Eligibility to be Elected

[Eagledad]

 Just get off the "Stosh's-way-is-the-only-way kick", it's getting old... just about as tiresome as hearing all the whining about it, too.

 

Stosh, you are braggingly a self proclaimed Heretic. Whose doing the whining?

 

Barry

[Stosh]

So you train your boys to know the Sweet 16, tools guidelines, your permit policy, GTA, GTSS and the multitiude of other docs BSA requires SMs to know and operationalize?

 

In my unit we discuss those things but it's not until they reach Eagle they need to concern themselves with those things because of their project. Still, BSA requires me to specifically certify on every project that I've done this. It's in addition to what's on the application. Yes it's legalese from lawyers...what isn't these days?

 

My boys start out right from the git-go on such things.  They start out with organizing a small service project even while they are still Tenderfoot.  They learn with each opportunity all the rules and regs as they get more and more complicated projects along the way.  By the time they reach their Eagle project they know as much (if not more) as any other BSA leader.

 

One of my boys did a park clean up project.

 

Items provided:

 

Hand tools, gloves, hearing protection, eye protection, hard hats, chainsaws for the adults, with additional leather protection and hard-toed boots, etc. etc. etc.  The areas where trees were to be brought down were all marked off with yellow caution tape before  the chainsaws were started.  Plants of concern, nettles, poison ivy, etc. were all marked by a qualified person (forester/master gardener) before the boys were allowed to cut.  Everyone in the brush cutting areas wore blaze orange so that everyone knew where everyone else was at all times.  The pond that needed to be cleaned out was done by scouts in canoes with PFD's, gloves and brand new winch equipment.

 

Of course the water buffaloes were located at the food tent staffed by adults so there was no hydration problems.

 

A first aid station was manned by an off duty EMT.

 

  All of this was done without an ASM Eagle advisor, or SM involved.  By the time this boy got to his Eagle Project, he knew everything there was to know.  It really wasn't any stretch for him at all.  Basically my Eagle candidates see the Eagle rank no different than Star and Life except they have to document one of their service projects and fill out a workbook.  They tend to pick ones that will be a bit more meaningful and challenging  than organizing a ditch cleanup. 

[ScouterJLM]

Thanks to everyone for your comments and thought on this issue.  You've given me some things to think about, having a few different views on the issue.  I got more out of this than I thought I would.  Just a couple of my thoughts after looking these over.  First I'm a firm believer in the Boy Led Troop, and to the greatest extent possible I let the Scouts plan and carry out the troop program, providing suggestions and guidance as needed and to the best of my ability.  (I'm not perfect, but I try...  )  So with this, in the past we have just looked at the technical requirements for eligibility, rank & camping, and relied on the scouts to elect those that are deserving.  I asked the question this year, because I have been less than satisfied with the results of some of our previous elections.  I have had more deserving scouts, that less popular not get elected and the less deserving yet more popular scouts are elected.  And when I say more deserving, I'm referring to the ones that are actually trying to do the best they can, that do live by the Oath and Law.  The less deserving, are those that don't always live up to the Oath and Law or even try to put forth their best effort. Yes, I try to encourage them, and have talked with them and on some occasions the parents about their lack of enthusiasm.  Some of the parents act concerned, and some obviously really don't care.  And if the parents don't care, it can be hard to get the Scout to care....  At least that's been my experience. 

 

On a side note,  relatively new to this site, but I think I may come back more often.  I did get more than I expected out of this, and want to thank you all again for your thoughts.