What’s an Eagle Scout Project?

1. What’s an Eagle Scout Project? Revised 09/24/13 Blackhawk Area Council Advancement Committee Dr. Roland J. Barnes, Committee Member & Life to Eagle Co-Chair Michael R. Lumpp, Committee Member & Life to Eagle Co-Chair Click to advance

2. Demonstration of Leadership Skills • Through planning a service project • Receiving the necessary approvals • Carrying out the project • Reporting on the completion of the project

3. The Boy Scout Handbook says: • While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to your religious institution, school, or your community. (The project should benefit an organization other than BSA.)

4. The Requirements • As a demonstration of leadership, the Scout must: • Plan the work, • Organize the personnel needed, and • Direct the project to its completion. • The project should be community based. • The project should be about service to others. • There is no requirement that a project must have lasting value.

5. The Requirements • The project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your unit leader (Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Coach, Venturing Crew Advisor, or Skipper), unit committee, and by the council or district advancement committee before the start of the project. • No one but National shall establish requirements for number of people led, their makeup, or time worked; or, to expect Scouts to work towards a particular standard.

6. The Requirements • You must use the latest version of the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook (No. 512-927 only available online at the National Eagle Scout Association’s Web site, http://www.nesa.org; or the National BSA’s Web site, http://www.scouting.org) in meeting this requirement. • http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/resources.aspx.

7. Before Approval You Must Show: • The following tests can be met: • It provides sufficient opportunity to meet the Eagle Scout service project requirement. • It appears to be feasible. • Safety issues will be addressed. • Action steps for further detailed planning are included. • You are on the right track with a reasonable chance for a positive experience. • All answers must be written. • There are no required verbal “pre-approvals.”

8. Originality • Does the service project for Eagle have to be original? No! • It can be original. Something that has never been done before. • If it is not; you must accept responsibility for leading, planning, directing, and following through to its completion.

9. Beneficiary Information Sheet • “Navigating the Eagle Scout Service Project” #510-025. Provides information to the beneficiary as to what BSA expects from an Eagle Scout Candidate and how its active participation can help to guide the Scout.

10. Beneficiary Information Sheet • “Navigating the Eagle Scout Service Project” #510-025. BSA reviews the steps of a service project and engages the beneficiary actively in helping to guide the Scout to a successful project completion.

11. Limitations • The Eagle Scout project is an individual matter; therefore, two Eagle Scout candidates may not receive credit for working on the same project. • Routine labor should not be considered. • Routine labor is defined as a job or service normally rendered. • Real test has to do with scale and impact. • Work involving council property or other BSA activity is not permitted.

12. Limitations • The project may not be performed for a business. (There may be certain exceptions.) • The project may not be performed for an individual. (There may be certain exceptions because an individual may affect a community.) • The project may not be of a commercial nature. • The project may not be a fund-raiser. • Fund-raising is permitted only for securing materials or supplies needed to carry out your project. • Fund raising application will need to be filed with Council if it involves contributions from outside of the beneficiary, or from the candidate, hisparents or relatives, his unit or its chartered organization, or from parents or members in his unit, and it must be approved by the local council.

13. Limitations • Donors to the Eagle Scout projects must be made aware of what entity is benefitting from the project. • Any funds raised for an Eagle Scout project, since they are raised on behalf of the beneficiary, that are not used for the purchase of project materials must be returned to the beneficiary.

14. Limitations • If the beneficiary is not allowed, for whatever reason, to retain any excess funds, supplies, or materials, the beneficiary should be asked to designate a suitable charity to receive them or allow the unit to retain the funds. • The unit must not influence this decision.

15. Size • How big a project is required? • There are no specific guidelines other than those stated in the Guide to Advancement 2013 #33088. • There is no set number of volunteers to be led. • Section 9.0.2.4 (minimum of two). • There is no set number of hours to be invested in its planning and execution. • 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.

16. Appropriateness • The project must be matched to the maturity of the Scout. • A Scout must never be given a project that is beyond his capabilities. • Special considerations, if necessary, must be in place from the onset.

17. Safety • Health and safety of all must be integrated into the project. • Since projects are Scout activities the Unit is responsible to oversee safety issues. • Guide to Safe Scouting #34416 applies. • http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/GSS/toc.aspx . • Consult the “Sweet 16 of BSA Safety.” • http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/HealthandSafety/sweet16.aspx .

18. Question • If there is a question as to whether a project is suitable or not, please confer with the District Advancement Chair, District Life to Eagle Coordinator or, the Council Advancement Committee before granting approval to the Scout. • Placing a Scout in a potentially embarrassing position because of the miscue of an adult must be avoided!

19. Resources • Guide to Advancement 2013, No. 33088 • Scoutmaster Handbook, No. 33009 • Boy Scout Handbook, No. 33105 • Boy Scout Requirements Book (Latest Revision), No. 616-334 • Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook (Latest Revision only available online), No. 512-927 • Eagle Scout Rank Application (Latest Revision only available online), No. 512-728. • BSA National Website: www.scouting.org • NESA Website: www.nesa.org

20. Blackhawk Area Council Districts • Arrowhead • Sycamore • Wanchanagi • Wetassa • White Eagle

21. Arrowhead District Contact Information • Arrowhead District Advancement Chair • Daniel M. Frommelt • Phone: 608-732-8536 • Email: Danielmfrommelt@gmail.com • Arrowhead District Life to Eagle Coordinator • Chris Brunette • Phone: 608-315-0042 • Email: Brunette@mhtc.net

22. Sycamore District Contact Information • Sycamore District Advancement Chair • Grace Esche • Phone: 847-846-3454 • Email: gesche_scouts@sbcglobal.net • Sycamore District Life to Eagle Coordinator • Same

23. Wanchanagi District Contact Information • Wanchanagi District Advancement Chair • Connie Snyder • Phone: 815-234-5417 • Email: hpybeingmom@yahoo.com • Wanchanagi District Life to Eagle Coordinator • Ida Bolen • Phone: 815-239-2634 • Email: eaglecoordinator@wanchanagi.org

24. Wetassa District Contact Information • Wetassa District Advancement Chair • Liz Hollis • Phone: 815-233-4870 • Email: bigmamaholliz@yahoo.com • Wetassa District Life to Eagle Coordinator • Same

25. White Eagle District Contact Information • White Eagle District Advancement Chair • Ray Gruber • Phone: 815-732-6807 • Email: rggruber@yahoo.com • White Eagle Life to Eagle Coordinator • Deb Slager • Phone: 815-946-2255 • Email: deborah-slager@comcast.net

26. Contact Information •Blackhawk Area Council Advancement Committee & Life to Eagle Co-Chair –Dr. Roland J. Barnes •Phone: 815-344-9118 •Email: mouthdr5@gmail.com •Blackhawk Area Council Advancement Committee & Life to Eagle Co-Chair –Michael R. Lumpp •Phone: 815-344-1088 •Email: mlumpp@adclp.com

27. Thanks for your attention. rjb (SCTEF) 2008 Revised 09/24/13