Why Eagle?

[mdutch]

In another thread, refering to paper eagles, emb021 wrote: "They are usually trying to get Eagle because it 'help them get into school', 'get them a scholarship', or the like."

 

Those are my reasons for going for eagle. Right now I am a life scout who will probably stay in BSA for the rest of my life. I only have 3 MB's plus the project left to get to eagle, but I have often found myself asking why should I go for it. Becoming eagle isn't going to make me a better person, being active in my troop for 5 years has done that. However, being an eagle is a recognition to the outside world (schools, jobs ect) that I have been active in boy scouts, and have worked hard.

 

Right now I have to balance my "scout time" between, SPLing my troop, being Program VP of my Venturing Crew, being active in the OA, and working towards eagle. The only reason that I am putting the time into becoming an Eagle scout is for the recognition that is seen to the rank by the entire rest of the world.

[bbng]

Thank you for sharing your reasons. It's good to hear from a Scout what his goals are and the reasons for them. I commend you for setting a goal that you have clearly thought through and wish you well as you continue to follow the trail.

[emb021]

meamemg-

 

Realize that those comments are addressed at the kids whose sole reason to be in scouts is to get Eagle, and nothing more. Anything that gets in the way of getting Eagle, they avoid (I've even met a few kids that didn't want to join the OA because it would delay them in getting their Eagle, and these are kids who are 13/14 year olds). And typically, once they've achieved that goal, they are gone. Getting Eagle was their only reason for being there.

 

The worst of these are the ones who cut corners (many times with the assistance of their parents) and don't really achieve Eagle, but have all the paperwork done. The "Paper Eagles".

 

Most kids realize that scouting has many 'mountain-top experiences', of which Eagle is only one along side OA/Vigil, Philmont, Jamporee, etc. Being a well-rounded scout means taking part in many of them, and yes, hopefully achieving Eagle.

 

[madkins007]

Remember- in a well-run Scout program, the badge does not signify ANYTHING on its own. Ther ONLY thing that deserves the recognition and hoopla is what it took for you to earn it. If the badge and title were the key issue, people would just buy them on eBay and skip the other stuff.

 

Sure, a lot of people look at the badge and say 'gee, pretty!', but people who really understand what the Eagle means look at PERSON, not it, and think 'wow! This person put forth a lot of effort and sacrifice to earn this.' Its not the badge that impresses us- it is knowing what they did for it.

 

Not make you a better person? Done right, sure it does! You are learning and PRACTICING leadership, self-reliance, the 12 Points of the Law and the 3 of the Oath. You can plan, shop for, and cook a meal. You'll run a project and supervise people. You'll have been in charge of and responsible for other people. You'll have learned at least 21 different areas of knowledge well enough to convince an expert in each to recognize you for that.

 

You said your troop did all this, and indeed it did- but the Eagle award gives the troop's efforts and your participation a certain focus. You could coast- avoid leadership, mess around during classes, play football or your Gameboy during the entire camp, and so on and spend 5 years in Scouting- but you are not.

 

Earning the Eagle to show others is a nice side effect, but the main person you earn it for is yourself- to show that you tested yourself against a set of standards that few people can measure themselves against, and you succeeded.

 

It is a lot like a gold medal at the Olympics. Your coach, school, team, family, and others help you get close, and you could not do it without them, but it is you that does not give up. The shiney medal is cool, and gives you something to aim for, but it is the feeling of accomplishment- the knowledge of what you did that is the real reward.

 

It is tough to earn the Eagle when school, work, social life, sports, etc. get involved in your life and the pressure is part of the whole thing- we know what you are going through, and we know it can be done. You are the one who has to decide if it is worth it to you.

[Fuzzy Bear]

meamemg,

 

I hesitate to say this but earning Eagle most likely won't get you into a school, obtain special favors, get you a job, etc. If you do receive any of those things, it will probably be through your academic achievement. Do your homework. Take college bound courses and make good grades. After you have prepared for the ACT/SAT entrance exams, then take the tests. Your score(s) will determine if you get into to college and if you get money to pay for it and if you will attend a specific school or study for a specific job. The higher the score the more privileges come with it. Obtaining Eagle gives you confidence that you can achieve and gives you practice in doing your best. Obtaining Eagle gives you insight and practice with leadership skills and will enhance your ability to make good choices. Obtaining Eagle will give you courage to go forward and try to do the right things in a complex and difficult world full of challenges.

 

FB

Eagle Scout

[Lynda J]

meamemg:

I beg to disagree that earning Eagle does not make you a better person. I think it does. Simply the grit to stick with something and make that journey to Eagle in my eyes makes you a better person. I also thing that you set yourself a goal of earning Eagle. By sticking with it you are proving to yourself and others that you have the ability to set a goal and achieve it.

I also know business people that think having Eagle on that resume see you as a better person.

As far as the "paper Eagles" We will always have people that want to take the easy road. But they are the losers in the process. Make Eagle, earn palms. Become a JASM. All of these make you a better person, a better leader, a better student, and a better employee.

So hang in there. Make Eagle. THen set another goal and you will achieve it.

Also be sure when you fill out college entrance papers you put OA and Venture on them. It shows leadership ability.

 

[red feather]

meamemg, your post gave the reason to continue on to Eagle.

 

"becoming an Eagle Scout is for the recognition that is seen to the rank by the rest of the world."

 

Wow, not many youthful achievements recieve that kink of recogntion. The military gives an automatic rank advancement for Eagle and the military acadamies recognize the achievement also and I do not doubt that public and private colleges do the same thing for all the reasons mentioned by the previous posters.

 

All and I repeat ALL of the scout leaders who did not finish their Eagle that I have met over the last 20 plus years have stated that they regret not getting their Eagle rank back when they were youths.

 

I hope you will not be one of them.

 

Go for it, you will not be disapointed.

 

yis

Eagle Scout 1968

 

(and yes it did help me get my first job in the field that I am in 25 years ago. Interviewer was a Scouter and had earned his Eagle.)

[SeattlePioneer]

In my opinion, the most important rank in Scouting is First Class, not Eagle.

 

The implicit promise Scouting makes to boys when they joing is to go hiking and camping. The road to First Class is the road to becoming competent at hiking and camping, if it's done right. In turn, Scouting gets the opportunity to train boys in the Scouting ideas of character, fitness and citizenship while the boy is having fun hiking and camping.

 

If it's done right, boys can absorb much of what Scouting has to offer by the time they complete the First Class requirements. The rest of the road to Eagle should be polishing and expanding on the basic ideas a boy has already learned.

 

This approach may not work too well for troops intent upon the First Class/First year approach to Scouting. For those troops, perhaps it's necessary get get the Eagle rank for boys to learn things they should have learned by First Class.

 

 

 

Seattle Pioneer

[LPC_Thumper]

All this talk about paper eagles got me to thinking...

 

As I was finishing up my Eagle, my troop fell apart. I didn't realize it at the time, but as the changes that were introduced in the 70's came about, there were people that were upset because they viewed them as "destroying the program". I was a boy with all his merit badges done, his project completed, the write up just about finished and a SM that had declared he was done with Scouts and wasn't heading back. He did sign my paperwork, and took me to my board of review. After that, I didn't do any scouting, until my son was on his way. I guess that makes me a paper eagle... but let's hear the later part of the story

 

I ran into the District Commissioner 12 years later, at a city festival (he had set up a booth looking for volunteers). That was 21 years ago. In that time I've only:

 

Started a Troop at my church, and served as it's first SM

Started a Pack at my church, and served as it's first CC

Helped on another Troop as it got off the ground, and worked as an ASM, MC, & CC

Served as a MBC for 20 years

Served on the District and Council Committee

Coordinated trips for boys to all 3 National High Adventure Bases

Served on Summer Camp Staffs, helped with inspection teams for summer camps.

Been on Woodbadge Staffs, attended Powder Horn, Attended National Camp School, both at Philmont, and at other locations in the Western Region.

I have received the Silver Beaver, and another 16 Adult Leader Knots

 

Had we stopped my story at 18, you would have said that I was a paper eagle, but looking back now, I think you'll find that I am nothing close to that. Be careful, please, when you start to catergorize people, sometimes, we don't easily go into your predefined roles. I think it's important that all get the chance to make it, we have to wait, sometimes for over a decade to see what they are going to do.

[isvirtual]

I completely agree with LPC_Thumper. Those who buy into the concept of a "Paper Eagle" seem to miss something. To "earn" Eagle a scout must spend a minimum of 17 months active in Scouting. Most take much longer. He must meet with at least 18 adults conducting Board of Reviews. He must complete 7 Scoutmaster conferences. He must work with at least 21 Merit Badge Counselors. He must complete 16 months in a Position of Responsibilty. Personally, I cannot imagine any unit where a scout (with or without his parent's help) can fake his way through all 46 of these checkpoints. Even if this were possible, I would blame the leadership, not the scout. I encourage you to put the blame and the label where it belongs.

 

Scouting cannot play by the same rules as when I was a first class scout. Many of the changes have improved the overall program and made it much safer for the boys. Some have diluted the program and shifted the focus to more contemporary needs. This doesn't make the program less valuable. It does make it different.

 

Why Eagle...

It looks great on a resume.

It looks good on a college application.

It looks outstanding on a uniform.

The Eagle knot on an adult uniform is really cool.

The recognition from your community is unique.

The respect from the rest of the troop is welcome.

 

Statistically only 4% of all scouts become an Eagle Scout. When you are 40 years old, fefw will understand you were SPL, VP of a venture crew, active in OA, and camping 2-3 times each month. Nearly EVERYONE will understand you are an Eagle Scout. Think of earning your Eagle as an investment.

 

[DonM]

You don't really know that it isn't going to make you a better person until you have completed the requirements.

 

- The project will give you an opportunity to plan, coordinate, and lead in a more independent manner than you may have done. You work will be reviewed and only accepted if done fully and well. Scale your project to be as chalenging as you need to give yourself the chance to learn and grow. Don't just pick something easy that will get by.

 

- I don't know if the 3 MB's are eagle required or not, but they offer the chance to learn something new or expand your knowledge. If you think you don't care about them, give it a try. You may be wrong.

 

- Completing something difficult that takes time, patience, and determination, especially sticking with it at the boring ending, is a quality worth developing. I often work with new engineers who want to do the design and make a first pass then call themselves done. Who wants to work on documentation, testing, and fixing minor problems?

 

It's not just about earning a rank, maybe having help with schools or jobs, or even inpiring other scouts in your troop to work to a goal. It's about you deciding what qualities you want to develop in yourself.

 

DonM