[Rhodes22-list] Eagle Scout
Roger Pihlaja
cen09402@centurytel.net
Wed, 15 Jan 2003 07:49:24 -0500
Will,
Boy, would it ever be fun to work with you towards earning your Eagle! You
sound like you really have your act together.
When I became Scoutmaster, my troop was using the system you are
describing - one Eagle Advisor for all the Eagle Scout candidates. I think
my system works better. It spreads the expertise around among more adult
leaders. Before the proposal for the Eagle Service Project is submitted to
council for approval, all the Eagle Advisors take a critical look at it.
Their suggestions are considered & incorporated as the Eagle Scout candidate
& his official Eagle Advisor deem appropriate. I think this peer review
system gives us better Eagle Service Projects, because our proposals simply
fly thru the system & they are all challenging but doable.
You are quite correct in that having Eagle Scout on your resume will look
good on any job or college application. But, it will especially help if you
are trying to get into Annapolis. But, even beyond your immediate future;
earning your Eagle Scout is one of those things that will be more important
to you in 10 years than it is on the day you earn it & even more in 20
years. It's difficult to explain, but trust me on this one. Hopefully,
earning your Eagle Scout will establish a pattern of success & leadership
that will continue all your life.
As you probably know by now, you must earn your Eagle Scout before your 18th
birthday. So, your much time do you have left? Do you have any other Eagle
requirements besides the Eagle Service Project left to complete? In my
troop, we use the winter months for building & planning in preparation for
Eagle Service Projects. For example, we currently have an Eagle Scout
candidate who is doing a project with the MDNR. His Eagle Service Project
is to build & install wood duck nesting boxes on state land. Wood ducks
require a very specific habitat for successful nesting, wooded forest &
marsh right up to the edge of a small sheltered body of water. The nesting
box needs to located right on the edge of the water so the wood ducklings
can jump down into the water the 1st time they leave the nest. The troop
will be building the nesting boxes over the winter. The Eagle Scout
candidate just displayed the prototype nesting box at our troop meeting last
night. Now, we must mass produce them.
Do you have any issues with working with the Eagle Advisor in your troop?
Have you discussed your Eagle Service Project with him/her yet? Just
remember that many obstacles in life can be considered as a series of tests
or hoops that must be jumped thru. They are deliberately made to be a royal
PITA because that's how the wheat is separated from the chaff. You will
find many such tests at the Navy Acadamy, in college, & in your adult life.
So, how badly do you want your Eagle? Make it all a game. Whatever, your
Eagle Advisor &/or the council requires, no matter how picky or stupid,
simply salute & say, "Yes Sir!"
Good luck!
Roger Pihlaja
----- Original Message -----
From: "William P. Barry, III" <wp.barry@att.net>
To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 6:29 PM
Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Eagle Scout
> I guess the age is kept kind of quiet except to those that I have met
> through boat shows and Rhodes' Rendezvous. I've long looked at the
> efficiency of your troop and the organization behind it. Mine is rather
> large, and very overwhelmed with the number of trips that are happening,
> individual basis is hard to keep. However, there are certain factors that
I
> would like to see more of, especially one that you mentioned. It seems as
a
> better idea for each scout to choose the advisor that they see fit for
> working with and most comfortable around. As ours is set up now, we have
> many scouts to an individual advisor appointed. My goal was/is was to get
> into the Naval Academy, and the Boy Scouts is really a sign of the junior
> leadership and organization that they're looking for. I try to keep my
> patrol more uniformed and self disciplined than some of the others,
> following some of the same criteria that the military requires. I thank
you
> for the recommendations of which organizations to look to help out, and in
> the end, it is the personal development and skills that the council is
> looking for.
>
> Will Barry
> S/V Bulldog
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Roger Pihlaja" <cen09402@centurytel.net>
> To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 5:50 PM
> Subject: Re: [Rhodes22-list] Eagle Scout
>
>
> > Will,
> >
> > I had no idea you were so young. I don't know how Eagle Service
Projects
> > are handled in your troop. However, in my troop, each Eagle Scout
> candidate
> > is "joined" to an Eagle Advisor adult leader. The Eagle Advisor cannot
be
> > the Scoutmaster or one of the Scout's parents. These pairings are
> arranged
> > & agreed to personally between the Scout & the adult leader. The Scout
is
> > told he must find an Eagle Advisor at his Life Scout Board of Review.
> Then,
> > during the Court of Honor (CoH) wherein the Scout is awarded his Life
> Scout
> > badge of rank, there is another brief ceremony right after the Life
Scout
> > rank is awarded. The requirements for Eagle Scout are reviewed & the
> Scout
> > is asked to publically commit to achieving these requirements. The
Eagle
> > Scout candidate then renews his vows by individually repeating the Scout
> > Oath & Law in front of the whole CoH. Then, the Eagle Scout candidate &
> the
> > Eagle Advisor are each asked in turn if they are willing to help +
> give/take
> > advice re the Eagle Service Project. After they both officially &
> > publically commit to this endeavor, the Troop Committee Chairman gives
the
> > Eagle Scout candidate his Life-To-Eagle packet. In my troop, it is
> > considered an honor for a Scout to want you as his Eagle Advisor, a sign
> of
> > respect & trust.
> >
> > So, my 1st question is: Do you have an Eagle Advisor? If not, then you
> > should find one. This relationship doesn't have to be formally
consumated
> > like we do it in my troop. This is a tradition I started back in 1995
> when
> > I became Scoutmaster. My little Scout troop hatches Eagle Scouts at
about
> > 5X the national average rate. One of the things that makes our Eagle
> > program so successful is that our entire rank advancement program is
> sharply
> > focused on keeping the concept of being an Eagle Scout always out there
in
> > front of every Scout. Seeing the Eagle Scout candidates publically
commit
> > to this big Eagle Service Project in front of the entire troop, the
adult
> > leaders, & all their parents at a CoH makes a lasting impression on the
> new
> > Scouts. It also makes them want to be involved, which helps the Eagle
> Scout
> > candidate find volunteer labor to work on his project.
> >
> > Politically, it's always a good idea to see if your troop's charter
> sponsor
> > has any projects that need doing. Doing their projects helps keep the
> > relationship between the troop & charter sponsor strong. The
requirements
> > for the Eagle Service Project preclude me from doing too much for the
> Eagle
> > Scout Candidate. It's supposed to be a demonstration of the Eagle Scout
> > Candidate's organizational & leadership skills. However, here are some
> > suggestions for other organizations to check with for suitable projects:
> >
> > Local Chamber of Commerce
> > Local School Board
> > Local Unit of Government (City Council, Township Board of Directors,
> County
> > Board of Commissioners, etc.)
> > Local Dept. of Parks & Recreation
> > Local Churches
> > State Dept. of Natural Resources
> > Local Historical Societies or Local Museums
> > Local United Way Organizations
> > Local Service Organizations (Moose, VFW, Eagles, etc.)
> > Local Indian Tribal Council
> >
> > An Eagle Service Project is especially satisfying if it can be combined
> with
> > one of your own personal interests or life's ambitions. So, what do you
> > like to do &/or what would you like to be as an adult?
> >
> > Good Luck!
> >
> > Roger Pihlaja
> > S/V Dynamic Equilibrium
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "William P. Barry, III" <wp.barry@att.net>
> > To: "The Rhodes 22 mail list" <rhodes22-list@rhodes22.org>
> > Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2003 4:29 PM
> > Subject: [Rhodes22-list] Eagle Scout
> >
> >
> > > Roger:
> > > Throughout the past few years, I have seen you write stories about
> > multiple trips and camps that you and your Boy Scout Troop have
attended.
> I
> > am reaching the point where I must begin the traditional Eagle Scout
> project
> > in order to fulfill the requirements of my next advancement. As I have
had
> a
> > few ideas, but not many resources to base them on, I was wondering if
> there
> > is any particular area that you send your troop to in order to further
> > investigate the possibilities. I would really like to get a few more
ideas
> > before I take my current ones and place them out for approval.
> > > Thanks,
> > > Will Barry
> > >
> > >
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> >
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