ParkMan 1293 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 If we take a giant step back - the question I would ask is why? Sounds to me like the Scoutmaster is trying to fix a problem (helping at the Eagle COH), but using the wrong tool (service hours). If the Eagle COH attendance is such a problem - why is that? If getting service hours is a problem - why is that? There are probably much better solutions to those problems than - use service hours to get the Scouts to help at the COH. Figure out why kids don't attend the COH. Perhaps make the COH more meaningful or easier to participate in. If service hours are the issue, then perhaps schedule service hours during a troop event to prime the pump. I bet if the Scoutmaster addresses the real issue, it will be better for the troop and the Scouts. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamala 1 Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 I am the advancement chair. Link to post Share on other sites
Kamala 1 Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 I don't think attending the Court of Honor is a problem. I don't think the mother in charge is having difficulty finding scouts in specific ranks to attend. We have many Life scouts giving lots of opportunities for younger scouts to help at their Eagle project workdays. Most projects have opportunities for younger scouts to help out. We also do other service as well for our Charter organization as well as the community. Link to post Share on other sites
InquisitiveScouter 1653 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 (edited) 9 minutes ago, Kamala said: I am the advancement chair. Then I recommend you bring up the matter at the next committee meeting. Express your concern that granting service hours to conduct or support unit-centric events may not meet the intent of service hours. Explain you talked with District Advancement Chair (?) and they are in concurrence. Discuss and vote. Inform the SM. SM is not a voting member of committee, but should give the committee his/her perspective. Edited March 4, 2021 by InquisitiveScouter 1 Link to post Share on other sites
ParkMan 1293 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Bigger picture comment - I've never been a big fan of parents organizing an Eagle COH. It forces parents to figure out how to put together an Eagle COH everytime and puts a lot of stress on them. In addition, that usually then adds yet another event to the troop schedule. But that's a different topic for another day. If in general attendance is good and this is a one-off, then I would suggest that the SPL needs to appoint a scout to each slot. My specific recommendation: The Scoutmaster requests a list of positions needed from the mom. Scoutmaster turns to the SPL and says - appoint a Scout for each open space The SPL works his/her magic. If the SPL cannot fill the spots, the Scoutmaster appoints people If the Scoutmaster can not fill the slots, then fill them with older Scouts. 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamala 1 Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Yes thank you that is the best way although our committee meetings are over Zoom still which makes this difficult as things get lost in translation when looking at people's faces. I feel I need to have a sit down at the next meeting with the committee chair. Link to post Share on other sites
ParkMan 1293 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 1 minute ago, Kamala said: Yes thank you that is the best way although our committee meetings are over Zoom still which makes this difficult as things get lost in translation when looking at people's faces. I feel I need to have a sit down at the next meeting with the committee chair. Good luck! When I was troop committee chair, I used to stress out over getting Scouts to do things. Then I realized two amazing things: Scouts are great at committing other Scouts. It's a wonderful skill for them to learn Scoutmasters have a lot of pull to just say - "I need you to do this at the ECOH". Parents get that and will respond. The kicker is that it's exactly how a Scout led troop is supposed to do it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamala 1 Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 I am overall overseeing the process and helping out with some specifics. Usually we tag on an Eagle Court of Honor after a regular Court of Honor. We usually don't have a problem with attendance. The SPL I agree can help with this. I have been in scouting now 20 years. All the troops I have been in with my two sons, the Eagle Court of Honor was usually organized by the parent(s) with guidance from the scout leadership. Link to post Share on other sites
ParkMan 1293 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 1 minute ago, Kamala said: I am overall overseeing the process and helping out with some specifics. Usually we tag on an Eagle Court of Honor after a regular Court of Honor. We usually don't have a problem with attendance. The SPL I agree can help with this. I have been in scouting now 20 years. All the troops I have been in with my two sons, the Eagle Court of Honor was usually organized by the parent(s) with guidance from the scout leadership. It's funny - I don't know where that tradition started. Our troop is that same too. I suggested changing it when I was committee chair only to get a very stern "why do you want to mess up our Eagle Court of Honor process." So I left it alone... Sounds like you've got a role similar to another troop I am familiar with - a very experienced Scouter served as Eagle Court of Honor advisor. That made a lot of sense to me. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
InquisitiveScouter 1653 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 11 minutes ago, ParkMan said: It's funny - I don't know where that tradition started. Our troop is that same too. I suggested changing it when I was committee chair only to get a very stern "why do you want to mess up our Eagle Court of Honor process." So I left it alone... Sounds like you've got a role similar to another troop I am familiar with - a very experienced Scouter served as Eagle Court of Honor advisor. That made a lot of sense to me. Yes, I scratch my head at this one, too... It's like everyone wants their own ceremony, as if it was a wedding or something. We have a "very experienced Scouter" provide the script, the emcee and players (all Scouts, thru the SPL), and invite dignitaries. If the parents want to pick (and rent) the venue and provide refreshments, that's up to them. We always encourage families to combine ceremonies (multiple Eagles) or tack them on to Troop COH's, but the message doesn't always get through Thing is, when a family strongly wishes to have their own "day", and then the event is not well-attended (because the Scout and/or family was not well-regarded), it does tend to make it sour for them. You can lead the horse to water... 2 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamala 1 Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 This is an Eagle Scout Court of Honor for 7 scouts who have already gone to college since they received their Eagle Scout designation last winter/early spring when everything was shut down. Link to post Share on other sites
Eagle94-A1 2685 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 13 minutes ago, InquisitiveScouter said: Yes, I scratch my head at this one, too... It's like everyone wants their own ceremony, as if it was a wedding or something. I kid you not, SWMBO told my Eagle Son that his ECOH is like a wedding, except he has a voice in what is planned as his fiancee/wife and mother/MIL will be taking over his wedding planning. 😅 One reason why an Eagle may want to hold their own outside of a normal COH if out of town family and friends. I know for mine, There were some folks I wanted to attend from out of state, and picked accordingly. Thankfully one was able to get leave to attend. Didn't know if he was going to be able to make it or not. 1 Link to post Share on other sites
swilliams 157 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 Our Troop's Eagle COH's don't actually have much to do with the Troop, other than the scouts are encouraged to attend and the Eagle scouts will ask for participants. It's typically a group of parents who do the organizing and planning, usually once there are three or more Eagle scouts to combine a ceremony for. Without knowing your relationship with the SM, I'll add my two cents on the issue of whether service gets awarded/approved for this by the SM. I'm also our Troop's Advancement Chair, and don't always agree 100% with the SM's decisions as they pertain to advancement. Unless I felt like it was something egregious, I wouldn't bring it up formally at a Committee before talking it out with the SM. If you already have and it sounds like that might be the case, rather than fight the awarding of service hours (which, btw, would not be given by our Troop in this case), try approaching the issue of what types of service should be counted going forward. I would say something like, 'Can we have a quick talk/meeting to discuss service projects going forward? It would be good to have clear-cut guidelines, both for me and for the scouts. I don't want to send contradictory messages if a scout asks for his progress record or what he still needs for his next rank in terms of service hours.' Then it's not about this one event. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites
Kamala 1 Posted March 4, 2021 Author Share Posted March 4, 2021 Yes your suggestion is more manageable. However this type of service has never been given to scouts in our troop. We just had an Eagle COH in the fall, scouts serving in specific rolls could ask why didn't they get service hours. Its just opening a can of worms. Link to post Share on other sites
InquisitiveScouter 1653 Posted March 4, 2021 Share Posted March 4, 2021 3 minutes ago, Kamala said: Yes your suggestion is more manageable. However this type of service has never been given to scouts in our troop. We just had an Eagle COH in the fall, scouts serving in specific rolls could ask why didn't they get service hours. Its just opening a can of worms. One of many reasons it should not be done now... Link to post Share on other sites
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