Are these Eagle projects?

[AdvanceOn]

Are my expectations too high? Here are three Eagle projects that were recently written up in area newspapers. I feel like all of them were nice service projects but I don't feel like they're Eagle quality. Am I wrong?

 

"leading over two dozen scouts and volunteers in a roadside cleanup project along several miles of _____ roads. Where possible trash will be separated for recycling."

 

"His Eagle leadership project was to construct a kickboard at the ________ soccer field.

 

"______'s Eagle leadership project was the collection, assembly and distribution of 100 hygiene products for the __________ women's shelter."

[evmori]

The 1st one sounds like a nice Troop service project, not an Eagle project.

 

The other two could be Eagle projects. I would need more details to make that determination.

 

Ed Mori

Scoutmaster

Troop 1

[jmcquillan]

Ditto to what Ed said. Second two are "could-be's", but would need more detail to render an opinion.

[OldGreyEagle]

I would critique the first project the following way:

 

Did the Eagle Candidate obtain permssion from the proper authoriy to do the clean-up, was a permit needed? Did the scout fill out those papers, were they availiable on the job site

 

Did the scout procure the bags the trash went in, did he get them donated, did he hold a fundraiser to get the money to buy the supplies

 

Did he organize the workers into "work parties" was there a communication plan between the parties, was there a disaster plan if someone was injured or got sick

How were adults and vehicles to haul the trash recruited

did the scout contact the adults, how much trash did he think he would get, how much did he get.

 

Was there quality control? How did he measure if he did a good job? Are there before and after photos?

 

What was done with the trash, with the recycleables, were they separated out, did any of the recycl stuff generate cash, where did that money go ? Did the scout have it planned out where the trash would go?

 

Thats what I look for in an Eagle project.

 

if you apply the same type of questions to the other two projects, they could be Eagle projects. The Scout needs to Conceive, Plan, Implement and Evaluate. He has to work with a group and be in total control, or as much as a minor cab be. It doesnt have to be huge, but it has to be his

 

 

[AdvanceOn]

In fairness to the boys, the information I provided was what I have from newspaper articles. I realize that some vital information may (probably was) cut out.

 

I generally agree with Ed and jmcquillan

regarding project #3. With more information it might very well be a good Eagle project. Maybe I don't know what a kickboard is (#2) but I can't visualize at all how it involves leadership.

 

My problem with #1 is that it's a pretty routine service project that many troops take on for scouts to do for advancement. There are parts of roads and highways that have been adopted by Boy Scout Troops. Our troop has done so much clean up like this that I would have a really difficult time even considering this as an Eagle project.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

 

[shemgren]

The general outline of a Eagle Project is:

 

It must benefit the local community - meaning a church, school, park, community center, any non-profit service organization (except the Boy Scouts of America).

 

Take a minimum of 100 man hours outside of the Scout's planning time to complete.

 

Be accomplished in multiple, small scale work sessions, as opposed to a one day "all hands" effort.

 

Have most of the work done by people other than the Scout.

 

Project #1 would have tough time meeting that critrea. Project #2 and #3 could met the test, but as stated by another post, more of the details would needed to make that determination.

 

Scott Hemgren

ADC

Central Minnesota Council

[sctmom]

I just happened across this page about some Scouting Myths.

 

 

http://www.arkie.net/scouting/UrbanLegends.htm

 

 

Your troop may have a tradition of 100 hours but it is not required.

 

[AdvanceOn]

sctmom:

 

You're right 100 hours isn't mandated. However, most projects take more than 100 hours to complete. I know that members of the Eagle BOR look at how long a project took and really question when it's much less than 100 hours.

[eisely]

Based on the very limited information provided, I would be reluctant to say that any of these three projects would not qualify. #1 and #3 seem a little light, but then I wasn't there.

[shemgren]

While you are correct in stating that 100 hours are not required by the BSA, I have used this measure in my troop to get the Scouts to think about substantal and not trival projects.

 

If the project comes under that time, one wonders if it was that big in first place.

 

Having served on my district's Eagle Board of Review and approved projects while there, the board looks poorly on a project that won't at least be 100 hours outside of the Scout's planning. They often situplate additional things to the project to have it approved.

 

In my troop, we had a young man who grew vegatables on 10 acres of land, donated the produce to the local food shelf, and put in over 550 hours besides his own into the project. The time write-up took 13 pages by itself.