Eagle COH?

[eghiglie]

After my son's project was over we took the work crew out for pizza.

 

Other families in the area have done some over the top ECOH's. The last one we saw the parents invested $1,200 into a catered bbq, DJ, rented hall and all sorts of stuff and a keepsake for each person, like a wedding. Others have been similar. My wife, son and I thought it was over the top in each case.

 

When my son earned Eagle I asked what kind of ECOH? His answer was keep it simple! It was part of a regular Troop COH. The OA Ceremony team came and did a great show. My son is a Brotherhood member and active.

 

It was done outdoors, near his project. The other boys received there awards also.

 

He did something remarkable, he wanted no gifts. He asked that each attendee bring food for a local food pantry. He was really thrilled to bring the food to the pantry, about 7 bags full.

 

For food all we had was cake, later we gave him a cash gift.

 

Although my wife and I were trying to economize we were putting it in perspective. As he is 14 we realized that he will have many other great events ahead of him. Middle School grad (in six months) HS grad, College Grad, wedding.

 

[Eagle92]

$1200 for an ECOH?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?! holy quacamole!

 

I'm ballparking, but I think I spent maybe $250: food(finger sandwhiches, drinks, cake, and meatballs), invites, programs, printing, and a few gifts for key leaders. And that $250 includes a non-BSA "post reception party" for my college friends and a few of my older peers.(This message has been edited by eagle92)

[shortridge]

So a case could be made that Lifers are the thriftiest of all.

[NJCubScouter]

So a case could be made that Lifers are the thriftiest of all.

 

I'll drink to that. (A diet Coke, of course.) My "Life Court of Honor" didn't cost anything. (Well, back then it was probably 50 cents for the patch and a quarter for the card, so I guess it cost around 75 cents. Well, and divvying up the refreshments with the other Scouts getting awards... 75 cents plus a half a bag of pretzels.) We haven't completely figured out what my son's Eagle COH is going to be like or how much it will cost, but it is a problem I am happy to have, less-thrifty though it may be.

[Eagle92]

Actually thinking about it and it was under $150, and that included the non-BSA post-reception psrty. And yes something a little harder than soft drinks was served at that family function as this was before the 21 drinking age in LA.

[desertrat77]

Eghiglie, kudos to your Eagle, that's true scouting spirit!

 

Agreed, it's up to the scout and his parents as to how big or small the ceremony will be.

 

There is a trend towards the "coronation" ceremony...these tend to be tacky and way over done...just my opinion....

 

I'm a big fan of folding the Eagle presentation into the normally scheduled COH...very cool to see the new Tenderfoot share the same ceremony as a new Eagle. Makes an impression on many folks who normally would not come to the Eagle-only ceremony.

 

This was how I saw my first Eagle presentation...big troop court of honor, with all the MBs from summer camp, plus Tenderfoot thru Life, and at the end, they lit the Eagle candle and pinned the medal on our JASM...a few words, round of applause, and join us for cake. Simple yet quite an impact...really put the hook in me to get moving on the scouting trail.

[Oak Tree]

We've always done ours as an Eagle CoH. It makes it easier for the family to schedule grandparents or whomever. I do like the idea of doing it outdoors - we've had one done that way. When you only have one or two per year, it works out pretty well to have them as special events. I'm not sure what I'll do next year if we end up having ten of them - that would be a lot of extra CoHs for the whole troop to attend. I'm guessing that some of them will choose to combine theirs.

[SSScout]

In this discussion, I wish to remind folks that we have two seperate items here: The awarding of the Eagle award and the celebration of the event.

My memories of past (way past) Eagle CoHs are just that: A Court of Honor to make note of the accomplishment and make the formal presentation of the badge, medal and certificate. In the Troop of my youth, we would have the candle lit CoH, as usual, for the "lower ranks" and then the SM and ASMs would come forward, invite the new Eagle forward, make his charge, ask him to renew his Scout Promise and presented him his award. Sometimes, if someone remembered to ask, there would be the letter of congratulation from the Senator or Governor or President, but often not. The close of the CoH/Troop Meeting would include the SM Minute, something about trails traveled or dust on the boot or new hills to climb or such. THEN we'd settle in to the fried chicken or cake. The Troop made the award, the family and friends made the party.

 

Nowadays, the CoH is often part and parcel with the celebration, which I think is a shame. It loses the Scout part of it, in my opinion.

The Troop awards the rank, the Scout earns it, the family and friends and Scout celebrate it.

One of the best Eagle presentations I have witnessed was done on a camp trip. The nascent Eagle was the youngest of three brothers, the others also Eagles. I was not around when the first two received theirs. The younger asked to receive his on a camp out at his granddad's farm (a favorite Troop spot). Family folk were escorted to the spot and lawn chairs set up for all the witnesses. Tables, clothes, placards, candles and other regalia for a normal CoH, only under a crisp fall sky. The SM, who is not known for his SM Minutes, outdid himself, I thought. After, campfire fare: hotdogs, bratwurst and beans and salad. After the families retired, the Scouts stayed up late around the campfire. What more do you need?

 

[Eagle92]

I think that this is a great thread with lots of great advice on how to conduct a ECOH. I do have a few additional comments

 

1) Whatever you do, whether you let the Eagle plan his own, troop does it all, inside , outside WHATEVER, you must make it SPECIAL for the Eagle. After all he put in a lot of hard work to get here.

 

2) You must make it INSPIRATIONAL for those still climbing the trail. Letting them see this scout get Eagle, as well as recognizing those eagle adults and youth present, especially current and former members of the troop who are Eagle, will be awe inspiring b/c it will show the significance of how few make it as well as what the impact of Scouting in one's life.

 

3) You must make it CELEBRATORY for all those who have helped along the way: parents, former youth and adult leaders, grandparents, etc. Let's face it while the Eagle climbed the trail, he did recieve help, knowledge, and advice from a lot of folks.

 

[maurergj]

Sorry, it should absolutely be a single COH for the Eagle unless the Eagle Scout and his parent want something else. Your Troop should not force an Eagle Scout to accept a combined COH with other events against his wishes. The Woods Wisdom Book, which every SM should have, gives specific ceremonies and they are all separate from Troop COHs.

[Eagle92]

M,

FYI the Woods Wisdom Book is no more. It is now called Troop Program Features vols. 1-3 and Troop Resource Book (yep national split WW into 4 books) and the Resource Book has suggested, and I stress suggested, ceremonies. And I concur they are a must have for every troop.

 

That said, I must respectfully disagree with you, although I prefer indiviudal ECOHs. Troops over time do have their traditions, and while WW and it's incartnations have been around at least 20 years, you do have troops out there older than that, and have their traditions in place well before the books come out. perfectly good example is one troop, been around since at least 1926 (it probably is older, but that is when the council was formed and their charter goes to that time) and they only do 1 ECOH per year, on Scout Sunday. Very nice ceremony I might add.

 

So while there are recommendations, Scouting allows for some local options.