Eagle Advisor?

[Double Eagle]

I may be missing something on this.  I would describe the Eagle advisor as someone in the troop that focuses on the Life Scouts (like an ASM) to teach, coach, and mentor them to complete what they want and started.  

I think the project part is bigger than the advisor's role.  Most projects takes troops(s), organizations, packet write up, resources, etc.  I know of district and council folks that nit-pick a proposal and ok.  As an Eagle advisor, I'd want all the help I can get to get the project approved, executed, and finalized.

As for the Eagle application, BOR, and records, it could take the committee to track everything if record keeping is shabby.  

And for those that read to the bottom of the post:  The youngest Eagle Scout was 11yrs old.  Not many 11yr olds have the skills, knowledge, and attitude to complete Eagle projects, BOR, and application. 

[qwazse]

1 hour ago, Eagle94-A1 said:

I do not know when an "Eagle Advisor" position was created, but I am guessing within the last 15 years.  So My questions is, what did folks do when advice was needed for the project before the advisor position was created?

I went to my SM.

The advisor primarily helps the scout with project planning and implementation. My CoR (who also represented the beneficiary) was my de-facto Eagle advisor.  My SM guided me to the application and (I think) a one-page list of points for writing the report. I had just learned typing lab reports (and go to the stationary store for correction tape and replacement ribbon), so that three page triple-spaced summary (including a single line drawing for cover art) made an impression.

At that time, scouting wasn’t nearly as bureaucratic. Service hours weren’t being tallied by National as some justification for the organization’s worth. And, scouts didn’t need chase as many signatures or coordinate with as many adults to have them on site.

[Eagle94-A1]

1 hour ago, Double Eagle said:

 

And for those that read to the bottom of the post:  The youngest Eagle Scout was 11yrs old.  Not many 11yr olds have the skills, knowledge, and attitude to complete Eagle projects, BOR, and application. 

 

Don't remind me. And while he was very personable when he got to talk in his interview, dad seemed to be the primary mover.

[Eagle94-A1]

1 hour ago, qwazse said:

At that time, scouting wasn’t nearly as bureaucratic. Service hours weren’t being tallied by National as some justification for the organization’s worth. And, scouts didn’t need chase as many signatures or coordinate with as many adults to have them on site.

Those were the days.  When answering the question in the Eagle Project Workbook, "what did you learn from your project?" his response was "Paperwork will suck the joy out of anything you love." (bold for emphasis)

[swilliams]

BugleSon (so named by a forum member here), will welcome help and guidance from whomever Council assigns him. Our unit ‘Eagle Advisor’ has positioned himself in such a way that most adults and scouts in the Troop think they must go to him first, before even thinking about a project, which has resulted in a certain young man dragging his feet even more than usual, and even muttering ‘I’ll just quit.’  
 

I didn’t want to tell him he wasn’t required to do something only to turn out to be wrong, so thanks for helping to verify that he is within his rights to present the proposal on his own.  He read the Workbook, but I may ask him to read section 9 of GTA as well. 
 

If all goes well, he will be rebuilding some rudimentary bridges that were unofficially put in place on Township green-space property over small streams, adding three bog bridges over marshy spots, and adding two informational signs - one about the importance of trees in removing ground water to prevent flooding and run-off, and one about invasive plant species. 

[swilliams]

Update:  Our Eagle Advisor didn't take kindly to BugleSon presenting on his own, but fortunately our Unit Commissioner and another leader from Council were at this particular Committee meeting, and they verified that it is a Scout's decision to work with an Advisor/Coach - or not.  Our Unit Commissioner has offered to coach my son through the remainder of the project; elp that BugleSon will happily accept, so that is another positive.

BugleSon's proposal was approved, but he still needs to present it to our ScoutMaster, who was not at the meeting. 

Edited April 23, 2023 by swilliams

[swilliams]

Another complication.  My son was trying to fill out page 9 of the Eagle Scout Workbook, where it asks for the contact name, address, phone and email for the Council Service Center.  He pulled up our Council website, and under the Eagle Project section it says:

Proposals will be accepted from Eagle Coaches ONLY. Scouts should NOT submit their own proposals. WORKBOOKS MUST NOT BE PROTECTED BY PASSWORD OR IN ANY OTHER MANNER. Proposals are distributed to the District Committee for review in the order they are received. The review process may take a few weeks. The District Committee will return comments and questions to the Scout and the Scout’s Eagle Coach should any clarification or revision of the proposal be necessary. The Scout should resubmit the revised proposal promptly. Scouts must receive District approval before beginning work on the project. 

This doesn't align with Guide to Advancement, which states a scout does not need to accept the help of an Eagle Coach.  Neither of us is sure what to do now.  Can Districts or Councils make their own rules that are in conflict with what is published by National?  I don't want to create a big sh--storm here, but for multiple reasons my son does not want to work with our unit's assigned Coach, and I am 100% behind him on this.

[mrjohns2]

It is very common to require pre approval of the project. 

[mrjohns2]

Yeah, it is actually in the handbook requirement you need district or council approval before you start the project. What is the confusion? You don’t need to have the eagle coach help, it is just the process to get approval. Give it to the coach and get approval. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by mrjohns2

[swilliams]

2 minutes ago, mrjohns2 said:

Yeah, it is actually in the handbook requirement you need district or council approval before you start the project. What is the confusion? 

Our District is requiring the Eagle Coach to submit the proposal for approval.  Yet GTA says a scout is not required to use a Coach.  In fact, GTA says the District or Council will designate a coach after the proposal is submitted.

 

Edited April 30, 2023 by swilliams

[mrjohns2]

They aren’t saying you need to use a coach, just give the project proposal to a coach. It seems like they are the ones you turn the project proposal into. Keep it simple. 

[swilliams]

Just now, mrjohns2 said:

They aren’t saying you need to use a coach, just give the project proposal to a coach. It seems like they are the ones you turn the project proposal into. Keep it simple. 

That requires us to go to our unit Eagle Advisor.  I know this may seem silly to you, but this is a major issue for both of us.  I don't want to post details here, where the Eagle Advisor can't refute what I say, in case it becomes clear who I am talking about.  

[swilliams]

Of note, none of the other Districts in our Council list this as a requirement.

[mrjohns2]

6 minutes ago, swilliams said:

That requires us to go to our unit Eagle Advisor.  I know this may seem silly to you, but this is a major issue for both of us. 

I think you are going to have to get over it. Our district has a designated person to hand the project into. Just turn it in. Done. 

[swilliams]

1 minute ago, mrjohns2 said:

I think you are going to have to get over it. Our district has a designated person to hand the project into. Just turn it in. Done. 

It's not who we are handing it in to... it's who can do the handing in.  National says the scout can do it.  Our District says he can't.