Eagle Advisor & Coach Training in Chain Bridge District

1. CHAIN BRIDGE DISTRICT 2016 Training for Unit Eagle Advisors and Coaches

2. The Mission and Aims of the Boy Scouts of America Mission of the BSA Aims of Scouting Character Development Citizenship Training Mental and Physical Fitness “….prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Scout Law.”

3. BSA Guidance BSA advocates that Eagle Advisors be assigned at Unit level, and Eagle Project Coaches be assigned at District Level. In the Chain Bridge District, we recommend that Eagle Advisors and Eagle Project Coaches be combined as a single Unit level position. Chain Bridge District has a District Eagle Board with important responsibilities, but day-to-day guidance for Eagle candidates should be provided at Unit level. Check with your District Advancement Chairperson if you are registered with another District.

4. Unit Eagle Advisor Qualifications • Eagle Advisors must be registered as Adult Leaders with BSA and have current Youth Protection Training status. • Eagle Advisors must understand the Eagle advancement process as defined in the Guide to Advancement (esp. Sections 2, 8 and 9). • Eagle Advisors should be knowledgeable concerning Eagle advancement procedures in their local Council (NCAC), and District (e.g., CBD).

5. Unit Eagle Advisor: Critical Tasks and Activities • Provide positive adult association to guide, encourage and support Life Scouts on their path to Eagle. • Help the Scout’s parents to understand the advancement process and constructive ways to help their son progress. • Help the Scout understand the requirements to earn Eagle, and discuss how he plans to meet them. • Determine the Scout’s planned schedule for meeting Eagle requirements. Monitor progress and re-check if progress stalls.

6. Official Sources for Guidance Current editions of: • BSA Guide to Advancement • Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook • Boy Scout Requirements • Guide to Safe Scouting • Age Guidelines for Tool Use and Work at Elevations or Excavations • Chain Bridge District Life to Eagle Guidelines

7. Chain Bridge Event Please encourage ALL Life Scouts to register and participate in the Chain Bridge District Life to Eagle Seminar Check the CBD website calendar for the date, time and location

8. Steps on the Journey from Life to Eagle • Active Participation (6 months) • Demonstrate Scout Spirit • Merit Badges • Leadership Position • Service Project • Scoutmaster Conference • Eagle Application • Board of Review

9. Forms – Service Project • Service Project Workbook • Use most current fillable version • Requires Adobe • Dates and Signatures are critical • Review the ENTIRE workbook with the Scout before he starts planning his project!!!

10. Understanding The Workbook • Date: March 2015 • Introduction and Message to Parents • Contact Information • Proposal • Project Plan • Fundraising Application • Project Report • Info for Beneficiaries

11. Preparing a Draft Proposal The proposal should describe a project that will: • Produce real benefits and provide opportunities for the Scout to conduct planning and demonstrate leadership. • Be feasible – not too small and not too big. • Be safe for everyone involved. All essential project elements should be identified. - The Proposal is the document that will be approved. - Additional detailed planning is still needed.

12. Service Project Fundraising • Projects must not be primarily fundraisers. • Fundraising is permitted only to facilitate a project. • Contributions from the candidate, parents, relatives, unit, chartered organization, or beneficiary do not require a fundraising application. • Other fundraising must be approved by the council if it exceeds $500.

13. Project Plan The Project Plan can (and should) be started before the Proposal is approved: • Learning how to plan a complex project is an important benefit of the Eagle process. • Help the Scout develop a Management Plan with “task leaders” who have assigned responsibilities. • Ask the Scout, how could this project fail? The plan should describe how potential problems will be avoided.

14. Reviewing the Project Plan • With the Scout, review his plan’s strengths, weaknesses, and risks. Suggest improvements. • Discuss leadership challenges he may face (e.g., adults who are tempted to “take charge”.) • The Project Plan is not “re-approved”, but it MUST be shown to the beneficiary. • The Beneficiary can delay the project if the plan is not satisfactory.

15. The Project Report • Emphasize completion of the project report because of its importance in Board of Review approval. • Review the report section by section to ensure the Scout understands what is expected. • Encourage the Scout to submit his draft report to you for further review and guidance.

16. The Eagle Scout Service Project Report • Project Description • Observations • Changes • Leadership • Materials, Supplies, Tools • Entering Project Data • Funding • Documentation • Candidate’s Promise • Completion Approvals

17. Eagle Scout Rank Application (ESRA) • Use most current fillable version • Requires Adobe (free software) • Dates and Signatures are critical • Complete, including Scoutmaster review, prior to Scout’s 18th birthday • Use NCAC Checklist before submitting ESRA for certification by Council

18. Merit Badges • 21 Total • 13 Required Badges • Non-required badges listed in chronological order based on date earned • - Camping • - Citizenship in the Community • - Citizenship in the Nation • - Citizenship in the World • - Communication • - Cooking • Emergency Preparedness OR • Lifesaving • Environmental Science OR • Sustainability • - First Aid • Cycling OR Hiking OR • Swimming • - Personal Management • - Personal Fitness • - Family Life

19. Leadership Positions • Discuss your unit’s standards for successful performance. No credit or reduced time credit can be catastrophic. • Start date AFTER Life Board of Review • Positions are: Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Guide, Quartermaster, Scribe, Historian, Librarian, Instructor, Outdoor Ethics Guide (New), Chaplain Aide , Den Chief, Order of the Arrow Troop Representative, Webmaster, Junior Assistant Scoutmaster

20. Scout Spirit • How is it demonstrated? • Describe how duty to God was done. • What do you do if a Scout gets arrested or commits another egregious error in conduct?

21. Two Attachments to Eagle Application: Statement of Life Purpose and Ambitions (Forward-looking) Statement of Leadership Positions and Accomplishments (Like a resume) Should be prepared for discussion during the Scoutmaster Conference

22. Board of Review • Scheduled by the Unit Advisor • MUST include the unit’s District Eagle Board Member • Two additional members of the community (Cannot be the Unit Scoutmaster or Unit ASM - Unit Committee members preferred) • Letters of Reference should be available for review. The letters are confidential and may only be read by the Eagle Board.

23. Eagle Court of Honor Goals: • Honor the Scout for his accomplishments • Deliver the Eagle Charge • Recite the Eagle Promise • Inspire other Scouts • Include the Community Every Unit has its own traditions • Usually, the parents take the lead • The Scout may prepare the script

24. Conclusion • Advancement is based on experiential learning: to educate and expand horizons. • Personal growth is the goal - Learning to apply new skills and gain confidence to succeed in life.