Eagle Scout SM conference

[baschram645]

I was just posting to another thread and thought this was a good topic to go over. What do you as an SM, discuss with a young man during this SM conference? I have used it as a time to get the young man to reflect on his experiences in scouting, both good and bad. I lead them with open ended questions and then let them do the talking. A couple of simple references to some early time when he first joined the troop or a time when I remember him emerging as a leader for the first time. They usually remember these times but didnt know you were watching. I have always ended the conference with a question for them to mull over but not to answer, "What do you think you will be able to give back to scouting?"

 

I never hold it the same night as his BOR, too many nerves.

[Trevorum]

Excellent topic!

 

I always like to hold Eagle conferences on Sunday afternoons. Its a good time for quiet reflection.

 

The first thing I do is help the candidate review all of his paperwork. We don't want him to get to the BoR and find that he is missing a signature or a critical date. At this point, a couple of fellows have come up short and we have had to reschedule the conference, generally for the following week.

 

We review his Eagle project and I ensure that he has all the documentation. We discuss leadership and what he has learned in the process.

 

We then talk for a while about living the Scout Oath and Law, and I, too, ask several open ended questions that get the Scout to think about his life, his goals, his values. What does Scouting mean to him. What kind of person he wants to grow up to be. I like to close by challenging him, by emphasizing that the Eagle is not just another rank, that it is for the rest of his life - is he ready for that?

[Eagledad]

It is an Excellent topic.

 

I usually do it in either my home or theirs. I ask basically the same questions as others hvae mentioned. I to like to tell stories about them in the troop so they see why I think they are Eagles. And they are usually surprised that I watched them that close.

 

We discuss a little about the BOR just so I can ease any tension and I end with a question to mull over. "In the future when you accidently pump into someone who doesn't know you, how do you think they would expect an eagle to respond? Why?".

 

I have done Eagle Conferences in some unusual places. Once we participated in a 12 hour walk-a-thon at a track to raise money for the American Heart Asso. I did one there for about 30 laps. I did another on a backpacking trip.

 

I have also invited parents of a couple of scouts with the scout's permission when I saw how important it was for them or I felt that it would ease the stress of passing the BOR. Our scouts always did well at BORs, but some parents worry anyways.

 

I love this scouting stuff, a lot.

 

Barry

[eagle90]

Barry -

 

I do hope you mean "BUMP into someone you don't know" instead of PUMP!! Whole different connotation!!

[Eagledad]

Whoops