Wow, old thread. It will be interesting to see how this develops a year after I apparently killed it off with my Debbie Downer story about disassociating...
Any Eagles out there?
- Thread starter Dr. Mike
- Start date
Time to bring this tread back from the dead. Im one. Any others out there
Don't know how I missed this thread. Eagle Scout and OA Vigil member. Ah, the memories. I still help out my old troop once in a while (mainly helping them organize fund raisers, something I was and still am particularly good at). In fact, I was asked by an old troop member to read him his eagle charge this past July. I was his senior patrol leader when he joined, so he wanted me to be a part of his court of honor. 
Don't know how I missed this thread. Eagle Scout and OA Vigil member. Ah, the memories. I still help out my old troop once in a while (mainly helping them organize fund raisers, something I was and still am particularly good at). In fact, I was asked by an old troop member to read him his eagle charge this past July. I was his senior patrol leader when he joined, so he wanted me to be a part of his court of honor.
Very cool. Great thread bump!
I know it's been a few days since the last reply, but I just discovered this thread. I'm one of the younger members here (only 19) but I was lucky enough to have a supportive father (also an Eagle) to introduce me to Scouting and eventually to encourage me throughout the process of working for my Eagle Scout award. I've been camping for years and have been lucky enough to spend two weeks in the mountains of Cimarron, New Mexico at the Philmont Scout Ranch. I'm probably going to work out there this coming summer as well.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the process, it starts when a boy first joins a troop. He has to do some incredibly basic things (know the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Oath and Law, etc.) to earn the very first rank of "Scout." From there, he has the chance to go through the ranks Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life. There are various requirements for each rank, getting more difficult and time-consuming as one advances.
If a boy (now closer to a "young man") so chooses, he can go for the rank of Eagle. This is a very long and involved process (stressful too...just ask my parents.
). He must have 21 merit badges, 12 of them being "Eagle Required" badges with more difficult and specific requirements. He also must have served a number of troop leadership positions over the years. Additionally, he has to plan and carry out a project that must be approved by an "Eagle Board" made up of members from his local council. This "planning" includes everything from initial planning, fundraising, and carrying out the actual project. The catch is that the boy CAN NOT do any of the physical work himself...that's where the leadership experience comes into play.
Projects can range from landscaping a church to organizing a food drive. One guy I knew built a website for this church! Projects are not approved based on the intensity or cost of the project, but on the amount of leadership a boy must show in organizing others to finish the project.
Every little thing must be documented. Before my project was even approved, I had over 40 pages of information ranging from construction permits, material safety data sheets, blueprints, and general information. The goal is to choose a project in an area of expertise one knows nothing about so, in order to finish the project, a boy must talk to and get to know an "expert" in the respective field of work. Another catch is that the project must not benefit the boy's troop in any way.
For my project, I chose to install a water line running from my church's water source to a shelter house roughly 400 feet away. I raised money by speaking in front of my church congregation to ask for donations. A gentleman from my church worked as an electrician and was able to provide a trencher free of charge, so I took the $600 that I saved from that cost and bought about 25 tons of gravel to build a gravel driveway going down to the shelter house.
The project took me around 120 hours of planning in addition to 2 days of physical work done by the great guys from my troop who took time out of their schedules to volunteer and help me out. I also had some really awesome adults help guide me through the process and encourage me along the way. It's really a life-changing experience and I will do all in my power to encourage my son(s) to join Scouting and go for Eagle.
Here are some pictures from my project. This was from two summers ago. Note that I left some good pictures out due to the fact that they're of people and I respect that they might not want their faces on the Internet. Sorry for my rambling post but I hope you guys gained some more knowledge about the whole process.
For those of you who aren't familiar with the process, it starts when a boy first joins a troop. He has to do some incredibly basic things (know the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Oath and Law, etc.) to earn the very first rank of "Scout." From there, he has the chance to go through the ranks Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star, and Life. There are various requirements for each rank, getting more difficult and time-consuming as one advances.
If a boy (now closer to a "young man") so chooses, he can go for the rank of Eagle. This is a very long and involved process (stressful too...just ask my parents.
). He must have 21 merit badges, 12 of them being "Eagle Required" badges with more difficult and specific requirements. He also must have served a number of troop leadership positions over the years. Additionally, he has to plan and carry out a project that must be approved by an "Eagle Board" made up of members from his local council. This "planning" includes everything from initial planning, fundraising, and carrying out the actual project. The catch is that the boy CAN NOT do any of the physical work himself...that's where the leadership experience comes into play. Projects can range from landscaping a church to organizing a food drive. One guy I knew built a website for this church! Projects are not approved based on the intensity or cost of the project, but on the amount of leadership a boy must show in organizing others to finish the project.
Every little thing must be documented. Before my project was even approved, I had over 40 pages of information ranging from construction permits, material safety data sheets, blueprints, and general information. The goal is to choose a project in an area of expertise one knows nothing about so, in order to finish the project, a boy must talk to and get to know an "expert" in the respective field of work. Another catch is that the project must not benefit the boy's troop in any way.
For my project, I chose to install a water line running from my church's water source to a shelter house roughly 400 feet away. I raised money by speaking in front of my church congregation to ask for donations. A gentleman from my church worked as an electrician and was able to provide a trencher free of charge, so I took the $600 that I saved from that cost and bought about 25 tons of gravel to build a gravel driveway going down to the shelter house.
The project took me around 120 hours of planning in addition to 2 days of physical work done by the great guys from my troop who took time out of their schedules to volunteer and help me out. I also had some really awesome adults help guide me through the process and encourage me along the way. It's really a life-changing experience and I will do all in my power to encourage my son(s) to join Scouting and go for Eagle.
Here are some pictures from my project. This was from two summers ago. Note that I left some good pictures out due to the fact that they're of people and I respect that they might not want their faces on the Internet. Sorry for my rambling post but I hope you guys gained some more knowledge about the whole process.
Great project Matt! 
I'm an Eagle Scout, Sam Houston Area Council James A. Lovell Class of 1977.
OA - Ordeal Member. Never made it any further as other things in life began to reveal themselves to me. Funny thing... 35 years later and I still remember the 3 W's.
I'm an Eagle Scout, Sam Houston Area Council James A. Lovell Class of 1977.
OA - Ordeal Member. Never made it any further as other things in life began to reveal themselves to me. Funny thing... 35 years later and I still remember the 3 W's.
Great project Matt!
I'm an Eagle Scout, Sam Houston Area Council James A. Lovell Class of 1977.
OA - Ordeal Member. Never made it any further as other things in life began to reveal themselves to me. Funny thing... 35 years later and I still remember the 3 W's.
Thanks!
I forgot to mention that I'm an OA Brotherhood member as well. Unfortunately my OA chapter wasn't too active but the Order is a very cool group of guys.
Only 15 or so for me, and I remember them as well. Just don't ask me to spell them!
My boys are about to cross over to Boy Scouts with their Arrow of Light!!! So proud!! I have been there den leader (my son is included), since they were 6!!!
Eagle class of 2002, worked as a summer staffer till our camp lost it's summer program, then worked as the Ranger for 5 years, still love going out there to volunteer.
I was thrown out of the scouts after three weeks. I showed the scout master the proper way to tie a few knots he was making a real hash of. My father was a Navy man and we had spent hours tying knots.
Apparently I had a bad attitude!
Gareth
Apparently I had a bad attitude!
Gareth
Eagle and OA, eagle class of 1998, I can't wait till I can take my daughter to girl scouts or campfire. Congrats to all who have achieved this rank!
Inland northwest council btw.
Inland northwest council btw.
Eagle Scout from Troop 2 in San Diego, CA...Got my Eagle in 2001. Definitely a great experience!
