Eagle Project Approval

[Bob58]

I've just scanned the recent threads on Eagle's & Eagle Projects but didn't find anything dead on.... A comment on length of time for approval came close but...

 

(1) How long should it take to get a project approved?

 

(2) Sould the review / approval be more than an evaluation of feasibilty & approiateness of prject or

 

(3) What changes ("suggestions" or "recommendations") should the "District Eagle Board of Review" be making since the candidate is responsible for planning & implementing the project?

 

Feel free to respond re both the real world & the alternate universe we call the "perfect world", but please distinguishe between the two. I'll throw my experience out there in a bit if anyone else has anything to share.

 

Bob

[isvirtual]

My opinion is the approval should not take more than 30 days. Ideally, the district target should be within 2 weeks. Of course, this is based on district capacity to review and comment within their 1 hour per week. :-)

 

The review should look for several things.

1) Is the project big enough for the scout to demonstrate leadership

2) Are there any safety concerns and are they addressed

3) Likewise with youth protection

4) Does the write-up provide enough detail for another scout to complete the project

5) Are the expected hours itemized and reasonable

6) This has been reviewed and signed by the troop and benefactor (3 signatures)

7) The materials match the planned work

8) The work per day is reasonable

 

All of these and more are reviewed for each project. Sometimes we suggest the scout rewrite sections of the project to include specific information. Other times we will mention it is missing but approve the project with the caveat that it is included in the final write-up. The District Board of Review, then confirms this has been done before completing the Eagle BOR.

 

 

[mich632]

How long should a eagle project approval take?

 

It never takes more than a couple of days in our district.

 

WHY? We do not submit an eagle packet for approval unless it's been reviewed at the troop level and we are confident it will be approved.

 

We have an adult who has seen many eagle packets. He provides advice on how to write up the project so that it will meet the district's requirements. The leader does not plan the project, just gives advice about things that should be in the write up.

 

Example: You don't have a discussion about how much the project is going to cost and how you are going to raise the money. You need that before it is submitted.

 

We also require the scout to call and talk with the district representative. Tell him about the project and discuss what his plans are. That one phone call has really helped.

 

After the discussion, many boys have modified their plans.

[EagleInKY]

Having a young troop, we don't have anyone this far yet. However, from what I understand, it works best when you can do as mich says. Give the DAC a call and run your idea past him. If he has any questions or concerns, get in front of them. Then, when the paperwork comes in, you remind him that it's the one you talked to him about a few weeks (months) ago. This usually helps speed things through. I think most in our district are returned within days or weeks.

[isvirtual]

You guys are absolutely on target. The troop "should" review the projects until they are complete before they are submitted to the DAC. As my troop's Eagle Advisor, this is my approach. Often, I will take 3 or more passes through the project with the scout offering tips and asking questions until we feel it is ready for submission.

 

As a member of the DAC, we realize some troops do this very well. We also see some troops that do not. To keep it fair, every project gets a good review by several members of the DAC. Most of us can predict the success of projects based on the troops from where they were received.

 

It is good advice for smaller/younger troops to review the DAC process and guidelines. We have Troop, District, and Council documentation that tells the scouts how to prepare their project write-up. All of this is overwhelming and a good advisor will distill this for the unique needs of each scout. Another tip is for the troop advisor to get involved at the district level. 3 months of helping on the district and I learned far more about the eagle advancement process than reading every publication available. Not only does it help the district but it makes the unit level process far more syncronized.

[anarchist]

we really beat up our eagle candidates....

 

our Eagle Advisor (an ASM) first 'instucts and advises' the boy to make it good!

a BOR type group of committee members (usually 3)

make the guy do a presentation and "defense" and then the poor kid has to present to the committee at a regular committee meeting...He then (if he survives), (just joking) presents to the District coordinator...few day later its usually approved....Usually by the time it gets to district there are no questions left....

 

In reality we are trying to have enough 'seasoned eyes' look over things so we can show the "lad" support and make him really think it through before he goes to district. It helps to have a good, well district intergrated, Eagle Adviser (not me).

[Bob58]

Okay, here's the genesis....

 

I regularly see the head of the Eagle BoR at roundtable and hand delivered a scouts Eagle Leadership Project packet (only project details and before photos as requested by our Eagle BoR chair) signed off by the IH, Scoutmaster & Troop Adv. Chairman to him at Roundtble 3 weeks ago. In the "Details" he included his timetable that called for executing the project over the Christmas holidays.

 

 

[FScouter]

Bob58 - you waited 2 weeks and 6 days too long. What possibly is there to think about for any longer than 5 minutes! There is absolutely no excuse for not approving or rejecting a project in 24 hours. Any longer and they are simply dragging their feet. I'm disgusted at the horror stories you and others have posted here. Do they think they're doing boys some kind of favor in approving a project? Do the job or get out of the way!

[shemgren]

I serve my district as the chair of the Eagle Board of Review and Advancement Committee Co-Chair. When I recieve a project for approval, I look it over, approve or deny and send it back within a day or two.

 

There is no reason to sit on it for any length of time. Some districts have done only through the Eagle BOR and that can add time.

Each council or district may set their own way of approving the projects.

 

The Advancement Committee Policies and Procedures gives no guidelines on how to approve Eagle Scout Leadership Service Projects, only that it "must approved by the district or council advancement committee or designee to make sure that it meets the stated standards for Eagle Scout service projects before the project is started."

 

Scott

 

 

[dancinfox]

isvirtual wrote in his first response:

5) Are the expected hours itemized and reasonable

Where in the Life to Eagle Project Workbook does it say there are expected hours. The workbook states on page 2, SIZE:

 

How big a project is required? There are no specific requirements, as long as the project is helpful to a religious institution, school, or community. The amount of time spent by you in planning your project and the actual working time spent in carrying out the project should be as much as is necessary for you to demonstrate your leadership of others.

 

By using the term, expected hours, are we changing the requirements?

Dancin

[Bob58]

Thanks Shemgren et al,

 

An update....

 

Our latest Eagle candidtae is on track to work during the next two weeks. (His high School broke for Christmas last Friday.)

 

I've checked w/ council and the leave it up to the Districts. The registrar noted that every project should be logged in at the Council HQ before being picked up by the District rep. In fact two of our Districts have almost instant turnaround since one of several members of their Eagle BoR's is in each week. They review the proposals at the counter & often sign off immediately, although I am assured that no project is rubber stamped and these districts do occasionally suggest that Eagle Candidates revise parts of their projects. In our case a new Eagle BOR Chairman is asking that at least two other members of the board review the proposal becausae he is concerned that he will miss somethimg tht will be wquestioned by nat'l. (You might recall that 3 members of the BoR reviewed this particvu;ar project the evening that it was given to the Chair.)

 

I cannot take on another job for the district but I'd like to see an Eagle BoR secretary who would shepherd each project through review & approval w/in a few weeks at most.

 

Bob

 

 

[AwHeck]

It sounds like our Council/District does things a lot differently from the rest of you. Our District Advancement Chair has a committee of several members. After the Life scout has presented his project to the troop committee for review, he calls a member of the District Advancement Committee and sets up an appointment to review his project. When the DAC member meets with the scout, he/she reviews the proposed project and either approves or rejects on the spot. Assuming it's approved, the project book is signed and the scout is free to work on the project. So far as I know, the first time the project book itself actually goes to council is when the project is complete as well as all other requirements for Eagle and the entire package is delivered to council.