Dear Life Scout,

Congratulations on making Life Rank! You have just received from Mr. Michael Cox (our troop committee chairman) your Life to Eagle Packet. A committee of parents and scout leaders from troop 340 has put together the following helpful hints to help you as you progress to eagle.

1. Read the Guidelines for Eagle Progress Review.
2. REMEMBER THIS IS YOUR PROJECT! Your parents can be supportive and helpful but this process is to help YOU build leadership qualities, not your parents.
3. Keep all your paper work in a safe place as you work on your eagle Project.
4. Make several copies of your packet so you can work on a rough draft of your ideas before writing a final copy for approval.
5. There are several online sites that have been written by other councils that have excellent ideas for planning. They are www.cnjc-bsa.org/eagle/ and www.flash.net/~smithrc/eagleprj.htm
6. While planning your project make sure you are precise. THE MORE DETAIL-THE BETTER! ALL materials, all hours, all details must be listed in your project plan.
7. The average eagle project is a minimum of 50 hours. (These hours include your planning plus the total hours of all workers)
8. Safety issues need to be addressed. Scouts are not allowed to run power tools. Scout leaders and parents can run power tools.
9. Make sure that you identify who is paying for the materials needed for completion of your project. (The organization for which you are performing the service should pay for the materials. The scout is to provide leadership, manpower hours and organization of the project.)
10. Take before photos (if applicable) of your project to be turned in with paperwork.
11. After you have completed your planning and typed or written it neatly on your form, MAKE SEVERAL COPIES!
12. Obtain approval signatures from you Scout Master (Mike Lyman 477-8919), Scout Committee Chairman (Mike Cox 532-6160), and an official from the Sponsoring Organization for whom you are completing the project.
13. Give this final copy with signatures to the District Advancement Committee Chairman for approval. (Herb Coy 264-7088)
14. You then need to wait for their approval of your project. This could take several weeks. REMEMBER--WORKING FROM LIFE TO EAGLE TAKES TIME. GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO PLAN AND WAIT FOR PAPERWORK TO GET PROCESSED! LIFE SCOUTS WHO ARE GETTING CLOSE TO 18 YEARS OF AGE MUST CONSIDER THE TIME!

 

 

 

DURING THE PROJECT

15. Once the District Advancement Committee approves your project you can plan a date for your project.
16. Inform all workers (scouts and parents) when the project will be held, where the will be held (including directions) and what they need to bring.
17. During the project you are the supervisor. You give assignments and make sure that the work is getting done. You may help, but your first job is supervision!
18. Keep a record of scouts who attended and the hours they worked.
19. Plan food and water supplies for workers.
20. Take pictures during and after the project is completed.

AFTER THE PROJECT

21. Tally hours of workers, days and times
22. Write a rough draft of the your project summary. Using the computer is helpful. You can cut and paste it onto the form when it is completed to your satisfaction.
23. Include your after photos in the packet.
24. Additional pages can be added to the packet if necessary.
25. Obtain a letter from the organization that you provided the service for stating that the project was completed.
26. Both the scoutmaster (Mr. Mike Lyman 477-8919) and Committee Chairman (Mr. Mike Cox 532-6160) must sign the back of the project worksheet, signifying that they feel the project was successfully completed.
27. MAKE SEVERAL COPIES OF THE COMPLETED PACKET.
28. Turn the completed project packet into the committee chairman (Mr. Mike Cox 532-6160)

EAGLE APPLICATION

29. If you have completed all the merit badges required for eagle (see scout manual), you are now ready to fill out your eagle application.
30. You were given reference forms with your eagle packet. You need to ask your chosen references ahead of time if they are willing to give you a reference. Take the reference form to them with a self addressed stamped envelope with the committee chairman's name and address on it (Mr. Michael Cox, 20 Middle Spring Rd., Shippensburg, PA 17257). Ask your references to complete the forms as quickly as possible and mail them to Mr. Cox. You are not to see the completed reference forms.
31. Accurately complete your application. Use your merit badge cards for dates of merit badges and the date written in your scout book for advancement dates.
32. You must set up a scoutmaster conference to discuss your application with Mr. Lyman (477-8919) to get his signature.
33. All signatures need to be signed on the back of the application (your signature, the scoutmaster, and the committee chairman).
34. MAKE A COPY OF YOUR APPLICATION
35. Take the completed copy to the committee chairman (Mike Cox 532-6160) The route sheet and post card included in the eagle packet must be included.
36. When all references have been returned to Mr. Mike Cox, he will take your application to the Council Office. This must be taken to the council office before a board of review can be scheduled.

 

PRACTICE BOARD OF REVIEW

37. Ask Mr. Mike Cox to set up a practice board of review for you.
38. This board of review is to help you to prepare for your official eagle board of review.
39. Prior to the practice board of review, review your scout oath, law, etc. Re-read your scout manual for anything that might be asked of you.
40. Come dressed in your official scout uniform (neatly pressed!). Official scout pants are required for this board of review. Wear your sash, neckerchief, hat and scout belt. If you are a member of the Order of the Arrow, you can where this sash also and wear your merit badge sash at your waste.

BOARD OF REVIEW

41. Ask Mr. Cox to contact Mr. Coy (District Advancement Committee Chairman) about setting up your official board of review.
42. Come prepared and dressed like you did for your practice board of review.
43. YOU MUST BRING YOUR SCOUT BOOK TO BE SIGNED.
44. Remain calm and remember what scouting has meant to you. Express that to your leaders and you will do great!
45. After you are asked a series of questions you will be asked to leave the room while the board discusses your advancement to Eagle.
46. You will know at the time of your board of review if you have passed. Your book will be signed and you are now an Eagle Scout!
47. The committee chairman (Mr. Cox) will now take your entire packet to the council office. MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A COPY OF EVERYTHING THAT IS BEING SENT TO THE COUNCIL AND EVENTUALLY TO THE NATIONAL OFFICE. (This paperwork has been lost before!)
48. NOW YOU WAIT! Your packet will be reviewed by the council office and sent to the national office in Texas. It can take up to three months to arrive from the national office. If it is essential that your eagle award arrive quickly, there is an option to pay an additional $100.00 to speedily expedite your paperwork.
49. DO NOT PLAN YOUR COURT OF HONOR UNTIL YOU HAVE BEEN GIVEN WORD FROM MR. COX THAT IT HAS ARRIVED.
50. You will begin to receive correspondence from many different organizations that have been informed that you are now an Eagle Scout. This is a good sign that your paper work is being processed correctly.
51. You will be asked to join the National Eagle Association. This is optional and a personal choice. You will be given a discount rate while you are still a student. The benefits to this organization will be explained in their correspondence. Membership is optional.

1. SET A DATE!
2. Planning your court of honor is a family responsibility. The troop and scout leaders will be available for support and help but this is your court of honor, so plan it your way!
3. Once your date is set, letters should be sent to political officials. Mary Ellen Moore (267-3768)from the troop committee has these letters in her computer and she will be happy to print them for you. They are signed by Michael Cox and sent to various officials (i.e. President of the U.S., PA Governor, State and U.S. House of Representative, etc.) Response letters of congratulations take anywhere from two weeks to two months to return. If you want them available to be read at your court of honor, plan your date accordingly.
4. Your court of honor can be held at the church or at any suitable site.
5. There is no set plan but most eagle courts of honor include a flag ceremony (prayer, pledge, scout oath, and scout promise), and the presentation of the eagle award and the eagle response. Mr. Cox has several versions of the eagle programs. Check with him in preparing this portion of your court of honor.
6. Your court of honor should be as individual as you are. You may add music, photo displays from your scouting experience, displays of your achievements in scouts and school, videos, or anything you would feel appropriate.
7. You may ask scout leaders, family, friends, etc. to speak at your court of honor.
8. Your family in honor of your accomplishment may purchase a flag that has been flown over the state Capitol or one that has been flown over the nation’s capitol. You should contact your state representative Jeff Coy (264-3943 or 532-1707) or Patrick Fleagle (762-6001 or 762-1763) regarding a flag flown at the PA state capitol and U.S. Congressman Bill Shuster (264-8308) regarding a flag that has been flown at the U.S. Capitol.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU DON’T JUST FLY NOW, YOU SOAR WITH THE EAGLES!