well informed scouts and ill informed scouters

[Stosh]

I had the district Eagle project approvers reject one of my boy's Eagle project because it didn't have the right sense about it. The boy took the troop out and they surveyed a number of cemeteries in the area to see if the military stones were readable, damaged, absent, etc. and submit a report to the Veteran's Administration.

 

They didn't think the organizing of records, laying out the cemeteries, teaching the boys what to look for and then getting them out there to do the work and submitting applications for new stones were necessary was sufficient demonstration of leadership. The boy did it anyway and turned it in on the approval of the VA and SM. They backed off on their rejection and when all was said and done, the boy's picture showed up on the front page of the second section of the state-wide newspaper with a nice article on his project. When all was said and done over 2 dozen veterans got new stones.

 

Lasting value? Well for a couple of dozen veterans their old marble stones that lasted only about 100 years have now been replaced with granite stones that should last at least twice as long if they don't get damaged by mowers, vandals, etc.

 

I do believe, if I'm correct, this was the first time I ever heard one of my boys address a group of adults, i.e. the review board, "With all due respect, I would like to do the project anyway."

 

I don't know if at that age I would have had the courage to take a stand like that. He was only 15 at the time. This is not the same Eagle I referenced in the other thread that took on his EBOR and ran it on his own.

 

Stosh

[GKlose]

KC9DDI -- I like that response!

 

Blancmange -- I don't know how that is reconciled. What I suspect, however, is that the policy had been developed after one too many incidences of hovering parents (we all have at least a few of those stories, right?). If I can quickly find the "dispatches" from our DE, I'll post them here.

 

We'll see how this all pans out, with the changes. My oldest should be attending the "Life to Eagle" seminar within a couple of months, and I'll be keeping my ears open. For some fun, I might even drop a small bomb or two.

 

Guy

[GKlose]

Stosh -- what really strikes me about both of your stories, and knowing that you had anything but an "Eagle mill" going, is that those are two very solid incidents of mature Scouts who demonstrated they were Eagles, despite the a priori expectations of the board. Well done :-), to the Scouts and to you.

 

Guy