Troop 259 Life to Eagle Guide
This page contains resources and ideas to assist a Life Scout to make it all the way through his Eagle Court of Honor.
Eagle Scout Court of Honor Ideas

a)  As soon as a Scout passes his Eagle Board of Review, a scout can start planning his Eagle Court of Honor.  Due to the fact that the awarding of the Eagle Scout is not official until National approves it and the Eagle award can not be picked up until then; a date should not be picked until after the Eagle application is approved.

b)  Where, when, and what format the Eagle Court of Honor takes is up to the new Eagle Scout and his parents.  It can be a simple ceremony at the normal troop meeting place, an outdoor event at a campfire, or a fancy ceremony at a restaurant.  There are traditional things that take place in every Eagle Court of Honor, but even those things can be changed, if needed.

c)  As a gift to the Eagle from the Troop, the Troop Committee offers $100 to every new Eagle to offset expenses for the Eagle Court of Honor.  Beyond that, any expenses are the responsibility of the parents.

d) At the Eagle Court of Honor a Scout usually receives several letters from people throughout the country congratulating them.  The letters need to be requested by the Scoutmaster.  In order to make these requests the Scoutmaster needs to know the date, time, and location of the Eagle Court of Honor.  It can take up to 2-3 months to receive some of the letters from the dignitaries.  We highly suggest picking the date and location of the Eagle Court of Honor as soon as possible and getting that information to the Scoutmaster, so he can request these letters.

e) The parents and Scout can be involved in the planning of the Eagle COH as much or as little as they want to be.  If they want to do all the planning, invitations, etc. themselves, they can.  If they would like the troop to handle all the details, they need to let the Troop Committee Chairman know as soon as possible.

The following web page(s) list several Eagle Scout Ceremonies and hints.
EagleScout.Org

I just had my Life Board of Review, now what?
a)  Make sure you are in an approved leadership position for Eagle.  A few leadership positions that were allowed for Star and Life are no longer allowed for Eagle.  If you are not in an approved position see the SPL as soon as possible.

b)  Start thinking about what you want your Eagle project to be.   As soon as you have your Life Board of Review you can start the approval process for your Eagle Project.  You do not have to wait until you are finished all the other requirements.  See below for information on Eagle Projects.

c)  Continue earning your merit badges.  Don't forget that several Eagle-required merit badges (i.e. Personal Fitness) require several months to complete.  Start working on them early.

d)  Don't forget that you must have completed all the requirements for Eagle, including the Scoutmaster Conference, before your 18th birthday.  The only things allowed to take place after your 18th birthday is finalizing your paperwork and the Eagle Board of Review.  Everything else must be completed by the time you turn 18.  We highly suggest trying to complete Eagle as soon as possible, because several scouts that wait to the last minute finds they have waited too long.
Eagle Project
Unlike other ranks in scouting in order to achieve the rank of Eagle a scout must plan and execute his own Eagle Project.  This can sound daunting to a Life scout but with proper planning it can be done.

a)  First off, obtain the Eagle Project workbook from either Mr. S. or from here (PDF version.)  This workbook contains the rules and a guidebook to follow in carrying out your project.  If you would like to have a version of the workbook in an editable format for the computer try here

b)  Think about what you want your project to be.  Sometimes it is easier to think about who you want the project to benefit first and then think about what you want the project to be.  In general a project cannot benefit an individual, a for-profit organization, or Scouting directly.  Projects may not be fundraisers (other then raising money for equipment or supplies to complete the project.)  Projects may not be routine maintenance of a facility (i.e. just cutting grass and racking leaves.)

c)  The Eagle candidate must show leadership and planning skills while doing the project for it to count.  The scout must do all planning and leadership himself.  Parents and adults can be consulted but should not be doing the planning or supervising.  We highly suggest limiting the amount of work the candidate's parents do on the project to a minimum.

d)  There is no minimum amount of time required to work on an Eagle Project but a good basis to work from is a minimum of 40 hours.  As an example of how this time is computed, the Eagle candidate may spend 5 hours planning the project then may have 10 scouts and scouters working 4 hours each on the project.  This would add up to 45 hours.

e)  No work other then initial planning is allowed to start on an Eagle Project until it has been approved by the organization it is benefiting, the Scoutmaster, the Troop Committee, and a representative from the Indian Creek district.

Eagle Project Approval Process
1)  First discuss your ideas with the Scoutmaster. Do not approach any organizations without approaching the Scoutmaster.  If you do not have any idea what you want your project to be but you know you want it to benefit a certain organization, let the Scoutmaster know who you are contacting, then you can contact the organization. 
2)  Once the Scoutmaster has approved your basic idea, write-up your idea on the official Eagle Project workbook. 
3)  Take this write-up to the organization it will benefit.  Get the signature of an officer within the organization.  Do not promise anything to the organization.  Make sure they realize that the project still has to go through more steps to be approved.
4)  Add any additional information that you may have learned about the project to your workbook.  If possible include pictures of the site or drawings to help people understand what you are planning.
5)  Take project workbook to the Scoutmaster for his approval and his signature.
6)  Call the Committee Chairman and let him know that you would like to present an Eagle Project idea to the Troop Committee.  Present the idea to the Committee at the next committee meeting.  Do not forget to show up in uniform with your project workbook.  If you have a project where you can't wait until the next committee meeting, let the Committee Chairman know and he may be able to make special arrangements.  Don't forget to get the signature on the workbook before leaving the committee meeting.
7)  Contact the District Eagle Representative (get the name and number at the committee meeting,) and take the project workbook to them for approval.  Obtain his signature.
8)  Once you have obtained all these signatures you may begin working on your Eagle project.

After the Eagle Project is Finished
a)  While the project is still fresh in your memory.  Write-up the final sections of the project workbook.  Be sure to indicate how you showed leadership, any changes that had to be made from the original plan, and any other details you can think off.  Feel free to add pages to the workbook.
b)  Take "after" pictures.
c)  Get the officer from the organization that benefited from the project to sign in the project workbook that you completed the project.
d)  Get the Scoutmaster to sign in the project workbook that you completed the project.
e)  If the organization is happy with your project, mention that a thank-you letter looks real good in an Eagle Packet.
I did the Eagle Project, got the merit badges, finished my time as an active scout and in a leadership position, now what?

a)  As soon as you are finished all the requirements for Eagle, request the Scoutmaster Conference.  The Scoutmaster may or may not want this to be part of a normal meeting so call the Scoutmaster in advance to ask him when he is available. 

b)  Ask Mr. S. for a printout of your advancement record from the troop database.

c)  Get a copy of the official Eagle Scout Application from Mr. S. or printout a copy from here.

d)  Using the printout from the troop database, fill out a copy of the Eagle Scout Application.  Do not use any abbreviations.  Use your full name, including middle name.  Use your full address, including your full street name.  The only allowed abbreviation in the entire application is the state name.

e)  For Requirement 2 on the application you need to list character references.  Someone must be listed for every reference.  Note:  if you never had an employer, place "Not Applicable" in the blank for name.  It is a good idea (although not required) for the candidate to send out letter of recommendation requests to these people and have them mail the recommendations to the Committee chair or the Advancement chairman.  A sample letter of recommendation request in MS Word format is included here.  You do not have to wait for the letters to come back before proceeding.

f)  For Requirement 6 on the application you need to include a piece of paper that contains, "a statement of your ambitions and life purpose and a listing of positions held in your religious institution or community organization."  This is a simple, easy way for you to tell the Eagle Board of Review, your life goals and ambition.  It does not have to be complicated.  Write your true ambitions, not what you think you want the board to hear.  Don't be shy about bragging about your positions in other organizations.  Tell about them all, but it doesn't need to be too long.  Try to keep it shorter then one page.

f)  Have the Scoutmaster and Mr. S. look over the application.  If they find no problems, fill out the actual application using either a typewriter/computer or using a black pen with very neat handwriting.  They will not accept any whiteouts or erase marks on the application.  When finished get the Scoutmaster and the Committee Chairman to sign the form.

g)  It is highly suggested (but not required) that you make a Eagle Packet.  This notebook should be a 3 ring binder with several items in it.  A few are things that are required; other things are optional.  Items are listed in the order they should appear in the Packet. Items in red are required.

Eagle Packet
1)  3 Part Advancement sheet - See Advancement chairman for this
2)  Eagle Application
3)  Statement of Life Ambitions - Application requirement 6
4)  Eagle Project Workbook
5)  Letters of Recommendation - Application requirement 2 (only if they are sent to you instead of being sent directly to Advancement Chair or Committee chair) 
6)  Full printout of your database information from the troop database.
7)  Blue cards from all your merit badges.
8)  Anything else scout related that gives people an idea about you.

h)  Once Items 1-4 of your Eagle Packet are assembled, and signed (except for Board of Review signatures,) the entire packet must be taken to the Indian Creek District Eagle Representative for approval.  After he approves the Eagle Packet, an Eagle Board of Review can be scheduled.

i)  Once the District Rep has approved the Eagle Packet he will let the troop Advancement Chairman know that a Eagle Board of Review can be scheduled.  A time, date, and location need to be picked that both the Eagle Candidate and all the Eagle Board of Review members can attend. The Eagle Board of Review consists of, but is not limited to, a district representative, and 2 representatives from the troop.  No relatives, or Assistant Scoutmasters of the troop are allowed to attend.  The Scoutmaster may attend as an observer or be called upon to answer any questions.

j)  The Eagle Candidate is allowed to, but not required to, invite one person from outside the troop to sit on the Eagle BOR.  This person cannot be a relative, Assistant Scoutmaster of 259, or the Scoutmaster.  This person should not be a "ringer" for the candidate.  Good examples are teachers, religious leaders, policemen, prominent leaders of the community, scout leaders from other troops, etc.  This person needs to be approved in advance by the Eagle Board of Review Chairman.
Last Changed:  4/24/07