Troop 945’s Trail To Eagle Steps
Scout’s Name: ______
Notes: (1) Steps 1-11 Must Be Completed Before Starting Your Project
(2) Signature requirements are in Boldface type
Step No. / Step Requirement / Target date / Completed(Check √) /
1 / Complete all Life requirements, including the Board of Review / E – 52 wks
2 / Talk to your Eagle Advisor to let him know that you are on the Trail to Eagle. Ask questions, seek advice, and be open to ideas that will help you reach your goal in a way that is both do-able and Eagle-worthy.
3 / Choose an organization you would like to benefit. Ideally, it will be a place that has some meaning to you, such as your church, where you would like to leave a lasting benefit. The benefiting organization must meet certain eligibility requirements (be non profit, for instance) The Eagle Advisor can help you choose an eligible organization.
4 / Choose a project that is do-able. Talk to a person at your chosen organization about the kinds of things they would like to have done. Some projects fit the test of an Eagle-eligible project. Others may be too small, and some may be too big. Your Eagle project should be “just right.”
A “just right” Eagle Project typically involves at least 100 service hours but not much more than 200 service hours. There are no hard and fast rules about the number of hours required for an Eagle-worthy project, however
5 / Select Your ASM-In-Charge (ASMIC) and meet with Eagle Advisor.
STOP: THIS STEP MUST TAKE PLACE BEFORE ANY OTHER STEPS.
This meeting must include you, at least 1 parent, your ASM-In-Charge and the Eagle Advisor. Your ASMIC is responsible for monitoring progress during the entire process through BOR. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss this process, expectations and initial Eagle Project ideas. - see www.eaglescout.org for ideas, planning and organizing info. / E – 50 wks
6 / Get the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook (ESLSPW) at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927.pdf http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-927_fillable.pdf . Prepare the “Project Description” section (pages 5 and 6) and review this general plan with your ASMIC; the Eagle Advisor or Scoutmaster, and with the recipient organization and get their verbal approval to proceed with detailed planning. This step can be combined with Step 4 if you have verbal agreement with the recipient organization. / E – 48 wks
7 / Prepare a detailed written plan that satisfies the ESLSPW section for “Project Details” (approx 4 – 5 pages of detail). See attachment below for the required format and elements you must include, as appropriate, in your plan. Examples of completed plans are available from the Eagle Advisor.
In most cases, you will want to take some “Before” photographs at this point, to compare to “After” pictures you will take later. / E –47 wks
8 / Provide a copy for draft review to your ASMIC and the Eagle Advisor. Obtain changes from the review and incorporate into your detailed plan.
Obtain a signature from the either the Scoutmaster or Eagle Advisor in the ESLSPW. If the Scoutmaster signs the approval, please notify the Eagle Advisor so he/she can keep track of the progress of your application. / E - 46
9 / Make a request to the Troop Committee Chairperson to present your detailed written plan to the Troop Committee for their approval. A copy of the ESLSPW must be provided to the Troop Committee Chairperson for use during this review. Meet with the Committee. Be in full Class A+ uniform. The Committee may make suggestions or set certain conditions. Obtain a signature from the Troop Committee Chairperson. / E – 45 wks
10 / Following draft review with the Troop Committee, obtain a signature from the recipient organization. / E - 44
11 / If you plan to raise funds, you must complete the fundraising application on page 17 (now called “3-7”) of the ESLSPW. This application needs to be signed by Counsel. A fundraising application does NOT need to be completed if all project funding is being obtained from
· Yourself (up to $500 in Scoutbucks)
· Your family
· The recipient organization
· The Troop
See below for further instructions.
Allow 2 weeks for this step to take place / E – 43 wks
12 / Present your written plan to the District Eagle Board Chairperson (Ms. Christine Jeffrey at (work 240-223-1419, cell 301-466-9717) for approval. When you have satisfied the District Chairperson, obtain a District signature of approval on page 10 of the ESLSPW. / E – 42 wks
13 / You MUST NOT start any project activities (other than planning) until Step 12 is completed. This includes fundraising.
14 / Arrange acceptable dates for your project activities with the Scoutmaster, accounting for all other Troop activities. Planning must be sufficiently long-range to allow your project to be placed on the Troop calendar. Once this is done, you are responsible for advertising your project (e.g., soliciting Scout participation during Troop meetings) and collecting a list of names of Scouts and other volunteers who will be participating so that you can track their activities and hours. / E – 41 wks
Step No. / Step Requirement / Target date / Completed
(Check √)
15 / PROJECT DAY - All actual project activities in which other helpers are involved should be observed by your ASM-In-Charge or other adult as designated by the Eagle Advisor or Scoutmaster, who will determine if you are satisfactorily showing good leadership and completing the project as it was approved. You must ensure such adult participation. / E – 34 wks
16 / Complete your project in accordance with your Plan. Keep good notes. Especially important: Keep track of any changes to your plan and how you adapted to changes as they arose.
17 / Complete the written description of the completed project following the outline and guidance in the attached under Final Written Report / E – 30 wks
18 / Obtain the signatures of the recipient organization and the Eagle Advisor or Scoutmaster on page 22 (now called “4-4”) of the ESLSPW to signify satisfactory project completion and documentation. / E – 28 wks
19 / Complete all other requirements for the Eagle rank, including merit badges and leadership position. All requirements other than the Board of Review MUST be completed before your 18th birthday. Leadership MUST be demonstrated while a Life Scout. When all Merit badges are complete, obtain an up-to-date ScoutNet report from the Troop 945 advancement coordinator (currently Mr. Horst).
20 / Prepare your Eagle application package in accordance with the NCAC Precertification checklist. Prepare your final ESLSPW. Follow examples of previous successful Eagle Application packages (provided by the Eagle Advisor). Also, include in your package a copy of your current registration card or the Troop registration roster. Obtain the Eagle application at http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_web.pdf. Once complete, review this package with your parents and your ASMIC. / E – 26 wks
21 / Please Note Well: The Eagle application package includes a required signature from “BSA Local Council Certification” that the Scout is a registered member of Troop 945. This requires a trip to the National Capitol Area Council NCAC at Marriott Scout Service Center
9190 Rockville Pike
Bethesda MD 20814-3897
301-530-9360 • 301-564-9513 FAX
22 / Present your package to the Eagle Advisor for approval. Include the names and addresses of the character references from whom you wish to receive written statements. The Eagle Advisor will provide you with a letter that you can use to request reference letters if you wish. The Eagle Advisor can also mail these letters for you and track their arrival.
At least three letters must be received prior to the District Board of Review. / E – 24 wks
A note about letters of reference: These should always be addressed to the Eagle Advisor and should never be handled by the Scout. The Eagle Advisor or ASMIC will carry them unopened to the Eagle BOR. Therefore they must be clearly labeled on the outside, both who they are from and who they are for. After the Eagle BOR these letters must be shredded by Council. If you wish the Scout to ever see these letters, you should ask the reference writer to provide the Eagle Advisor with TWO copies, clearly labeled one for the Scout and one for the Eagle BOR.
Allow several weeks for reference letters to be sent and returned.
23 / SCOUTMASTER CONFERENCE - After approval by the Eagle Advisor, complete your Scoutmaster conference with your application package and obtain the Scoutmaster’s signature on the Eagle application. / E – 22 wks
24 / The Scoutmaster will determine whether a Troop Eagle Board of Review needs to be conducted to adequately prepare the Scout for the District Board of Review. If it is determined that a Troop Board of Review should be conducted, the Troop Committee will arrange it. / E – 20 wks
25 / If conducted, attend the Troop BoR with your completed Eagle application package. Appear in full class A+ uniform with all proper patches and sash. / E – 18 wks
26 / Complete Your Eagle Scout Precertification and Eagle Scout Rank application. / E – 16 wks
27 / BOARD OF REVIEW - Obtain the signature of the Troop Committee Chairperson on the Eagle application. Meet with the NCAC District Eagle representative (Mrs. Jeffrey) to review your completed Eagle booklet. Upon her approval, make three complete copies of your Eagle application package and submit them to the District Eagle representative for the next District Eagle Board of Review (usually the fourth Friday of every month) at least 14 days prior to the Board date. Notify the Scoutmaster and Eagle Advisor of the date of your District Board of Review (you must have the Scoutmaster or an Assistant Scoutmaster plus two other Troop adults present to assist at your District Board of Review). / E – 14 wks
28 / If you successfully complete the District Board of Review, meet with the Eagle Advisor to begin arranging your Eagle Court of Honor. Do not expect to schedule the Court of Honor for at least three months after the date of your final Board, allowing time for the recognition package to be received. / E – 12 wks
29 / Hold EAGLE COURT OF HONOR - Congratulations, YOU DID IT! / E-day
Updated December 2013
Attachment to Troop 945 STEPS ON THE TRAIL TO EAGLE
TROOP 945 EAGLE PROJECT DOCUMENTATON STANDARDS and EXPECTATIONS for the EAGLE SCOUT LEADERSHIP SERVICE PROJECT WORKBOOK (ESLSPW)
Step 7 – Project Description (from the ESLSPW)
Reminder: you cannot begin actual work on the project until it is approved by the district.
Get a current copy of the ESLSPW. This is the official booklet which is submitted to the district for approval. Read everything in it and in these guidelines before beginning to write up your plan.
On a single separate sheet of paper, type on a typewriter or computer, or NEATLY hand write, using your best grammar, the following:
“My project will consist of ..….“ Briefly (approximately 1/2 page) describe the project. Write this section as though you were telling a friend what you were going to do. This should not include the type of detail that will be required for the Step 4 detailed plan discussed below.
“My project will benefit (name the recipient organization) by …… “ Remember, the project cannot benefit only the Boy Scouts.
“I will demonstrate my leadership and management abilities by …… “ Briefly state the general type of activities you will be directing others to do, such as cutting, raking, shoveling, painting, assembling, etc.
“I estimate my project to require XX hours (average hours in Black Hills District is between 110 to 120 hours) of service time primarily through the activities of those other than myself “ You should use the following general estimation format (details may differ for your specific project):
My personal planning XX hours
Preparation work XX hours by YY persons = XX hours
On-site work XX hours by YY persons = XX hours
Finishing work XX hours by YY persons = XX hours
Total XXX hours
Note:
(1) An Eagle project may NOT involve any of the following: work on BSA property or equipment, work for a commercial (for-profit) business, be strictly fundraising, or be routine labor that would take substantive work away from local businesses. It may involve work done to improve the property of the chartering organization (i.e., the IWL), but must clearly serve the community as a whole as well as provide leadership opportunities for the Eagle candidate.
Step 7 – Project Detail (from the ESLSPW)
This is the heart of the project plan and the area which will require the most work. The plan should include all details needed by someone else to carryout the project as though you were not around. The plan will include the sections discussed below, if appropriate. All sections are not applicable to all projects, so may be omitted if not needed. Since there is limited space in the workbook, use separate pages that can be bound together with the ESLSPW in a notebook or binder. The ESLSPW sections should state “see attached page ___” where appropriate.
Present Condition
Describe the current condition or situation that you are going to change. Do not repeat the benefit of the project, but focus on creating a word picture of how things are now. USE PHOTOS of the project area. Remember, the District Eagle Board Chairman does not know what your church or school or park looks like so they cannot understand why your project is important unless you show and tell them.