Preliminary Eagle Project Planning Question

[mdkeplers 10]

My son is starting to gather ideas for his Eagle Project. He wants to be prepared with a list of 3-4 projects priot to meeting with the Eagle Advisor? What is the protocal on gathering information? In other words, he thinks he'd like to do something for a local senior citizens home. Does he need to go through the SM/Eagle Advisor prior to contacting the senior home? Or is it ok for him go straight to the senior home and ask them for a "wish list"? He's also considering a building a footbridge in a local park. He's not sure which park. That seems like something the EC might have info on.

My son hopes to get his paper work and project approved to be able to work on it as soon as school gets out in June. My son is only 15 but he is anxious to get his Eagle now. So where does he begin?

[GKlose 24]

Just a personal note -- I placed my name in the CO's church bulletin as the membership chair of the troop. One Sunday evening, a parishioner called me. He's the chairman of the local conservation commission and had a project in mind that would be perfect for an Eagle project (he'd sponsored Eagle projects before, so this was nothing new to him). I talked with the CC, and we put our next Eagle candidate in touch with the chairman. They've sinced talked, and I haven't followed up with either (I don't feel that's my place -- once I heard they've talked, I stepped aside -- I just wanted to make sure the chairman hadn't been forgotten about). It will be nice to see that all come together.

 

Also -- a district roundtable was held at an adjacent community's boathouse, where they are hoping to build the program even larger. At the roundtable, the director of the boathouse told us she has some Eagle-worthy projects she'd like to see done. I took that back to the troop committee, and we even talked about some troop service time there, such as a spring cleanup or something.

 

I would guess that every troop has a different policy about how the process is supposed to take place. But at the very least, a Life scout approaching a possible project host is something that has to take place. They both have to decide whether or not they are on the same page, right? Preliminary work. You can't really expect a scout to commit to something he doesn't really understand. I think initiative is a good sign, and I don't think our troop would have problems with a Life scout making preliminary contact like that, and perhaps check out a few possibilities before committing to any particular one.

 

Guy

[Eagle69 46]

As has been stated, each Troop and Council/District has it's own rules, but when I was SM more times than not the boy had already checked into several different projects before we met to talk about the project and there was nothing wrong with that. If he hadn't then I would make suggestions on groups that could be contacted to see if they had anything to be done that might qualify as an Eagle Project. I think it shows good initiative by the boy.

[click23 66]

http://www.scoutorama.com/ has a huge list of eagle project ideas.

[eagle77 60]

Don't take this the wrong way, but shouldn't your son be talking to the SM/advisor about this? So many times I have seen on this and other forums parents asking questions that their sons should be asking to their leaders. When asked "scout" questions by parents I tell them once your son has asked me then he will get the answer. One goal as scoutmaster, at least I believe is to show and teach the scouts "personal responsibilty" for their scouting, or for that matter anything.

[Crew21_Adv 25]

mdkeplers,

 

Greetings!

 

Addressing your questions. Does he need to go through the SM/Eagle Advisor prior to contacting the senior home? Or is it ok for him go straight to the senior home and ask them for a "wish list"?

 

Personally, I don't see it as a problem to go to the benefactor and ask for a "wish list", caveat, with the knowledge that he may pursue another service project for another benefactor. That way, the senior home does not become disappointed with the local troop and council because a young scout defaulted on his offer to conduct a project.

 

Similar to what was stated by our fellow forum members...

In most councils and some troops, the advancement chair or Eagle Advisor or even the Scoutmaster may have a small list of worthy benefactors with potential "Eagle Service Project" rich environments. Or benefactors with a need, but no means (financial or material) to satisfy the need.

 

I have never seen any documentation stating that a thought or seed cannot be planted into the mind of a Life Scout. How he formulates the plan and carries it out is on the Life Scout. But learning about a potential need can really come from anyone, benefactor or advisor.

 

Good Luck!

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv