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Courts of honor, boards of review and service projects that took months of planning. Scouters wrote about the journey to Eagle from every angle, from the first rank advancement to the speech at the ceremony.
917 posts · 2008–2020
A reading list that spans blogs and years.
This is seventh in a series of posts about the new rank requirements that take effect on January 1, 2016. Scout | Tenderfoot | Second Class | First Class | Star | Life | Eagle Exactly how the new requirements are phased in is explained in this PDF document – Notes on Transitioning to the New Requirements .
I received an email from a "Concerned Eagle Scout" Today. Mr. "Concerned Eagle Scout" has concerns about justifying FOS dollars. And I can appreciate "Concerned Eagle Scouts"concerns. His biggest issue seems to be the cost of Scouting. Well.. let me share his email with you.
Tackling an Eagle Project is like climbing a tower: It is done one step at a time. This is an actual photo from a workday on my Eagle Project. You may have noticed that I've been posting less than I usually do for the past week or so.
In a few weeks, my two boys will be having their Eagle Court of Honor. As I've been scanning the web looking through lots of ideas for how to run one, I came across this letter from Mike Rowe that I read for the first time.
Today, the BSA National Council is drawing attention to a study conducted by Baylor University . Funded by the Templeton Foundation , this was an independent study of the differences between adults that were Eagle Scouts, had been Boy Scouts, and those that were never Scouts.
LEADERSHIP...there is nothing new under the sun to read about leadership, especially for Scouters. If you've read The Art of War, BPs Aids To Scoutmastership, anything by Reagan, Ike or Green Bar Bill then you know all there is to know about good leadership.
As a scoutmaster I did not plan any Eagle courts of honor. After all, that was not my job. The Eagle Scout plans his court of honor with the help of his parents. I did give advice and help a bit when asked, but I usually stayed away from the planning.
As we move into 2019, there are some advancement changes in the offing. Significant is the issuance of a new Eagle Scout leadership service project workbook, now available from the national forms library or your local council. The new form must be used for all Eagle projects started after January 1, 2019, but projects started…
Day 59: Chatted with another hopeful Life scout about his Eagle project idea this evening. We talk about an idea before the scout puts hours into the project workbook only to find out it's not appropriate. We discussed the main topics of: Who benefits from the project?
Alvin Townley's book Spirit of Adventure is a refreshing read that validates the values of Scouting and a book that ought to be in your Scouting library. Too often we hear about all the things gone wrong in the world around us.
Showing 1–50 of 917 posts
Zoe Nash and her family have spent far too many Christmases at Children’s Hospital Colorado where Zoe’s little sister, Simone, received treatment for a weakened immune system, asthma and seizures. Thankfully, Simone is healthy and strong now. But Zoe will never forget what it was like to watch her brave sister spend birthdays and Christmases…
National Football League photo Eagle Scout Kevin Greene, whose 15-year career as a physically gifted and mentally tough NFL linebacker landed him a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, died on Dec. 21 at his home in Florida.
The iPhone 5s, with its 4-inch screen and maximum 64 GB of storage, was Apple’s latest and greatest way back in 2013 when Justine Cole was 11 years old. Iron Man 3 was the year’s top-grossing movie. Justine is 18 now, and a lot has changed in those seven years.
Courtesy of William Marshall This story is shared here from the Scouting magazine app. For more of the content you’re used to from Scouting magazine , download the Scouting magazine app today! It’s available now in the App Store and Google Play .
Courtesy of William Marshall This story is shared here from the Scouting magazine app. For more of the content you’re used to from Scouting magazine , download the Scouting magazine app today! It’s available now in the App Store and Google Play .
This is the 33rd in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here and submit your own here . COVID-19 note: Most of these Eagle projects were completed before the pandemic, meaning the photos may not necessarily depict coronavirus-related health and safety protocols .
Wendy Ingham knows how much her son loves Jeopardy! The only time Patrick misses an episode is on nights when Troop 18 of West Grove, Pa. (Chester County Council), has a meeting. Patrick is a Geography Bee champion, history buff and, in fourth grade, was voted by his classmates as “Most Likely to Compete on…
It started in a grocery store. In 2018, Gabrielle Thorsen and her family were walking through the aisles when Gabrielle spotted a girl wearing a blue Cub Scout shirt. “We stopped her family and asked them about her uniform,” Gabrielle says.
Story by Peter Livengood, Westmoreland-Fayette Council Bracing against the wind and bitter cold, I patiently perched atop a mountain early one September morning. The fog in the valley had begun to lift, and the sun was sparkling in the clear blue sky.
The Ehr brothers, from left: Matthew, Dan, Robert, Gerald and Benjamin. Scouting teaches you new skills. It takes you outside your comfort zone. It helps you trust yourself — and others. It builds perseverance. And it’s a ton of fun. Ask five Eagle Scouts why this country still needs the values-packed programs of the BSA, and…
Daniel Pate will always remember the date he completed his board of review and officially became an Eagle Scout. It was Tuesday, Sept. 8, 1998 — the same day Mark McGwire hit his 62nd home run of the season, breaking the single-season record.
Troop 2019’s soon-to-be Eagle Scouts, from left: Lindsay Parker, Kenzie Neal, Taylor Bell and Morgan Phillips. Morgan Phillips was a shy 14-year-old when she attended her first Venturing meeting. She left that meeting unconvinced that Scouting was for her. But her dad encouraged her to keep at it, providing that gentle nudge all teenagers eventually…
Many Scouting units have leaders who have volunteered for decades. Few though have erected a monument in honor of their leaders’ years of service. Last month, past members of Troop 584 of Olney, Texas, met at a new park and monument in town.
Scouts have been working to conserve our planet since the organization’s inception. Now, they can be honored for their work through the BSA Distinguished Conservation Service Awards program. Scouts BSA members, Sea Scouts and Venturers can earn the youth version of these new prestigious awards while adult leaders and other organizations and individuals can be…
This is the 32nd in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here and submit your own here . COVID-19 note: Most of these Eagle projects were completed before the pandemic, meaning the photos may not necessarily depict coronavirus-related health and safety protocols.
When he started brainstorming Eagle Scout service project ideas, Ryan Kelley got a lot of advice. He heard from friends, family members, Scout leaders — each with suggestions for how Ryan could make a lasting impact on the community of Old Town, Maine.
Distinguished Eagle Scout Mike Huneke spent two weeks in Wyoming in late September and early October 2020 fighting the Mullen Fire. Photo by Cole Sanspree Sometimes the Philmont belt buckle makes it obvious. Other times, Mike Huneke casually brings up Scouting in conversation only to hear someone say, “I’m an Eagle Scout, too.”
You won’t find many Scouts clamoring for summer camp to be more like school. But what if the opposite could be possible? What if school could more closely resemble the high-energy, hands-on fun that makes Scout camp the greatest week of summer?
The campus of Florida State University — one of several schools that responded to our questions about how their admissions office perceives the rank of Eagle Scout. Photo by Denis Tangney Jr./Getty Images Editor’s note: An earlier version of this item incorrectly identified the Georgia Institute of Technology.
Christian Flournoy likes to stay busy. In addition to being an active member of Troop 197 in Atlanta, Christian plays football, runs track and is a member of a local debate club. In fact, this summer, Christian won an international debate tournament hosted by the Harvard University Debate Council , scoring a perfect 5-0 ballot in…
Lucas Davis (right) stands behind the plexiglass shield he constructed for his Eagle project. Among Lucas’ project helpers: his cousin Nathan Davis (left), part of his pandemic cohort — individuals in his family who are only seeing each other. You could see the pandemic as a dark cloud over your best Eagle Scout service project ideas.
The Hovanesians, from left: Joseph, Ani, John, Danny and Tanya. When she was just 3 years old, Ani Hovanesian went to her brother’s Cub Scout meetings — convinced she was a Scout, too. She said the Oath, learned the skills, played the games.
Austin (seated, middle) and his team pose for a photo after sorting books for his Eagle project, in a photo taken in September 2019. The right book in the right hands has the power to heal, to uplift, to transform.
If you go down the list of starting quarterbacks for the top ten college football teams in the country, you’ll find that nine of them took similar paths to get where they are today. They were star players in high school.
Cade Womack, Alex Young, JP Baughman and Cade Taylor of Troop 50's Biohazard patrol. Youth who earn the highest ranks Scouting has to offer deserve praise for achieving their goals, but the bigger prize comes from the skills they gain and experiences they have along the way — the leadership, the know-how and the camaraderie.
Ethan Garner (left) and his dad, Michael, sit on the benches that Michael built for his Eagle project 20 years ago. This year, Ethan renovated those benches and built a new A-frame agility ramp. Some Scouts find Eagle project ideas by talking to community leaders, asking their teachers or searching online .
The fantastic five in May 2013 (above), and the group reenacting that same photo in January 2020. From left: Tyler Bush, Lane Schaddelee, Colin Brown, Remy Reed and Jeffery Graan. Ask five Eagle Scouts what they’ll take from their Scouting experience, and you’ll get five uniquely inspiring answers: Overcoming hailstorms and wrong turns at Philmont…
Victoria sits on the bench she and her volunteers built for her Eagle Scout service project. Life Scout Victoria Rader didn’t set out to make national headlines. But some news is just too good not to share. In a piece calling her a “ Trailblazing Scout ,” Victoria was featured on the Sept.
If you tuned in to the Order of the Arrow’s virtual Momentum Launch last month, you might’ve noticed an impressive work of art shown, titled Onward and Upward. Eagle Scout and National Order of the Arrow Subcommittee volunteer Joshua Hunt of Milwaukee, Wis., created the piece.
Harley Nygren as a Sea Scout in 1941 and at the NOAA Corps' Centennial Celebration in 2017. He served in the U.S. Navy during World War II. He sailed to the ends of the Earth — the Arctic Circle and Antarctica — to conduct scientific surveys.
When you feel lost, music can be your saving grace. In April, as the virus continued to spread its dangers, toils and snares across the country, Alex Miller looked at the calendar with trepidation. He could practically hear the clock ticking down the three months until July 30, his 18th birthday.
Eagle Scout Corey Mullins ascends Vuwa Falls. For fans of Scouting, it was the ultimate cliffhanger. The action-packed Amazon Prime show World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji ended its 10 episodes without revealing the fate of Team Eagle Scouts, the impressive group of young BSA alumni we profiled in a post published the day the show…
That’s me on the right looking way too casual with a hammer while working on my Eagle project in 1998 at the Heard Museum in McKinney, Texas. Twenty-two years ago, over a series of chilly Saturdays in December 1998, I completed my Eagle Scout service project.
Team Eagle Scouts, from left: Matt Moniz, Katie Hancock, Eric Lillstrom, Charley Walton and Corey Mullins When assembling a supergroup to race across rugged backcountry terrain using whatever means necessary — paddling or mountain biking, rappelling or climbing, orienteering or canyoneering — you’ll want a Scout or two on your side.
Weekends in the Munsch household flew by like a 90 mph fastball. On Saturdays, Jason Munsch, who at age 11 pitched a no-hitter in a Little League All-Star Game, played baseball. After the final out, Dona and Keith Munsch drove their son to meet his fellow Scouts wherever Troop 566 was camping that weekend.
If you were to tell a time traveler from any year before 2020 about William Shuster’s Eagle Scout project, that visitor might furrow their brow. “Say what? He made face coverings for senior citizens? And he planned everything without a single in-person meeting?”
It doesn’t take much digging to uncover the parallels between an Eagle Scout and an investigative journalist. Both are helpful, courteous and brave. They’re curious — willing to ask questions and go places others might avoid. They’re committed to helping other people at all times — especially the forgotten or downtrodden.
The Chickasaw Council's 2008 Eagle Scout Class was named after Sammie and Phil Gilmer, who also have a campsite at Philmont Scout Ranch named in their honor. No Eagle Scout reaches that mountaintop moment alone. While the young person initiates and completes the work themselves, they are supported by a team of selfless adults.
Left: Kyle Lambert stands in his front yard during his Eagle Scout court of honor, which was held during the COVID-19 pandemic. With letters of acceptance from six Ivy League schools, several prestigious scholarships and the Eagle Scout Award, you’d think Kyle Lambert would be ready for a well-deserved break.
Try this one-question test when assessing an Eagle Scout project idea: Does it come from the heart? In my experience, Scouts who answer yes stay motivated throughout the demanding process of planning, developing and giving leadership to others as they uplift their community in a meaningful way.
In Congress, it’s the rare subject about which there’s unanimous agreement. It’s the Congressional Award , the highest recognition Congress bestows on young people. To qualify, a young person must meet certain goals in four key areas: voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness and expedition/exploration.
For something so small, tiny houses are tough to ignore. There are more than a dozen tiny-house TV shows on cable and streaming, and entire tiny-house communities are popping up in California, Texas, Florida and beyond. It’s kind of a big deal.
Every time he drove by the Sumner County Veterans Home, Mason Wettengel couldn’t help but think about the sacrifice of the veterans inside. And he couldn’t help but notice something else about the place. “I could tell that the converted 1950s motel could probably use some extra help,” Mason says.
Six young men from Troop 746 became Eagle Scouts on the same day in January. The group of six includes five cousins (from right): Jeffrey Dangl, Tyler Gilmore, Caleb Wheeler, Brian Gilmore and Spencer Kettley. They're joined by longtime family friend Elliott Streiff, left.
Bu Wei He (wearing hat) teaches chess. Both photos were taken Jan. 31, 2020. Eagle Scout service projects, like a lot of things in life, don’t always go as planned. But when a Scout learns to stand tall, to pivot, to find a way forward, the lessons learned could be some of the most important…
When students at the Dayton Regional STEM School would go outside for recess or an outdoor lesson, they had to sit on the ground. Alex Arehart, a sophomore at the school, noticed the lack of seating and other improvements that could be made to the fledgling campus.
They’re leaders in their cities, in their businesses, in their faith communities and in Scouting. This year’s Silver Buffalo Award class combined has given more than 400 years of service to Scouting. These outstanding men and women join a long list of distinguished adult leaders dating back nearly 100 years.
Youth-led isn’t just for Venturing crews. It applies to the entire Venturing program, as well. Tyler Grey, an Eagle Scout and Vigil Honor member of the Order of the Arrow, has been named the 2020-2021 National Venturing Officers’ Association President.
It’s not about the patch or the medal or even that epic cake at the ceremony . It’s about all the incredible Scouting adventures that preceded them. Scouting awards — from the very first Cub Scout adventure loop to that final Eagle Palm and beyond — are physical representations of the Scouting journey.
The stage was a grassy front yard with a brick-house backdrop. The guests wore face coverings and stayed at least 6 feet apart the whole time. At the end, a parade of cars saluted the latest recipient of Scouting’s highest honor.
