Topic
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
Showing 1–50 of 83 posts
When Chip and Wendy Waggoner took parenting advice from their son’s doctor, they changed the course of his life forever. The advice? Treat your son like a normal kid. Benjamin has spina bifida. And now, he’s achieved Scouting’s highest rank.
As 2018 ends, the flood of year-in-review stories begins. It seems like everyone with a blog is sharing the 10 best movies or 10 best books or 10 best baby strollers of 2018. Will the madness ever end? Maybe. Anyway, today I’m sharing the 10 most-read Bryan on Scouting blog posts of 2018.
Justin Regan (left) completed his Eagle project at Paramount Ranch in 2009. Mike Malone served at his National Park Service liaison. For the past decade, Paramount Ranch has been the perfect place for Boy Scouts who love movies and TV shows to perform their Eagle Scout service projects.
Celia Beekman knows it’s quite an accomplishment becoming an Eagle Scout. She has seen her brother and nephews reach the pinnacle of Boy Scouting’s ranks. So, after hearing a congratulatory message for a few new Eagle Scouts announced over the PA at Ridge High School, she decided to further honor the students by setting up…
Updated Dec. 5, 2018 These days, higher education comes with a higher price tag. These scholarships for Eagle Scouts will help take out some of the sting. If you know of a scholarship not listed here, please share the name and link in the comments.
Aaron Light has backpacked at Philmont Scout Ranch , and he’s run a marathon, but his next endeavor will dwarf the mileage he’s previously trekked. The Eagle Scout and University of Texas sophomore will cycle from Austin, Texas, to Anchorage, Alaska.
Early Life and Star badges from 1913 or 1914. From the BSA’s founding in 1910 until late 1914, the Eagle Scout Award had just two requirements: Earn the First Class rank Earn 21 merit badges from a list of 57 That’s it; that’s the list.
Note: This is the 25th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
California eye surgeon John Hovanesian, who has literally written the books on innovative techniques in ophthalmology, received the prestigious Distinguished Eagle Scout Award at a special ceremony last week in Newport Beach, Calif. The award, the highest honor presented by the National Eagle Scout Association , honors Eagle Scouts who have made major contributions in their…
The world gets a little smaller every time an Eagle Scout like Spencer Reeves comes along. The 19-year-old, a product of Troop 70 from New Canaan, Conn., shows how all humans benefit when people from other countries work together. It started with his Eagle Scout service project, where Reeves helped Syrian refugees feel safer and…
We’ve all heard that Scouting experience will give a young person a leg up at a college, university or trade school. But it’s always nice to see tangible proof that this is still the case. The latest example comes from Andrew, an Eagle Scout from Texas.
The Scouting journey prepares a young person to get a good job. But that doesn’t mean the final step in that journey — which for many young people is the Eagle Scout board of review — should be conducted like a job interview.
He’s the most famous Eagle Scout astronaut in our nation’s history. But there’s still a lot that people don’t know about Neil Armstrong. We’ll learn more about his lunar journey in First Man , the feature film out this weekend that’s getting rave reviews and Oscar buzz.
Want to recognize your new Eagle Scout but are running short on time before the court of honor? A handful of U.S. agencies and service academies allow you to auto-generate a congratulatory letter or certificate you can print at home.
When an orphan in China turns 14, he or she is no longer eligible for international adoption. Caleb Powell was 13 years and 11 months old when he asked God for a family to welcome him into their lives. “I was praying on my bed one night and talking to God,” Caleb said.
Two Eagle Scouts pose with the NESA World Explorers flag in the Galapagos. Earning the Eagle Scout Award opens up a world of possibilities. In the case of the NESA World Explorers Program , that statement can be taken quite literally.
Ever since he was 5 and served as a mock victim in rescue drills, Koren Ernst has been passionate about the fire service. That interest continued into Scouting when Ernst, now 20, joined Troop 1188 and Fire Explorer Post 1.
Note: This is the 24th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
Note: This is the 23rd in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
Every summer and every other winter, Stephen Henley visits his mother’s side of the family in Howick, South Africa. When the time came for the 17-year-old Life Scout to choose an Eagle Scout project, he decided to help out a community he was familiar with, which happened not to be his hometown of Knoxville, Tennessee.
When a Scout from North Carolina found, among his grandmother’s possessions, an old Eagle Scout medal and six Eagle Palms, his reaction was instant. “I wish we could return it to its owner,” he told his mom. Hayden Stanley is a First Class Scout in Troop 334 of Raleigh, N.C.
You might think an Olympic kayaking hopeful spends every waking moment on the water, leaving no time for Scouting. You might think that. But then you meet Augustus Cook. The 16-year-old Eagle Scout from Troop 78 in Edmond, Okla., competes against some of the top paddlers in the world.
Note: This is the 22nd in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
Last December, Mike Landis (right) started experiencing numbness in his face and down his left arm. Concerned, he saw his doctor, who referred him to a specialist in Salem, Va. After an MRI, the specialist urged Landis to have surgery immediately.
With activities like camping in the wilderness, learning new skills through merit badges and service projects that help the community, Scouting is known to provide challenging opportunities that help develop youth into the leaders of tomorrow. For some Scouts these challenges can come with other obstacles, like disabilities.
It started with the Wilderness Survival merit badge, earned at Maumee Scout Reservation in Indiana. Then there was the 2-inch ad in the back of Boys’ Life magazine promising “amazing hidden secrets about rugged wilderness survival” to anyone who sent $1 for postage and handling.
Note: This is the 21st in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
Dave Alexander and his parents were standing on their front lawn watching Neil Armstrong drive away. They thought to themselves: Did that just happen? The year was 1959 — 10 years before the Eagle Scout landed on the moon and became a household name.
The Aviation merit badge opened up a whole new world to Mason Andrews. “I remember thinking that it was like driving a car, but with endless opportunities for how far, how fast and in what directions I could go,” Andrews says.
Note: This is the 20th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
Becoming an Eagle Scout is its own reward. Earning a college scholarship because you’re an Eagle Scout? That’s like a reward on top of a reward. The National Eagle Scout Association will award nearly $700,000 in scholarships to more than 150 Eagle Scouts based on their academic performance, Scouting background, college plans and financial need.
Note: This is the 19th in an occasional series where I share Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos. See the complete collection here . To fully understand the impact Eagle Scout projects have on communities, you need to see to believe. That’s why I asked to see Eagle Scout project before-and-after photos — the same photos prospective Eagles…
Story by Lido Vizzutti of the Montana Council Arya J., 8, wants to be one of the first females in the state of Montana to reach Eagle Scout. When asked what earning Eagle Scout would mean to her, she pauses for a long moment and, looking up from under her yellow and blue Wolf cap…
The world simultaneously exhaled on Tuesday when we learned that all 12 young members of the Wild Boars soccer team and their coach were rescued from Tham Luang Cave in Thailand. Pulling off this rescue effort required dozens of caving experts and hundreds of volunteers.
Top row, from left: CJ Ahern, Brian Klotsche, Mike Fillizola, Ethan Rockitter, Nick Sadocha, Freddy Parola, Mike Mitchell, Benjamin Schablin, Stephen Vaiano, Ryan Krieger and County Legislator Steve Rhoads. Front row, from left: Matt Seaman, Peter Rowan, Thomas Kittelberger, Logan Von Runnen and Nick Cammarata.
Addison Foli thought he should head for a career in marine biology, but after one semester, he realized college wasn’t for him. Back to the drawing board. What job should the Gainesville, Fla., Eagle Scout pursue? His godfather — an electrician — suggested he look into a trade field.
For Nathan Fain, the toughest part of completing his Eagle Scout project wasn’t building an innovative musical playground or making sure it was fully accessible for students with physical or mental challenges. And it wasn’t raising $40,000 for the project or leading 19 fellow teenagers who helped him complete the work.
Though completing an Eagle Scout project is a necessary requirement to ascend to the Eagle rank, many Scouts forge a personal connection with their service projects and hope that it will mean as much to others as it does the Scout.
Scout Johnathan M. designed wheelchair swing for Eagle Scout project. Johnathan M., 16, of the Michigan Crossroads Council understands that children who rely on wheelchairs may have a more challenging time at the park during playtime – but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t have access to the same fun as other children.
Some walk, run or bike to support the fight against cancer. These guys paddle, paddle and then paddle some more. Think of it as Relay for Life, with kayaks. This month, two Eagle Scouts, each of whom turned his passion for Scouting into a career with the BSA, are part of a team kayaking from…
An Eagle Scout might be on vacation, but his desire to help others in need never takes a break. Joseph M. of the Grand Columbia Council was on vacation with his family in Maui when he spotted a man from the beach struggling in the water and screaming for help.
Eric Prullage (center) with his parents (left) and Shuqun Zhang and Zhang's wife. CPR is one of the few Scouting skills you hope you never have to use. But when University of Missouri student Eric Prullage’s professor collapsed, the Eagle Scout put his first-aid training to the test.
When you’re on a list that includes Neil Armstrong, Hank Aaron, Gerald Ford, Bill Gates and Walt Disney, you must have done something right. But “something right” doesn’t begin to describe the 10 volunteers who join the list of Silver Buffalo Award recipients this year.
We can’t say for sure that Eagle Scout George Oldroyd was the youngest Scoutmaster in BSA history. What we can say for certain is that he was at least tied for that honor. BSA rules say a man or woman must be 21 to serve as Scoutmaster.
All Scouts are brave. Some are called to risk their life to save others. Retired Master Chief Petty Officer Britt K. Slabinski, an Eagle Scout, belongs in that latter group. On May 24, 2018, he will receive the Medal of Honor for his 2002 attempt to rescue a teammate during a 14-hour battle in the…
Si Brown (center) shows off the red jacket and ring presented to Hot Sauce Hall of Fame inductees. Pour a glass of milk, because this news is pretty spicy. Joseph “Si” Brown, the Distinguished Eagle Scout whose company turned Louisiana Hot Sauce into a household name, has been elected to the Hot Sauce Hall of…
Luke Schultz was born with spina bifida, a spinal defect that forced him to wear leg braces and undergo multiple surgeries. When he crossed over from Cub Scouts into Boy Scouts, he figured he’d advance as far as he could — no pressure if he didn’t earn Eagle.
How would your child feel about having the opportunity to spend the afternoon with Captain America and all of the Avengers or Superman and the whole Justice League? Pretty ecstatic, most likely. Kids admire superheroes and what they stand for – bravery, justice, leadership, and strong character.
Apparently not wanting to stop after entertaining his fellow Scouts with skits around the campfire, an Eagle Scout from Minnesota is taking his acting talents across the pond. Eukariah Tabaka, an Eagle Scout from Troop 238 of Marshall, Minn., has been accepted into the Acting Shakespeare training program at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts…
Hayden (kneeling holding Smart Harness System) and Anthony (second from right) are the two Eagle Scouts on the award-winning Texas A&M engineering team. Two Eagle Scouts who attend Texas A&M University have won an engineering prize for their project that could end fall-related deaths at the workplace.
