Here are some steps in the process:
· Have you completed all your Merit Badge requirements? If you are not sure call me. See “Eagle Rank Requirements” for a complete listing of required Merit Badges.
· Verify that your personal and advancement data contained in the Troop Advancement Record is accurate. The Advancement Record should match the information that has been provided to BSA Headquarters. If you have any questions, call me.
· Get signed blue cards for any remaining merit badges.
· Troop 85 strongly recommends that you select a project that is representative of the Troop’s commitment to nature and the outdoors.
· It must require at least 100 man-hours of work. It is expected that a significant portion of that effort will come from other people, under your direction. Planning and report preparation time count so start keeping track of your hours right away.
· It must entail new development, additions or permanent improvements. It can’t be just “maintenance” or “routine labor”, such as trash pickup at a beach. I know that there’s a thin line between development and maintenance. Hiking trail maintenance probably doesn’t count, but trail maintenance with the addition of improvements would.
· Someone at the place where you conduct your project must be willing to “sponsor” you by approving the project at the beginning and signing off on it when it’s completed. Most local rangers know the score on this account.
· As neatly and legibly as possible fill out pages 5 (Project Description) of the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook.
· The group that benefits will be the users of the park, nature area, etc. where you’re doing your project. Enter the group name, address and telephone number on page 5.
· Once you have a project identified and described, discuss it with your unit leader (i.e., Mr. Turner and enter that date on page 5.
· At the bottom of page 5 enter the name, title and phone number of your “sponsor”, the group representative or the person for whom your doing the project, and the date on which you discussed the project.
· On page 6 of the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook fill out the Project Details as neatly and legibly as possible. You may want to omit or limit the “Before” photographs and save them for your Project Report.
· Get signatures from: the benefiting organization (your sponsor), then your Scoutmaster (Mr. Turner), then the Unit Committee (Mr. Simmons), then the District Advancement Committee Member who is Mrs. Ute (pronounced oo-tah) Passey who lives in Santa Monica. You’ll have to make an appointment with her to get that final signature. Her number is 310-398-1858. When you go around to get signatures, consider that some people may be out of town, so plan ahead.
·
Only when
you have all the signatures can you actually start work!
· As I mentioned before, a significant amount of the work must be done by others.
· Plan for contingencies, worker unavailability, etc.
· In most cases, you’ll need to provide tools, materials, and water and refreshment for your workers.
· Remember than many troop members will be away in July for summer Camp and in August on the Sierra trip, so plan accordingly. You should count on recruiting friends, neighbors, relatives, schoolmates, etc., as well as your fellow Scouts.
· Don’t hesitate to recruit adult volunteers. As long as they work under your direction it’s OK.
· Take lots of pictures and make drawings of your work.
· On page 7 of your Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook maintain a log of what occurs including who worked on it and for how long. Make notes of any difficulties, changes of plans, unexpected difficulties, etc. and enter this on page 8. Do this neatly and legibly as the Workbook will be submitted with your Application and Report. Again, you may want to save most of your “After” photographs for the Project Report.
· The Project Report should be prepared in formal style (like a school paper or thesis) and should be bound and have a cover.
· The Report should discuss why you did the project and what you (and the befitting organization) got out of. It should cover any “lessons learned” and any problems that you were able to over come.
· I have a suggested outline that I will provide to you.
· Include pictures, drawings, sketches, etc.
· The report will be seen and reviewed by your Eagle Board and others, so make it as professional looking as possible.
· I will furnish any information you need on merit badge, etc. dates.
· In Requirement 2. ensure that you get an educational reference (e.g., teacher) and an employer reference, if applicable.
· You can use Mr. Ray Kirby as the religious reference, if needed.
· Prepare a written statement for Requirement 6 and attach it to your Application. If you’re not sure what’s required, call me.
· Schedule a Scoutmaster’s conference with Mr. Turner, in order to complete Requirement 6.
· Get signatures from Unit Leader (Mr. Turner) and Unit Committee Chairman (Mr. Simmons).
· Make Xerox copies of everything you submit.
· Take Workbook, Report and Application to Scout office in Van Nuys. The Council Office is located in on Sherman Way near the Van Nuys Airport. The address is 16525 Sherman Way, #C-8 and the telephone number is 818-785-9700. To get there from the Westside take the I405 north and exit on Sherman Way west. Travel west on Sherman Way and just as you approach the Van Nuys Airport you will go through a tunnel (under the runway) and up a short grade. At the end of the grade is a traffic light. Go through the light and turn right into the parking lot at the earliest opportunity. You are facing the office suite in which the Council Office is located, set back from the street at the rear of the parking lot. Go to Suite #C-8.
· OR take Workbook, Report and Application to Scout office (Westside Service Center) in the Palms area. The address is 10131 National Boulevard, Suite A, and the telephone number is 310-839-9905 (try extension 102). To get there travel east (towards downtown) on I10 (Santa Monica Freeway). Take the National Boulevard exit (it’s the first one after the I10-I405 interchange). At the top of the exit ramp turn left on National Boulevard and proceed downhill. Approximately 200 yards later the street turns sharply to the left. Continue across Motor Ave (there’s a traffic light there) and continue for about 400 to 500 yards, past a furniture warehouse on the left, around a slight turn to the left and it’s on your left. If you come to another traffic light you’ve gone too far.
· This must be done before 4 PM on the day of submittal. The Scout Office is open only on weekdays.
· Ask for a receipt.
Good luck and congratulations.