn't think he could start doing any part of eagle now except brainstorm ideas. I realize this scout has his own time line for getting to eagle but I was shocked that he was doing this part already. Never having looked at an eagle project packet, won't it show on this that he started too early? I don't want to see a scout discouraged, but I don't think it is right if what he is doing is wrong?

[wagionvigil]

He is wrong and should be stopped

[Scouting179]

Starting a project before it has its final approval is clearly the wrong way to do things.

[evmori]

An Eagle project is not to be started until the approval from the District Advancement Chair signs the form! If an Eagle candidate DOES start prior to that, the DAC has the right to rescind approval!

[mommatoodle]

Another question....a kid who JUST made star already has his eagle project lined up with the town....is this allowed to be done so early? He still has 5 1/2 months before he is can think about life....

Just curious

[wagionvigil]

NOPE! you cannot start the Project until you are life. You might think about it but you can do no actual planning etc.

[mommatoodle]

That's what I thought.. But his has been approved by the town...he has even started fundraising. He wants to be the youngest eagle in the troop...and while I applaud his enthusiasm I don't think it is quite right to have everything approved (except for the paperwork by council) by the town and to be raising funds too. Oh well, my son wants eagle...but not until he is 15...he has a timeline too....a bunch of merit badges lined up in the order he wants to do them...start times etc...(he is adhd and this has really helped him stay focused and has helped his grades in school too...) He is not out for all of the merit badges (though at times it sure seems that way as I am always driving him here and there!) but if college is now in his vocabulary and the grades are heading to the majority of A's instead of C's I am all for it! I realize this last bit is off topic but I am very proud of what has happened since he became a boy scout last February when he crossed over. It's not just in scouts or school that he has become more focused...you can see the change in him in everything....I digress...

This other scout is only hurting himself...is there anything those of us who don't approve of what is going on can do?

Thanks for the help....and Merry Christmas...Happy Holidays

[OldGreyBear]

Just a thought on the Star Scout raising funds for his Eagle project...

What if, and its just a what if, a scout doesnt have any project in mind, he just knows that Eagle projects cost money and he wants to have enough, and he wants to start now, then what ?

[mommatoodle]

I know some people think that if a boy is raising money for a said eagle project then that is what there money is going to..but if the project does not get approved then they are giving money under false pretenses..I for one look at the requirement as saying that you can think about it before life but while according the eagle requirements:

5. While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than Boy Scouting.) The project idea must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and troop committee, and the council or district before you start. You must use the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook, BSA publication No. 18-927B, in meeting this requirement.

I take this to mean what he is doing now is wrong. But that is MHO