OA Eagle Scout Ceremony

[ScouterRob]

I have a scout who has just gotten his Eagle Card from National.  We are considering of having a small Eagle Ceremony at Scout Camp with OA.

 

Do anyone of you have any experiences with doing at OA Eagle Scout Ceremony at Camp?  Does anyone has any ceremonies than the basic OA ceremonies at http://www.eaglescout.org/finale/coh/template06.html

 

 

Thanks

 

[qwazse]

No experience. But to motivate thinking:

 

Define small. (Few people? Short time frame?)

What's the connection with OA?

What else will be going on that day?

[SWScouter]

I've never heard of the OA performing a ceremony at an Eagle COH. I have heard of, and seen, an OA member performing an Eagle Dance at an Eagle COH.

[scoutldr]

Most Eagle Ceremonies are Courts of Honor put on by the Scout's troop. however there are no rules other than to be in line with Scouting's values.  The nice thing about it is that it can be whatever is meaningful to the Scout.

[SSScout]

Most Eagle Ceremonies are Courts of Honor put on by the Scout's troop. however there are no rules other than to be in line with Scouting's values.  The nice thing about it is that it can be whatever is meaningful to the Scout.

 

That and Barbecue.   And home made coleslaw...

[Oldscout448]

Yep, I've done one or two, and coached a dozen or so. As others have pointed out it is usually done when it is especially meaningful to the scout receiving his eagle. In fact I think the only one we have done for an eagle who had not spent years on the ceremonies team, he was the chapter chief.

[MikeS]

When my son did his Eagle CoH, we used some elements that were diffinately OA in his ceremony, including the presentaiton of an eagle feather (faux). He is part of our ceremonies and drum and dance team so it was very meaningful to him to include it. WIth the exception of the presnetation, unless one was in the OA, the OA specific elements would not be recognized as such.

 

Since then we have gotten a few requests for the script for the eagle feather presentation from other Arrowmen who have attained their Eagle rank.  

[frankpalazzi]

The Scout earned his Eagle as a member of the TROOP.

 

The TROOP is responsible for the Eagle ceremony.

 

Doesn't the OA preach that "Your Troop comes first?"  Or is that outdated thinking on my part?

[Oldscout448]

No that is not outdated.  In fact I heard it at an OA chapter meeting three weeks ago.   It is my understanding that the scout who has earned eagle can have any ceremony he wishes.   If HE wants the OA folks to dress up in Blackfoot headdresses and give him an ' eagle' feather that's just fine.   If HE wants just a simple handshake from the SM at a troop CoH, also fine. Or no ceremony at all. Up to him

 

Oldscout

[Stosh]

Every ECOH I've attended as a SM I have gone as a guest.

[frankpalazzi]

No that is not outdated.  In fact I heard it at an OA chapter meeting three weeks ago.   It is my understanding that the scout who has earned eagle can have any ceremony he wishes.   If HE wants the OA folks to dress up in Blackfoot headdresses and give him an ' eagle' feather that's just fine.   If HE wants just a simple handshake from the SM at a troop CoH, also fine. Or no ceremony at all. Up to him

 

Oldscout

Correct on all counts, but the troop should be given an opportunity to participate.  They are the ones who helped send that scout along the Eagle Trail.  A few years ago, one of our Eagles had his ceremony conducted entirely by the OA, excluding the troop members.  I'm sure you can appreciate how the troop felt about that.

Edited July 7, 2016 by frankpalazzi

[Stosh]

Eagle is not an OA rank. It was the troop that provided him his Eagle.  I would think a more appreciative gesture could have been made than excluding them.  Obviously he didn't learn all the lessons along the way.

[Oldscout448]

Ouch! I didn't even consider a ceremony with no troop at all.

 

I can't think of any eagles I've known who would even consider such a thing

[5yearscouter]

This one is similar to

http://www.eaglescout.org/finale/coh/template07.html

 

this one

 

http://www.eaglescout.org/finale/coh/template06.html

 

we used one similar to the second for my oldest's eagle ceremony.  All of his prior scoutmasters (4 different ones) were involved in some way, but the OA ceremony team did most of the ceremony including starting a ceremonial fire at the beginning.  As a vigil member and member of the ceremony team for 6 years, he felt they were a huge part of who he was and a huge part of his Scouting career. 

 

So he chose it and that's what was done. He made some changes added in additional people's parts that he wanted included, troop flag ceremony, troop chaplain, all the scoutmasters, eagle's nest and included people so it wasn't just the OA team doing everything and excluding the troop.

 

Let your son take the ceremony and add in parts he likes from other ceremonies to make it his own.  It doesn't have to be like any other ceremony, it should be his.

Edited July 8, 2016 by 5yearscouter

[Tampa Turtle]

As my boy just passed his EBOR last night this hits close to home. It is the boy's prerogative. Common courtesy should dictate that he invite the Troop and, ideally, the Troop should want to celebrate with him. But I disagree that the troop PROVIDED the Eagle (certainly the program and many volunteer hours) but it is the SCOUTS achievement and the FAMILY's responsibility. We have been getting some strongly suggested 'dictates' as to what the Troop wants to do for the ECOH as it is the "Troop's Eagle" and why don't we just start ganging them all up and save all the work. I have to a number of these affairs and they tend to be long, overly formal, and a bit boring. 

 

My son wants to have a ECOH with his buddy he went through scouts with when he Eagle's soon and have it less formal and more religious because that is just how he rolls. As long as he invites the people who helped him I am OK with that. My other son is in OA and I think an OA style would appeal to him as well.