Last minute Eagles

[smtroop168]

Boy Scouting is a 7 year program. The Eagle requirements have been around longer than all of us and available for all to see since the boy became a Scout (although most don't think too much about them until they are Star). If there is a problem and he is well in advance of his 18th birthday, the problem can and is usually fixable. If the boy waits until right at his 18th birthday, he made a choice not to give himself time to correct problems and he must bear the consequences of that choice.

My understanding is that age extensions are granted, but they are exceedingly rare representing only a handful each year for situations clearly out of a scout's control such as hospitalization. A larger number of requests for extension are turned down because National feels the Eagle Scout requirements have been known since day one and do not change the fact that he chose to wait until right before his 18th birthday to complete the requirements. It would be nice to see the annual stats on how many are approved.

There are always going to be those who push it to the end no matter what the age limit would be. Those of us who work with the Eagle Process have many frustrating stories to tell. Is the Guidance as clear as it could be...probably not which unfortunately allows different interpretations of the same wording (same goes for a number of BSA requirements).

This of course keeps forums like this in business.

[Cowboy]

RWS: Point taken.
My point is that our society has dumbed down just about everything. There are very few things in our world that really mean what they always have. We need to keep the Eagle Award/Rank as strong and meaningful as it has always been. As our DAC told my son a week ago: Our motto is "Be Prepared". That means planning ahead, not waiting until the last minute. (BTW: He was saying it as a compliment on my sons EPWB)

[Mrw]

Well miracles can happen!

Our last minute scout started his project Wednesday evening and worked at it all day Saturday, finishing about 6 PM. During a break, he met with the Communications MBC to finish that up. Sunday morning he did the 50 mile ride with a friend's father who is known for not giving anyone slack and completed it in about 3.5 hours. Saw the MBC for Cycling in the afternoon. Spent the entire rest of the day doing the project write-up and application paperwork. On top of this, Friday night was Prom and the Sunday was normally spent at the amusement park by the bulk of the Prom goers - he made the dance, but not after-Prom or the park.

He came by about 9 PM, on the way home from the SM's house to let me know he had finished everything. And I know the people whom he dealt with to get all the last sign-offs do expect it to be done properly.

It is now Monday morning and he has turned 18.

[smtroop168]

Well miracles can happen!

Our last minute scout started his project Wednesday evening and worked at it all day Saturday, finishing about 6 PM. During a break, he met with the Communications MBC to finish that up. Sunday morning he did the 50 mile ride with a friend's father who is known for not giving anyone slack and completed it in about 3.5 hours. Saw the MBC for Cycling in the afternoon. Spent the entire rest of the day doing the project write-up and application paperwork. On top of this, Friday night was Prom and the Sunday was normally spent at the amusement park by the bulk of the Prom goers - he made the dance, but not after-Prom or the park.

He came by about 9 PM, on the way home from the SM's house to let me know he had finished everything. And I know the people whom he dealt with to get all the last sign-offs do expect it to be done properly.

It is now Monday morning and he has turned 18.

Your scout is extremely fortunate and should be very grateful to have had as many folks jump through hoops at the last minute to help him. If any one of the above scenarios didn't happen he would have still been 18 today but without a chance to have an EBOR.

What was his project? Taking a break during his EP to finish a required MB? I'm glad he sacrificed the amusement park to finish as well.

We all hope he learned something from this, most notably that he didn't have to make this so hard on everyone.

[Mrw]

His project was to build a pad for a picnic table to Metropark specifications. This involved removing 6 inches of dirt from the area, building a wooden frame to line the sideas, filling it with gravel with a weed barrier embedded and tamping it down. There was a large stump in the middle of the area where they wanted the pad. He had to use much of the dirt to even out the ground around the pad and tamp that down as well. The dirt was 80% northern Ohio clay too (aren't glaciers wonderful?).

He spoke with the counselor while waiting for the gravel to be delivered. There was an hour or two between finishing the prep work and the delivery, especially since the supplier gave the kid driving the truck bad directions.

He was razzed all day about waiting so long and I am sure that will continue for a while. He does admit he deserves every last bit of it too.

[AquilaNegra2]

I'm sure all the other boys working on the project weren't too happy to be waiting around .

Hopefully he has learned a lesson from this, but I doubt he has.

[Mrw]

Actually, most of us left and got some other stuff done since he knew about how long until the delivery. That was mostly due to the garden center who did not want to be delivering things in the rain and waited until they were sure it would be clear for a couple hours to load up.

His EBOR is tentatively scheduled for Tuesday evening, so we will see what he has learned from this.

[alex gregory]

Well miracles can happen!

And a lot of hard work! Great job.

[Mrw]

I sat on the EBOR for this boy today. They grilled him good about the procrastinating, but he survived it to become our troops 27th Eagle.

[wagionvigil]

[evmori]

They grilled him good about the procrastinating

I didn't know procrastinating was not allowed

[wagionvigil]

I think it is a new MB

[FrankJ]

Actually it is more of an art form. Back in the day, I worked for a shipyard (name redacted to protect the guilty). The shops would procrastinate until overtime was authorized & then the work would get done.

[smtroop168]

They grilled him good about the procrastinating

I didn't know procrastinating was not allowed

It's adding to the requirements to ask him.

[Bill Pitcher]

We see more and more Eagle Candidates in our area procrastinating . . . running down the street the night before their 18th. birthday to get that last signature! No matter how often you councel them . . . they wait.

I have a candidate who finished his project 14 months ago. Hasn't turned in his project paperwork and application YET! He plays soccer, baseball, and has a job. I've talked to his parents, his GRANDMOTHER, his Eagle Scout older brother, and HIM . . . all with NO results. He turns 18 in 4 months. I wonder . . . . ?

[ronin718]

We have the extremes going in my troop. One young man did his Eagle SM Conf. the day before his 18th b-day and just did his EBoR a month afterwards. We have another four boys doing the crash course to Eagle, rushing to get their MBs and projects done.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have a 13 y/o boy writing up his project so he can start accumulating the necessary funding and materials over the summer, targeting a construction date in September, racing to beat his 14th b-day early next year.

Where is it better to get the parental "push"? Do we really see any of our Eagles get there without it?

[Mrw]

In my experience, most need some pushing to keep them from getting bogged down, but when they wait so long to see the light, it is frustrating to say the least.

We have two more rushing to get done. One just has the project to actually do, although it is at least approved. He has until mid August and should make it in time.

The other has until early September, and I am pretty firmly convinced he will not get there. It is a shame too because he could have finished two years ago and has enough badges for a silver palm.....