Another Eagle takes off!!!

[ronin718]

After months (years) of hearing slow down, too young, what's the rush...

I'm pleased (ecstatic) to announce that during the holiday break my son attained his goal of earning his Eagle before turning 14. He's now looking forward to teaching the younger guys the skills they need to join him on the perch. We also get to team up at the Jamboree in one of NCACs 12 contingent troops.

I know there are some on this board who have opinions on the young Eagles. This young man has excelled at the challenge of resurrecting one troop while providing leadership in another, leading his youth group at church, learning two instruments (piano and trumpet), and taking on a full slate of honors classes at school. Think of that when you get one of those 17.999 y/o boys scraping under the wire to "get it done".

Age and leadership is a state of mind, not a tally of yellowed calendars.

[wagionvigil]

Congrats to both of you.

[evmori]

Congrats~

[Billiken]

Congrats, indeed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
No apologies needed re your son's age.

I've got a boy in our troop who will be an Eagle Scout while 13 yrs of age.
Crossed over just before his 11th birthday. (Turns 13 in May, 2010.)
His Life BOR is tonight.

He plays violin in the Cleveland Youth Orchestra and performed (solo) at a Cleveland Council fundraiser.
He's a patrol leader in his Centennial Jamboree Troop.

He's attended two weeks of summer camp the last two years.
One week with our troop, another as a provisional scout with his church's troop.

His merit badge work is the best I've ever seen.
I've counseled him on Golf and Communications.
(We played 9 holes of golf....he shot 41 following strict rules.)

[smtroop168]

I think the knock about young Eagles comes from the concern on "whose Eagle is it?" These two examples sound like superstars. There are others that have parents that are pushing so hard that the scout starts to hate scouts and is gone as soon as his ECOH is over.

The 17.999 ones are also frustrating because they drive us leaders crazy and that they never get to enjoy the reward as a scout in their troop.

[jr56]

Congratulations.

[lifescoutforlife]

First of all congrats to your son, my son made Eagle 3 weeks after turning 14 and has showed others around this corner of Pa. that you don't have to wait till your 17+ to make it and now more of them are making it so they will be able to wear it on thier uniform and hang around and help others do the same thing. By the way after making Eagle he did not run away from scouting he has become our Lodge Chief, went to Sea Base & NOAC will be at Jambo and signed up for Philmont 2011 and has 116 merit badges ( 18 earned after making Eagle) So be proud of your son and don't worry about what others may think.

[ronin718]

So be proud of your son and don't worry about what others may think.

I don't worry about it, but after so many swipes the skin's a little raw and the added salt still stings. Right now we're having fun trying to convince the SPL and SM to give my son a leadership position. The Comm. Chair recommended at the EBoR that my son become a Trainer to help teach skills to the younger guys, but three weeks later he's still against a wall.

Won't be a problem, just a little slow. Things start moving when Scouting regs get quoted. It's fun to sit across the room and watching conversations between son and leader. Facial expressions on adults are so hilarious when the rule book starts getting cited back at them from younger youth.

[lifescoutforlife]

Troop Guide, Instructor, JASM or Den Chief are other postions that he could do that don't take away leadership postions from others. My son is the Troop Guide, he was assigned this by our Scout Master. And he got a call last night asking him to be ASPL for Jambo.

[FrankJ]

Jasm requires you to be 16. Jerry should be happy. Something with an age requirement.

Anyway congrats to your son.

[wagionvigil]

come on guys give me a break I still think there should be 14 and up Merit badges Sorry I just do

[smtroop168]

come on guys give me a break I still think there should be 14 and up Merit badges Sorry I just do

And don't forget the mandatory move from Tiger Cubs to Ventures new in 2010!

[ronin718]

come on guys give me a break I still think there should be 14 and up Merit badges Sorry I just do

This is one area I have to agree with Jerry. I had a bunch of boys up at his site in October working on their Climbing MB, with many of them under the age of 12. They couldn't do the physical part of the MB and wasted a lot of time and slots. I guess this is where common sense comes into play, but it doesn't seem to be very common anymore.

[AquilaNegra2]

His merit badge work is the best I've ever seen. I've counseled him on Golf and Communications. (We played 9 holes of golf....he shot 41 following strict rules.)

Why only 9? The requirement is 18.

Yes, there ARE some exceptions. But they are just that -- exceptions. It is the RARE young man that is ready for Eagle at 13 or 14. When I see Eagle projects such as folding miniature flags for one afternoon and mailing them out, it's clear that not every boy possesses the maturity for Eagle at that age.

Congratulations, Ronin, if your son is one of those rare individuals.

[ronin718]

I'll let you be the judge. His project was to build an outdoor classroom adjacent to his school's Naturalist Club's Nature venue. They are putting in a pond, waterfall, and local plants. His project took an area 24'x30', leveled it, installed eight 8' benches and one 4' bench (to accommodate wheelchair parking for this area) amphitheater-style sinking them 18" into the ground and providing a gravel/concrete base, and mulched the entire area. In addition, he designed and had installed a 60'x4' path leading from one exit of the school to the seating area. This required taking the top 4"+ of grass and soil down, framing the path with 2x4's, and putting in 4+ inches of mulch for the path. Total mulch quantity of the project was 10 cu. yds.

He raised the funds through donations from local organizations (over $1300), got discounted materials from a local lumber/hardware outfit, and got the auger for the post holes donated from a rental outfit. He also got half of the mulch donated from the landscaping outfit. Then the school rep donated a second auger on the day of the build.

We had several leaders say this was more like two projects instead of one. We had a great turnout from troop, church, and community despite the weather (we finished in the rain).

Here are photos for your enjoyment, and you can decide if this was a "legitimate" project. I don't have any question on it, but then I'm slightly biased.

http://picasaweb.google.com/pbj4macke/M ... directlink

[cballman]

Ronin I was ready to give him the total awesome thumbs up until I saw the pizza boxes and I wasent even invited. Really it looks like a great project and I as a person if I was in the area I would have been there to help. Congratulations to your son and the parents of this child. I am very proud of him for achieving the rank of Eagle. Tell him that MY son and I welcome him to the fold. Also thank you and your wife for helping him on his way.

Charlie

[ronin718]

That should be a tip to all potential Eagles... Plenty of pizza leads to plenty of help.

[smtroop168]

Man if I'd known there was pizza, I would have come!

The Food du Project up here tends to be sub sandwiches.

[AquilaNegra2]

Here are photos for your enjoyment, and you can decide if this was a "legitimate" project. I don't have any question on it, but then I'm slightly biased. http://picasaweb.google.com/pbj4macke/M ... directlink

Very impressive! Thanks for sharing