Re: Eagle Project Question
Amick Robert (amick@SPOT.COLORADO.EDU)
Mon, 5 Aug 1996 12:28:17 -0600
On Sun, 4 Aug 1996, Stephen Allan Mintz wrote:
As you know, the purpose of an Eagle Project is primarily to give the
candidate"hands-on" experience in the development and management of a major
project. The nature of the project is not nearly as important as the
management/administrative skills imparted or developed during the conduct
of the project.
I have served as an Eagle Scout project counselor for similar situations,
and part of the beneficial and "experiential" nature of the project is
dealing with crisis or adversity when it arises.
> I have started my advancement committee chairman researching the
> following questions:
> 1) Should the boy write up the project as is even though it is not able
> to be completed? He has many hours in arranging for equipment, site
> surveys, Has-mat survey, logistics, recruiting. He will have more hours
> in negotiations.
Even though it will be necessary to select a new project,
the initial project should be documented and reported with all the details
of the work/planning done to date, and included in the second project
final report. It is important to detail the fact
that the first project was terminated due to safety reasons by the agency
for whom the work was being performed.
> 2) The boy wants to move to another organization and another project -
> can he write up and execute another Eagle project without "finishing"
> the first one.
Certainly; he really has no other choice unless the organization for whom
he was performing the first project would be able to offer something else
in a more suitable environment. Although he is no doubt and
understandably frustrated by this development, it is a "real life"
experience that happens to most of us in one way or another; but it
becomes a "growth opportunity" in responding to the crisis.
The portion of the report dealing with "leadership" and "what was
learned/what I would do differently in retrospect" is a good place to deal
with the crisis which arose, and how the candidate responded to and dealt
with it.
Because he has put in a substantial amount of effort in good faith in this
project, he should by all means document all that he has done for
inclusion in the final project report; even if he picks another completely
different project to pursue to completion.
> 3) Will the Council/District need to "close" the first project
before > approving a second project?
Council guidelines may vary, but in my experience, the Eagle Scout project
counselor has the option, with the concurrence of the Scoutmaster and
Troop advancement chair, to approve the initiation of a new project with a
different beneficiary, so long as the beneficiary signs off on it as well.
>
> My Son must finish all of the project requirements by 14 March 1997 so
> time is a concern but we are not in panic mode (Don't ask MOM) yet.
Since the candidate has until March it would seem that choosing either a
related or totally new project which he can complete, would be feasible;
Even though the first project could not be
completed, it will mean a lot to the candidate to be able to complete and
bring "closure" to a full project.
Best wishes,
Bob Amick, Eagle Scout Project Counselor, Arapahoe District, Longs Peak
Council, Boulder, CO
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
