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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 09 2017

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Are You Ready for Your Eagle Scout Ceremony?

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 09 2017

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After Your Eagle Board of Review

After your successful Eagle Scout Board of Review, you should first make at least one copy of the original Eagle Scout Rank Application that your Board of Review members signed (both sides).  You may want other copies for yourself and/or your Eagle Coach, but you must turn in the original to Circle Ten Council (along with some (simple) paperwork that they provide).  You must turn in a copy to your Troop's Advancement so they can record it in your Troop's record-keeping system (e.g., TroopMaster/Scoutbook/etc., depending on what your Troop uses).  

You are an Eagle Scout on the day you successfully complete your Eagle Scout Board of Review (and, by the way, for the rest of your life)!  The paperwork you submit to Circle Ten Council will in turn be submitted to BSA "national" for further approval/documentation.  When Council receives BSA's approval, your Scoutmaster will be notified (because of that extra (simple) paperwork that was turned in with your approved  Eagle Scout Rank Application) and you may pick up your award from the Council office.  Note that Eagle Scout Ross Perot provides much of what you will pick up at Council -- e.g., your Eagle pin, your parent pins, your mentor pin, etc.  If you wish to purchase an Eagle Scout patch to sew on your uniform, you will need to bring "proof" that you are an Eagle Scout; that extra copy you made (above) for personal use will suffice for this purpose!  

Now, on to planning your Eagle Scout Court of Honor ... !!  

Note:  If you remain an active member of your Troop, you now have the opportunity to earn Eagle Palms if you are still under 18 years old.  If you are already 18 years old, your Adult Leader record will reflect that you are an Eagle Scout (and what date you earned it)!  

Note: Effective August, 2017, BSA announced that Eagles who have earned enough Merit Badges for subsequent Eagle Palms at the time of their Eagle Scout Board of Review will be awarded those Eagle Palms at the same time their Eagle Scout is awarded — without having to wait three months for each Eagle Palm or having to have a Scoutmaster conference for each Eagle Palm. Subsequent to the awarding of Eagle Scout (e.g., at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor), however, the "old" rules for Eagle Palms continues in effect — i.e., Eagle Palms are awarded in increments of 5 Merit Badges, with three months of participation and leadership between Eagle Palms, and with a Scoutmaster conference for each subsequent Eagle Palm. 

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 09 2017

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Steps to Get Ready for an Eagle Board of Review

Here are the steps to get ready for your Eagle Scout Board of Review:  

• Fill out your Eagle Scout Rank Application.  
  • Be sure to scratch out which Merit Badge (MB) alternatives you did not use towards becoming an Eagle Scout. IF you are using the editable PDF form in Adobe Reader, which is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, you should use the "strikeout" function and NOT the "highlighting" function to perform this task. The "strikeout" function will draw a red line through the unused portion of the MB options list (e.g., like this: "Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving").  
    • E.g., after 01/01/2014, did you earn the Environmental Science or the Sustainability Merit Badge.  (If you earned both, which one are you counting as the mandatory one?  Scratch out the other one. E.g., like this: "Environmental Science OR Sustainability")  
    • There are similar alternatives for the Swimming Merit Badge and the Lifesaving Merit Badge; these require corresponding actions.  
    • As part of this process, your Scoutmaster will guide you in using Circle Ten Council to verify the dates you input into your Eagle Scout Rank Application as well as which Merit Badges you earned, the date of your Life Scout Board of Review, and your Troop Leadership position(s) & dates.  If this data does not match what Council (and, therefore, BSA) has on record, you will not be allowed to have your Eagle Scout Board of Review. The official BSA/Circle Ten record of your accomplishments/dates is contained in your Internet Advancement 2 Report, which comes from Scoutbook and which can be obtained by your unit's Advancement Chair. It is strongly recommended that you use this report to complete your Eagle Scout Rank Application.
    • Get permission from the appropriate references to use their information on your Eagle Rank Application. Do NOT ask them to write references yet (see later)! Note that ALL fields on ALL references must be complete, but IF you have never held a job where taxes were withheld, you do not need to complete the line for Employer. Note that your parents ARE requested to write a reference for you. Also, IF you are NOT a member of a formal religious organization, you may specify a relative for your Religious reference. IF you are home-schooled, you may use a parent for your Education reference, but this should be a different reference than your Parent/Guardian. Make sure all mailing addresses are complete, including city/state/zip code. 
  • Fill in your leadership positions. Note that they must total 6 months since your Life BoR. Only selected leadership positions are eligible to be used for Eagle Scout; they are listed on P2 of the application. 
  • Fill in your Eagle Scout Service Project data. 
    • Note that the "number of hours" is the total number of hours spent by all participants, including your time in planning/documenting/presenting/reporting on the project, the time spent by the beneficiary, the time spent by other adults (e.g., Eagle coach and consultants at, e.g., Home Depot or Lowes), and people who worked on the execution of your project (including you). 
• Have your Eagle Scout Scoutmaster Conference, following your Troop's procedures to arrange this.  
  • Make any corrections to your Eagle Scout Rank Application that the Scoutmaster requires.
  • Sign/date the Eagle Scout Rank Application.
  • Get the Scoutmaster and Committee Chair to sign/date your Eagle Scout Rank Application. 
• When the above are complete, e-mail the District Advancement Committee Vice-chair for Eagle Issues and ask to schedule an Eagle Scout Board of Review. Use this email address: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. This will also CC the Western Horizon District Advancement Chair; do NOT CC anyone else other than your own Troop leadership or your family. Do NOT attach ANYthing to this email, please! HOWEVER, IF you have significant constraints (e.g., away at college, turning 18 imminently, etc.) please DO include this information in this email!
• The Western Horizon District Advancement Committee Vice-chair for Eagle Issues will respond via email with directions about what you need to do next.
  • This reply will include an attachment which you will need to customize and give to all your references. This attachment tells them how to email their reference to the Vice-chair for Eagle Issues. Again, you may NOT be in possession of these reference letters at any time (BSA rules).
  • This will also include directions on how to email your Eagle Scout Rank Application and Internet Advancement Report to the District Advancement Committee. 
  • It will also remind you that the second page of the Eagle Scout Rank Application contains directions for two other documents you will need at your Eagle Scout Board of Review (BoR). Please do NOT email these documents; they are only needed at your BoR!
  • This email will describe the process of Eagle Rank VERIFICATION and notify you that when you have all your information correct, it will be submitted to Council for this process.
  • ONLY after Eagle Rank VERIFICATION is completed by Council may your Eagle BoR be scheduled.
• Your Eagle BoR will then be scheduled. Two members of the BoR will be trained leaders on the Western Horizon District Advancement Committee. A third leader MAY be from your Troop, but you may NOT play any role in selecting this third BoR member. That third member may NOT be your Scoutmaster OR an Assistant Scoutmaster from your Troop (BSA rules) OR any member of your family (BSA rules).  
• When you come to your Eagle Scout Board of Review, you should:  
  • Be in full ("class A") uniform
  • Wear your Merit Badge sash
  • Bring your OA sash if you are an OA member
  • Bring your completed/signed Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, including "before" and "after" pictures, diagrams, receipts, etc.
  • Bring your completed Eagle Scout Rank, including the required signatures
  • Bring your "life goals" essay for the Review Board to read 
  • Bring your "list of leadership and awards" for the Review Board to read
  • Bring your Boy Scout Handbook, which should have complete signatures & dates for all prior ranks.  
  • Bring any other Scout memorabilia that can be contained in a notebook (you may bring summer camp photos, e.g., but no camping gear, hiking gear, etc.) 

If you have questions about any of the above, please e-mail the District Advancement Committee Vice-chair for Eagle Issues, Rufus Woody III at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 08 2017

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Eagle Scout Rank Application

You have never had to fill out an application to achieve any rank before Eagle. But, before an Eagle candidate can go before his Eagle Scout Board of Review, he must fill out the Eagle Scout Rank Application. Here is the official BSA link to that application: 

====>> http://www.scouting.org/filestore/pdf/512-728_wb_fillable.pdf

To complete this application, ask your Troop's advancement chair to get a record of your Scouting history, including Cub Scout dates (if any), leadership position(s), Merit Badges earned & the dates, etc. This is called an Internet Advancement 2 Report, or a Scoutbook Individual Advancement History Report, neither of which are related to TroopMaster, ScoutTrax, or any other advancement tool outside of BSA. Your Troop's advancement chair should know how to generate this report. 

Note to Troop Advancement Chairs: Assistance in generating an Internet Advancement 2 Report is available for Troop advancement chairs via an email to: 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Once you have it, you will use the data from your Internet Advancement 2 Report or your Scoutbook Individual Advancement History Report to complete your Eagle Scout Rank Application. 

• IMPORTANT: Download and save this document to your hard drive and then use ONLY Adobe Reader DC^® to complete this report. 
• Note that this Eagle Scout Rank Application is a "fillable PDF" with embedded macros that will take information you fill in on one part of the form and insert it, if needed, on another part of the form. For example, when you insert your full legal name into the appropriate field at the top of P1, the form automatically duplicates that information at the top of P2.
• The information in the top-left section is about you: your name, address, phone number (including area code), email address (hopefully, by now, you have your own NON-school email address and are no longer using your parents' email address; this is how BSA will keep in touch with you "forever"). There is also information about your Troop (or Crew or ship, etc.). 
• Next, in the top-right section of the form, is some information about whether you were in Cub Scouts and when you joined Boy Scouts, when you made 1st Class, when you made Star, etc. This information MUST agree with that on your Internet Advancement 2 Report or your Scoutbook Individual Advancement History Report! (One exception is the day you became a Boy Scout -- this can be the date you crossed-over from Webelos to Boy Scout OR it can be the date you made Scout rank.) 
• Next comes your date-of-birth and the date you made Life. Note that the Life date is repeated near the top of P2 automatically!
• Next comes space for either 5 or 6 references. Every field for each reference must be filled in (full name(s), complete postal address (including zip code), telephone number (including area code), and email address -- no blank/incomplete  fields). ASK THESE REFERENCES FOR PERMISSION TO USE THEIR NAMES at the same time you request their information, but DO NOT ask them to write you a reference YET! That will come later (after your Scoutmaster conference).  
  • Note that a Religious reference is required! If you are not a member of a religious organization, you may want to consider having one parent on your Parent line and another parent (or other relative who knows you well) on the Religious line.
  • For your Education reference, note that teachers, counselors, coaches, principals, etc., may not wish to give out their personal information; it is common for them to ask you to use their school address/phone number/email and this is totally acceptable. 
  • You may or may not have an Employer reference; IF you have had a job where you got a paycheck (with taxes and other deductions taken out), you must fill in this line! IF you have NOT had an employer, put "N/A" (without the quote marks) in each of the four fields on that line. 
  • You also need two other references; often Eagle coaches, Scoutmasters, ASMs, or neighbors/friends/relatives are used for these references. You must have these other two (2) references. 
• Next comes a space for you to specify the 21 Merit Badges (MBs) that you will use in your application to become an Eagle Scout. Thirteen (13) of them are required, with three (3) of those having alternatives. Eight (8) are optional. For each MB, you must fill in the date BSA believes you were awarded that MB; this is available on your Internet Advancement 2 Report or your Scoutbook Individual Advancement History Report; the date on your "blue card"/the date on the card you got at your Court of Honor/the date in your BSA Handbook -- none of these count -- only the date on your Internet Advancement 2 Report or your Scoutbook Individual Advancement History Report. And that date has to match exactly! In addition, you must put in the unit number (e.g., Troop number) you were in when you earned that MB. (IF you were only in one Troop, the unit number for all MBs will be the same, but some Scouts earned MBs in more than one Troop. In this case, it is required that you know which Troop you were in when you earned each MB.) 
  • So, you start with the first required MB, Camping. You enter the date and your unit number. 
  • Then you move on to the three Citizenship MBs; same routine.
  • Then you move on to Communication and Cooking; same routine.
  • Then you come to MB # 7, where you have your first "choice" of which MB to use: either Emergency Preparedness or Lifesaving. You must "strikethrough" the MB you are NOT using. IF you are using Adobe Reader to fill out this form (which we HOPE you WILL use), simply use your cursor to highlight the one you are not using (including the word "or"), right-mouse-click to call up the "context menu", and select "Strikethrough". This will draw a nice red line through the part you are not using. 
  • Similarly, on MB # 8, you have to choose between Environmental Science or Sustainability. Use your mouse to highlight the part you are not using, right-mouse-click, and choose "Strikethrough". 
  • On MB # 10, you may have to select two parts to strikethrough. You need to select only one of the three possibilities: Cycling, Hiking, or Swimming. Strikethrough the two (2) that you are NOT using (including the word(s) "or"). 
  • When you come to MBs #14 through 21, you get to choose which MBs you wish to select. You may even select one of the MBs you struck-through in MBs # 7, 8, or 10. 
• Next, you turn to P2, where you will enter your Leadership data. You must have served in an approved leadership position for a total of no less than 6 months since your Life Board of Review (BoR). Note that the date for your Life BoR is automatically copied from P1 if you are filling out the form using Adobe Reader.
• Next you enter data about your Eagle Scout Service Project. The name of your Eagle Scout Project should come straight from the cover of your Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook. The date it was completed is the date the Beneficiary signed, NOT any other date. The total hours is the total that everyone spent, including you and everyone who contributed to your project. It is taken from the table in the Report section of your Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook. 

All this should be completed before you have your Scoutmaster conference. Note that there is a requirement for your Eagle BoR that you write two documents: your "life essay" and your "list of awards/leadership". Most Scoutmasters would like to review these, as well as your Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook during your Scoutmaster conference. 

• Next you fill in the date of your Scoutmaster conference. 
• Then you sign and date in the space provided on P2. 
• Next you ask your Scoutmaster to sign and date in the space provided on P2. 
• Finally, you ask your Committee Chair to sign and date on the space provided on P2. 

Now, finally, you are ready to request your Eagle BoR! To do that, send an email WITH NO ATTACHMENTS to: 

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

stating your name and Troop number, that you have completed your Scoutmaster conference, who your Eagle coach is, and that you would like to schedule your Eagle BoR. You should CC your Scoutmaster, your Committee Chair, your Eagle coach, and (if you like) your parents. You should send this from an email that you check regularly. 

The response email will tell you what to do to get your references sent in (remember your references, from above?) based on a document that will be attached to this email response. It will also ask you to email your Eagle Rank Application and your Internet Advancement 2 Report. It will also tell you how to prepare the documentation for your Eagle BoR. Do not send anything else that is not requested. 

Once Western Horizon District has "VERIFIED" your Eagle Scout Rank Application against your Internet Advancement 2 Report or your Scoutbook Individual Advancement History Report successfully ("letter-perfect"!!), these documents will be forwarded to Circle Ten Council for "VERIFICATION" by Council. Once Council has successfully "VERIFIED" these documents, we can schedule your Eagle BoR. 

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 08 2017

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Getting Ready for Eagle Project Approval

Important:  You must use the current Eagle Project Workbook.  It must be kept together ... every page.  Do not separate any part.  Do not alter any pages. Do not import it into a word processor for editing; you should use the editable PDF by saving it to disk and then editing it using the latest version of Adobe Reader DC^®. You may attach items at the end of the workbook, e.g., diagrams, photos, receipts, etc., rather than inserting them into the spaces provided in the workbook. (This will keep the filesize small.)  

Choosing a Project: 

The Eagle project must have enough planning and leadership on the Scout’s part. If an organization has a project, the plan, and supplies, but they just need some workers to do the labor, then that does not qualify as an Eagle project! That is the organization’s project … not the Scout’s. The project does not have to be a physical construction but still must have enough planning and leadership. Projects for which the Scout will have more pride usually involve construction of a permanent object. Contact a member of the District Advancement Committee if there is a concern about meeting the requirements of planning and leadership. Generally blood drives, collecting things in the neighborhoods, painting parking lot strips, and gluing tiles for the street department do not qualify. However if there are extra activities attached to that activity that require the Scout to do more planning and leadership, then it may pass and be approved. Please discuss the project with us ahead of time so we can see if it might work. 

There is no requirement for any certain number of hours that must be spent on a project. Each project will be different. An Eagle candidate should include all the time he has spent thinking about, planning, discussing, and documenting his Eagle Scout Project in addition to the time he and the co-workers he recruits actual spend executing his project plan. Documenting the results after project completion count towards hours spent on the project, too! 

The Scout will fill out the first section of the Eagle Project Workbook down to the five signatures on page 2-4. It is a brief overview of the project and not detailed (yet). After the project is approved by District, then the Eagle Coach from the Troop will help the Scout finish the plan in more detail in the second half of the workbook. 

The only thing in the second half of the workbook that must be filled out for the initial District approval is the application for fundraising on page 3-7. Circle Ten Council gave Western Horizon District permission to approve these, so we will sign them at the time of the District project approval. Fund raising means any money or materials that the Scout gets donated by sources other than family, Troop, or benefiting organization. This includes asking stores like Home Depot to donate items like lumber. You may list fundraising events that you might perform but may not end up doing. You do not have to do the fundraiser, so put all fundraising activities that you might possibly do. It will just be a possibility and the Scout does not have to do it if the money is not needed. This page does not have to be completed if there is no fundraising necessary.  Remember that extra money left over after completion of the project should be donated to the benefiting organization.

Signatures:  The Scout signs the form on page 2-4. It says: “On my honor as a Scout, I have read this entire workbook”. S/He needs to read the whole thing. There are four signatures that must be signed before starting the project. The three non-District signatures are signed in any sequence but the District signature must be last.

The first half of the workbook does not have to list how many nails, boards, etc., but must give the impression of what is needed to complete the project. So all materials, items, tools, etc., must be listed. Also there should be a complete list of safety issues, even though a more complete description will be included in the second half of the workbook. The second half of the workbook is for the Scout and Eagle Coach to complete so that the Scout can accomplish the project successfully. There is no requirement to fill out every section or line. In the past, the District Committee made sure the plan was complete and detailed enough to be successful, but now that responsibility is shifted to the Troop’s Eagle Coach. If the Troop wants the District to go over their planning in the second half of the workbook we will be glad to critique it. If the Troop does not have any Eagle Coaches, we will be glad to assist the Scout in filling out the detailed plan.

After the Scout finishes his Eagle Project, pages 4-1 to 4-4 must be filled out completely and signatures obtained. There is a chart that lists the time spent on planning and performing the project. Please have the Scout put the hours he planned the project in the margin for his Eagle Board of Review. His hours reported in the chart is the total hours of planning and executing the project, both by him and by the co-workers (youth and adult) that he recruited to work on his project. 

The project does not have to benefit only non-profit organizations. In rare circumstances a project may be approved that is for a private company or individual. The BSA Guide to Advancement mentions this:

 Normally “your community” would not refer to individuals, although a Council or District Advancement Committee may consider scenarios where an individual in need can affect a community. An example might involve elderly persons able to live at home but unable to maintain their property, with the result being an “attractive nuisance” or related dangerous situations, or even an eyesore — something that raises concern to more than that of just an individual. If it can be determined it is the community that benefits, then it is a matter of identifying who will provide approvals. They must come from a source representing the “community,” such as a neighborhood association, watch group, homeowners association, or perhaps a division of a town or county. 

 Another example might be a flag pole outside a nursing home that is for-profit. Please contact one of the District Advancement Committee members if the beneficiary is in this category, to discuss the feasibility of the potential project before a lot of time is spent writing the project up.

The Eagle Project Workbook must be kept together in its entirety and not split up or altered in any way. The Scout may attach photographs, diagrams, or type-written pages at the end of the workbook and write in areas of the workbook: “see attached”. 

 
Finishing Your Eagle Project Workbook After District approval:    

• You should at some point, before doing the project, finish the second half of the workbook with the help of your Troop's Eagle Coach.

• Be sure to have a list of all equipment needed for the project … down to how many hammers or wheelbarrows you will need and where you are acquiring the material. Every list should include a first aid kit, water, cups, and a cell phone (for emergencies). This is a list of all materials like tools, water, and cups, as well as boards, nails, and actual materials to build the project. This needs to be everything you will need that day (or longer) to make this project happen.

• IMPORTANT! List and describe the possible safety hazards that are anticipated in the project and how you are going to attempt to avoid them. For example goggles are needed to avoid eye injuries. Do not just explain how you are going to treat injuries. A first aid kit should be on all lists of materials for every project and we assume you can treat injuries. We hope you never have to treat any! Examples:

1. 1. 1. Eye injuries: wear goggles during hammering.

      2. Dehydration: water breaks every hour

      3. Back injuries: instruction on lifting with bent knees instead of bending over with stiff legs

      4. Caustic clue: wear non-permeable gloves when using glue

      5. Power tools: age-appropriate guidelines for power tool usage will be instructed and obeyed

      6. Etc.: etc.

• To help you with safety issues (e.g., which age Scout may use which kind of tool), use BSA's Guide to Safe Scouting, which may be found at a link presented here. There are several sections which help with Eagle Scout projects, including Age Guidelines for Tool Use and Work at Elevations or Excavations and Service Project Planning Guidelines, among others. You may download a PDF of this manual and print the relevant sections for use in planning your Eagle Scout Project.

• Make sure you make a list of all time spent on planning. That is, every time you talk on the phone, meet with people, type up proposals, and even the times you plan in your head on what you are going to do. The total needs to be put into the workbook later, so be sure to keep track of it as you go. (For example, if you are talking with a school principal about your project at the school, you would need to count your time as well as the principal’s time, too.) Also have all persons who are working on the project sign in and sign out while working on the project. You will need to have a total on how long each person works on the actual project and the total amount of time all workers spent on the project. 

• If there is any question whether a project might not be adequate, call or e-mail the District Advancement Committee's Vice-chair for Eagle Issues so you can get a pre-approval on its worthiness. The email address is This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. 

Note: Be sure to take pictures of before, during, and after the project to include them in your Eagle Project Workbook. You may put pictures, diagrams, spreadsheets, etc., after the workbook rather than inserting them into the provided spaces if you prefer (that way the file doesn't become too large to email). 

After finishing the project, go ahead and get the signatures you need: yours, that of any Adult from the Troop who was at the project, and the benefiting organization contact person's signature in your workbook. Do this right away!

You will bring your completed Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook with you to your Eagle Scout Board of Review, where it will be discussed in detail.  

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 08 2017

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Requesting a District Eagle Scout Service Project Review

To request a Western Horizon District Eagle Scout Service Project review, send an email to:

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

You should state your name, your Troop number, and the name of your Eagle coach (if you have one, which is HIGHLY recommended). You should CC your Scoutmaster, your Committee Chair, your Eagle coach (if any), and your advancement chair. Do NOT attach ANYthing to this email! 

Someone on the Western Horizon District Advancement Team will contact you about setting a time/date for your review. This response will tell you what you must bring to this review. 

Note: This email goes to more than one person; so it is not necessary to CC anyone outside your Troop (UNLESS your Eagle coach is not a member of your Troop). You ARE, however, welcome to CC your parents! 

Note: It is MOST ESSENTIAL that you regularly check the email from which you send this request. (It is very frustrating to respond to a Scout's request ... and then have the Scout ignore the email for weeks!) 

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 08 2017

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Eagle Project Workbook "Rules"

Be sure to use only the current Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, which is available from BSA via a link below. It is strongly recommended that you save the form to your hard drive first and then edit it using the latest version of Adobe Reader DC®. Do NOT use any other editing tool or your work will not be saved/formatted properly! And ... you will waste a LOT of time when you have to re-do the work ... !! 

Note: The new form will allow you to expand areas within the form without changing the fonts you use. Therefore, do not separate pages; keep the whole workbook intact, as it is, in the original format. Here are the official BSA directions for how to download this form for both PC users and Mac users:  

====>>  http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/EagleWorkbookProcedures.aspx

Please fill out all information in the workbook that is pertinent to your project. You can type information directly into it.  [Or you may print out the PDF and hand-write in the information, but it is usually much less legible then.] You may attach an additional write-up (e.g., with before and after pictures) to it, rather than imbedding them in the workbook document itself. Note that most list boxes, text boxes, and tables will automatically expand if you fill them up.  

For the Contact Information page, the name you should enter into the Your Council Service Center box for Contact name: is Josh Ohmstede. The proper address is 8605 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75235. The phone number is 214-902-6769. The information about the Council or District Project Approval Representative will be supplied when the reviewer is assigned; do not enter information until that assignment has been made. While having a Project Coach is not required, it is highly recommended!! Talk to your Eagle Coach FREQUENTLY while you are working on your Eagle Project (and also while you are completing your Eagle Rank Application)!!

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Category: Eagle Scout Article

Published: November 08 2017

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Eagle Scout Project Ideas

Introduction
Your Eagle Scout Service Project should be something that you can go back in a few years and say:  "I did that!". This often means constructing something. Collecting things and cleaning cemeteries do not qualify. Doing normal maintenance (e.g., mowing lawns) does not count either!

It also must be your project.  If the organization (which usually, but not always, needs to be non-profit) has a project already and they just need some Scouts to put it together, then you are just supplying manpower to someone else's project. 

But if the organization has an idea ... like they have a room that needs to be painted ... and you do the planning and get the supplies to do it, then that usually qualifies. If the Church or Synagogue or Mosque or Temple has a room to be painted, and they already have the paint, and supplies and such ... and you are just going to paint it for them ... that is not an Eagle project. You need to do the planning, organization, and leadership. In general, collecting things door-to-door or cleaning and mowing areas like an old cemetery will not qualify as an Eagle project. 

Eagle Scout Project Contact Ideas
Some agencies to contact about potential Eagle Scout projects are:

1. 1. Your school

   2. The board of education

   3. Your church, temple, mosque, or synagogue

   4. Childrens' homes

   5. The Red Cross

   6. Salvation Army

   7. Homes for the aged

   8. Senior citizens' center

   9. Nursing homes

   10. Public libraries

   11. Veterans organizations

   12. Camps for the handicapped

   13. Schools for the handicapped

   14. Hospitals

   15. Lighthouse for the Blind

   16. City recreation department

   17. City and county parks department

   18. State and national parks

   19. Conservation and energy groups

   20. Army Corps of Engineers

   21. Blood donor centers

   22. Other youth agencies

   23. Fire departments

   24. Police departments

   25. rug information centers

   26. Mayor and city government offices

   27. Civic clubs

   28. The United Way

   29. Civil Defense office

   30. Welfare agencies

   31. Housing agencies

Some Suggested Eagle Scout Projects

1. 1. Build a small building at "Police Safety Town" where small children are taught traffic safety

   2. Build a sign in front of the school to announce when PTA meets each month.

   3. Read children's books onto tapes for use in hospitals for an auditory library.

   4. Translate children's information booklets to different languages for the hospital.

   5. Build benches in front of school for students to sit in, or for local park.

   6. Repair tombstones in disrepair in old cemetery.

   7. In a local Nature Area, plant more trees in the area. Build a pond.

   8. Help preserve the history of the town by building and erecting a cemetery locator map in local cemetery.

   9. Repair playground at local park or church

   10. Paint metal or waterproof wooden items at playground, or in front of city building, hospital, or church.

   11. Repair or do work at local animal shelter.

   12. Build shelves to store backpacks outside cafeteria at school.

   13. Build benches for

   14. Build stone walkway for school.

More Eagle Scout Projects That Have Been Done By Others

1. 1. Jeremy built shelves and cabinets to be used by the Interfaith ministries.

   2. Robert built chimney swift houses for the Armand Bayou Nature Center in Clear Lake City. Five were built. There things are chimneys which are 12 feet tall.

   3. A "Big Toy" for the pre-schoolers at our sponsoring organization.

   4. As in 1 above, a tire swing was built. The Eagle built a large wood structure from which to hang the swing.

   5. One Eagle repainted a torpedo and a deck gun at the Battleship Texas site in Houston.

   6. Some large shelving units were built in the Interfaith Ministries food pantry.

   7. One Eagle built a boat dock at a park

   8. Working with Sam Houston National Forest, one of our Eagles built bat boxes.

   9. The same as 6 but the Eagle built owl houses.

   10. One Eagle built trash receptacles for the local nature center and installed them.

   11. Another nature center project was building benches in the rest areas along a nature trail.

   12. Building welcome signs to our town by major roads.

   13. Build a ramp for the handicapped at a local church.

   14. Build bird cages for local animal rehabilitators.

   15. Build a pamphlet display in a local church, or make a guide to a local nature trail.

   16. Rebuilt an outdoor chapel

   17. Built seven sets of sturdy steps (railroad ties, rebar, gravel) on a banking down to a popular fishing area, thus preventing erosion

   18. Cleared paths and rebuilt steps and benches in an overgrown, inaccessible wildlife area, leaving brush piles and wild fruit stands for wildlife habitat but allowing greater use and appreciation of the area for local people

   19. Rebuilt a spillway and small dam in a conservation area to prevent flooding and make for safer access for hikers

   20. Constructed and installed floating turtle rafts of cedar in a town conservation area to replace downed trees the town had removed for safety reasons, thus restoring a safe habitat for the turtles to sun themselves and avoid foxes and other predators.

   21. Repainting the bathrooms at the park and sand papering all the graffiti off the wooden playground

   22. Built a 10 x 20 building for a therapeutic riding program

   23. Built gazebos and benches on the park trail for the city and planted climbing rose

   24. Built a prayer garden for a church

   25. Upgrading existing or building new hiking trails at a county park (basically the park ranger has a shopping list of things that need to be done).

   26. Coordinating their family church's week of taking care of some homeless families.

   27. Hanging signs on trees or cementing them on the ground next to plants or shrubs identifying what they are.

   28. Build a walking trail around a lake in a local county park.

   29. Walking/Nature Trails at local schools including chips and shavings to walk on, leveling trail for ease of use, etc.

   30. Construct and install a Guide rope and Braille signs for a boardwalk at a local nature center. Nature centers always seem to have projects for Eagle Scouts.

   31. Another candidate designed, planned and organized the construction of a mobile literature storage box/podium for his church. The project was about 6 feet high, 6 feet wide and 2 feet deep, on wheels.

   32. A third candidate arranged the installation of a basketball goal and 1/2 court marking at a nearby church parking lot as a recreational project for the church and community youth.

   33. Another arranged to plan and execute a large concrete sidewalk

   34. Building a volley ball court for our church.

   35. Fixing up one of the meeting halls in our church.

   36. Building bagging tables for a local volunteer organization.

   37. Clear woods, paint some outdoors equipment, and dig a 150 foot trench for a underground cable for a local church.

   38. Dig up and remove several dead trees, plant replacement trees and some new trees along the access road to a local neighborhood, and plant bushes and fix up several existing nursery beds.

   39. Clear and develop a nature trail at a local park.

   40. The first project was laying a wood chip trail around a local school yard for the students and citizens to use as a fitness trail.

   41. Refurbished the inside of a Chessie System caboose that the town I live in purchased for a local museum.

   42. Rehabilitated and painted the church garage. Replaced the doors and put a new roof on the structure.

   43. Rebuilt a 100 ft., field stone retaining wall, along a nature trail at the church retreat house.

   44. Constructed a large number of wooden planter boxes for the patio of a local nursing home.

   45. Designed and constructed a wooden foot bridge over a creek in the local county park.

   46. Constructed and stained a long wooden fence along a walkway at the historical Society grounds.

   47. Cleared and laid out a nature trail for pre school children with activity stations at the nature center.

   48. An antique, horse-drawn buggy was restored for a local museum.

   49. Scouts made 27 cement boxes for tree planters in order to level the planters on one of the main streets of their city.

   50. More than 30 hours were spent forming 40 cement blocks, one square foot each, in which metal-cased, veteran stars were placed. The veteran markers were then set in place at the headstone of veterans in a local cemetery.

   51. An access ramp was built at a church to accommodate wheelchairs.

   52. One candidate planned and supervised the planting of a vegetable garden at a senior citizen center

   53. At a home for senior citizens, outdoor furniture was sanded and painted, a shuffleboard court was constructed

   54. Building a sturdy bridge in a county park provided quite a challenge. The candidate secured the posts, planking, and concrete and transported the supplies to the bridge site.

   55. Another project consisted of planting 1000 Virginia pine trees and 18 crepe myrtle trees and the construction and installation of birdhouses along a nature trail in a state park.

 Construction-Related:

1. 1. Design and construct wheelchair access ramps and paths at college ministry house

   2. Remove unsafe space heaters and rebuild walls; then build bookshelves on same walls

   3. Design and construct a bus stop shelter

   4. Designed and built rolling media carts for use of critically ill cancer patients at local hospital

   5. Construct a fence and landscaping for new home for Habitat for Humanity

   6. Design, build and erect two radio antennae and towers for Civil Air Patrol

   7. Build new roof for church bell tower and refurbish bell

   8. Disassembly, repair, move, and reassemble donated outdoor gym set for playground area

   9. Design and build doghouses and donate to local animal shelter

   10. Plan, build, and install a portable stage with backdrop and curtains for local school

   11. Design and construct a raptor cage for injured hawks at wildlife center

   12. Build instrument racks for storing bank instruments at local school

   13. Built twelve bookcases, held book drive to fill shelves, and obtained mini-blinds for recreation room at rehabilitation center

   14. Built and assembled weaving loom for senior citizens’ home

   15. Designed and built outdoor chapel for church

   16. Build and install picnic tables at church in south Texas

   17. Build a 5-station “ROPES” course for local church youth group

   18. Build crèche and surroundings for Nativity display for community

   19. Design, build and paint stage fronts for children’s chapel activities

   20. Built electrically-operated game board to teach Bible facts to children at church

   21. Made Braille games for blind school students, including handmade game boards, playing pieces, etc., that could be identified by touch

   22. Built storage bins for nursery schools

   23. Constructed six mobile, wooden planters, for use by children confined to wheelchairs at Shriner’s Hospital

   24. Repaired and painted community building, including raising funds to pay for supplies

   25. Constructed footbridge linking school and homes

   26. Designed and built reading lofts for kindergarten classes freeing up valuable floor space

   27. Built clothes racks for Christmas gift program, providing place to store coats and other donated clothing items until distribution

   28. Designed, built, and installed two map signs identifying ball diamonds and playing fields at community sports complex

   29. Design and construct tennis backboards at city tennis courts

   30. Constructed cabinets and shelves and secured library of written materials for cardiac rehab center to provide education on measured and actions to help prevent strokes and heart attacks

   31. Built and maintained recycling center at local park by installing separating bins and empting for six months

   32. Rebuilt outdoor chapel at church camp by removing and replacing all benches, adding railings to pathway and stairs and building new lectern and cross

   33. Built horseshoe pitching court of residents of senior housing complex and set up party to “unveil” the new courts

   34. Refurbished area and constructed two new horseshoe pits and bocce ball court for senior citizens of chartered organization

   35. Collected, repaired, painted, and delivered toys to toy lending library and Salvation Army for distribution to needy children

   36. Erected poles as road guards around driveway at church for playground and day-care

   37. Built storage facilities for Sunday School materials

   38. Built outdoor picnic tables for school

   39. Constructed wooden compasses for demonstration and teaching at school

   40. Repaired and repainted bleachers at school

   41. Built fire pit and benches and cleaned up beachfront property of church

   42. Built campfire bowl and stage for local youth camp

   43. Planned, organized, and built baseball field for church

   44. Rebuilt cabin and constructed outhouse at church camp

   45. Renovated church gymnasium

   46. Reshingled roofs on nature center buildings

   47. Constructed kiosk to be used as message center, map holder and information center at community park

   48. Cleared unused building at Boy’s Club and constructed indoor archery range

   49. Planned and built brick fireplace for local park

   50. Built large playhouse (6’X12’X8’) for day-care and after-school program run for homeless in community

   51. Built cage (15’X30’X12’) for local raptor center to be used for rehabilitation and display of large birds of prey

   52. Erected enclosure, following specifications provided by the zoo, for display and safekeeping of birds, at local wildlife park

   53. Built outdoor weather station and installed professional grade weather equipment at elementary school

   54. Constructed activity shelter at local school

   55. Organized and painted inside of church building

   56. Tore down and disposed of dilapidated garage at historic home

   57. Built doghouses of various sizes for homeless animals being kept at various animal shelters

   58. Constructed two bridges along trail at nature center

   59. Built play gyms for schools and Ronald McDonald House

   60. Rebuilt historical bus stop for seniors

   61. Built a trophy case for local grade school

   62. Built equipment for Special Olympics

   63. Built birdhouses and feeders to be placed outside windows at local nursing homes

   64. Repaired and repainted press box and dugouts at athletic field

   65. Poured cement pads for air conditioning unit and patio of chartered organization

   66. Made major structural repairs to community-owned park cabin

   67. Constructed study carrels at nonprofit adult literacy organization

   68. Built and distributed lap boards with tablets or writing paper and holders for pens and envelopes to rest homes and VA hospital and with coloring books and crayons for children’s hospital

   69. Constructed park benches at bus stops for the elderly

   70. Assembled book carts, kick stools and bookends for new public library and relocated and sorted children’s catalog section

   71. Procured materials and constructed six motorized wheelchairs for permanent use by home for the elderly

   72. Dismantle and rebuild wooden bleachers at school

   73. Built wooden lifeguard towers at local YMCA camp

   74. Built 4 rolling tables for chartered organization

   75. Constructed three voting booths for town hall including one handicap-accessible

   76. Designed and built a playground for orphanage

   77. Built new picnic tables for town park pavilion

   78. Built bicycle racks for a local baseball complex

   79. Repaired/rebuilt a storage shed at local neighborhood park

   80. Repaired and repainted bleachers and dugouts at local little league baseball diamond

   81. Removed old flagpole and installed new one at local school; landscaped area around the flagpole

   82. Built wood shelving units for local food pantry

   83. Design and build wood working benches for preschool children

   84. Plan and construct soccer field by removing rocks, hauling in dirt, and installing goals

   85. Plan and construct a sand volleyball court at church to benefit youth groups

   86. Convert a storage room into a “cry room” at church by installing one way mirror and sound insulation.

   87. Built ten outdoor swing sets for camp for disabled children.

   88. Design and build shade shelters for new city park.

   89. Design and construct planter boxes for school learning center.

   90. Design and build stacking cabinets for storage of choir music books.

   91. Construct a paved path between church buildings and playground.

   92. Repairing old cages and building new rabbit cagesWild Rescue, an animal rescue group.

   93. Build enclosed shelving units to store linens at local shelter.

   94. Design and paint a mural at senior center.

   95. Build a 40’ wall to form a hallway; install sheetrock and finish painting.

   96. Rebuild and repair children’s play area at ER of local hospital.

   97. Design and build a security fence separating children’s playground from RR tracks.

   98. Build six portable stages for classroom at school.

   99. Build an aviary for songbirds.

   100. Design and build a storage shed for nature preserve.

   101. Design and build student mailboxes for classroom use.

   102. Built a large storage/shelving unit for science lab in inner city school.

   103. Repair parking lot; re-stripe; and create better access by constructing paths to parking lots.

   104. Plan and construct a covered bench area for playground supervision at elementary school.

   105. Design and construct the foundation and base for statue honoring servicemen

   106. Design and construct entrance signs for local camp

   107. Repair and resurface kitchen floor at local soup kitchen

   108. Plan and construct track and field event pits at local school

   109. Repair existing bed frames and construct an additional 26 frames for use at animal shelter

   110. Design and construct a sand volleyball court for church youth center

Outdoors / Environmental / Landscape:  

1. 1. Create a trail connecting two city parks and create erosion barriers to keep trail in shape

   2. Construct a handicap accessible sidewalk at local playground area

   3. Design, layout and build a grass farm for use of Corps of Engineers on future area projects

   4. Construct an underground sprinkler system to provide water to flower beds on church grounds

   5. Plan and build a “Biblical reference garden” to accent the entryway of local church

   6. Design and construct a celebration rose garden for cancer victims and survivors

   7. Design and install outdoor lighting for flag and cross at local church

   8. Construct three erosion control dams to prevent erosion of new trail

   9. Constructed an archery range at local youth camp

   10. Build a climbing traversing wall for use of local youth group

   11. Built 30’ retaining wall with native rocks to control erosion and water bars on trail in preserve

   12. Built new orienteering course at park

   13. Initiated and completed two mile nature trail exhibiting trees, plants, and wildlife; also built a dozen birdhouses to uses as a sanctuary over winter and nesting seasons

   14. Researched local bird population and constructed and installed over thirty different nesting stations to enhance population of desired bird species at local wildlife park

   15. Design and construct twenty bird feeding stations for installation outside nursing home windows.

   16. Compiled listing of practical ways average households can cut pollution and keep environment clean without elaborate and expensive preparation; distributed information to approximately 3,000 homes

   17. Rejuvenated cemetery by cleaning grounds, refurbishing headstones, and locating graves; documented 300 buried there and secured cemetery’s inclusion in state historical directory

   18. Built small park on unused wooded lot in neighborhood by clearing and covering two walking paths with wood chips, installing wire spool tables, clearing play area, building sand box, and making entrance sign

   19. Made insect collection for school of children with disabilities by collecting, identifying and giving locations of prime sites for insect collection; constructed glass cases for presentation and for future collections

   20. Made and posted warning signs and location markers on trail for hikers; dug drainage ditches and laid rock and logs to route stagnant water off trail and into river; installed terracing steps and rope handrails to help ensure safety of hikers

   21. Landscaped local Red Cross chapter house in preparation for open house

   22. Researched and laid out historical hike around city in cooperation with historical society

   23. Laid out and built outdoor environment and nature study course with assistance of educational naturalist

   24. Leveled and repaired twenty fitness stations in cooperation with local parks and recreation division

   25. Ploughed and cultivated garden area for use by nursing home patients

   26. Developed plan to revitalize live oak trees on college campus by aerating compacted soil, adding topsoil and creating physical barriers around the trees

   27. Mulched and landscaped parking area and installed handicapped ramp to access picnic area

   28. Designed and built flower beds for main entrance of school

   29. Reconstructed and landscaped steep bank behind church sanctuary

   30. Mapped sector of wildlife refuge to determine contents and populations of area

   31. Created wildlife kits for state game and parks group to be used in school systems – cleaned skulls of animals and set up displays for kits

   32. Cleared and widened fire road in forest to make it passable

   33. Refurbished war memorial and beautified landscaping for memorial Day festivities

   34. Designed and built prayer garden for church recreation center

   35. Cleared ¼ mile trail through wilderness area of city park and built two bridges to cross small creek

   36. Mapped, marked, and cleared trail at church camp and built bench on trail

   37. Prepared area and planted trees supplied by park authority

   38. Helped develop environmental learning center at community college

   39. Planted shade trees in municipal park after consulting with state forestry experts to select best varieties forAssigned scouts to care for seedlings for one year.

   40. Created flower parks with welcome signs at entrances to communities

   41. Built signs for interpretive trails telling history of area

   42. Landscaped public library

   43. Landscaped Habitat for Humanity house.

   44. Created an 18^th century herb garden

   45. Created azalea garden and meditation bench for chartered organization

   46. Solved and corrected rainwater problem in children’s playground of chartered organization

   47. Cleared wheelchair and visually-impaired trail; built and installed wooden distance markers; made tape recording about park and donated cassette recorder and headphones; made and posted flyers on bulletin boards about availability of tape

   48. Built a memorial park in name of an accident victim

   49. Distributed water conservation pamphlets and installed 576 water-saving devices donated by public utility

   50. Built ten bat “hotels” for state park to help keep insects in check

   51. Pond rehabilitation and clean up:  restructured pond in town park; planted ground cover to prevent erosion; cleaned garbage and sediment from pond

   52. Designed and built shelters over tiger cages at local zoo

   53. Cut down old orchard (slated for development); cut and stacked all the wood as firewood; delivered firewood to poor families

   54. Built two grade-level steps to prevent erosion of local wildlife trail; filled in low areas

   55. Built a boat dock at a park used by local Webelos dens

   56. Build trash containers and install them at local nature center

   57. Located and mapped using GPS all storm sewer inlets in city area and posted “No Dumping” signs.

   58. Repair bridge understructure and install erosion control structures at local campground.

   59. Install new signs and brochure boxes at local nature preserve.

   60. Repair and resurface state historical marker signs at local historical park

   61. Improve native habitat by removal of invasive species and re-introduction of native vegetative species

   62. Installation of bollards to prevent unauthorized vehicular traffic in wildlife area

   63. Creek and native habitat restoration involving native species introduction of flora and fauna at local park

   64. Landscape a new home for Habitat for Humanity

   65. Plan and build a garden area, path and install a statue in churchyard

   66. Design and build 50 book easels for public library

   67. Design and build a puppet theater and perform public service shows for domestic violence awareness.

   68. Constructed mechanical safety belt demonstrators for department of public safety

   69. Placed brick memorial and landscaped site in honor of tornado victims – placed three flag poles, 75 trees and 200 bushes along cement path

   70. Worked with three local hospitals and local ham radio club to give children the opportunity to talk to Santa Claus – organized Scouts to visit children’s rooms with treats and portable CB radios

   71. Designed, produced, and distributed 1,500 copies of brochure that boosted attendance at boys club

   72. Constructed a hands-on exhibit on static electricity for children’s museum

   73. Organized bike safety campaign; trained scouts as inspectors and judges and ran bike rodeo that included bike safety check and safe-bike-riding contest

   74. Organized a concert in which the Scout’s band played at a local park; admission was food items for homeless shelter

   75. Chipped paint, repaired, and repainted torpedo and deck gun on Battleship Texas

   76. Plan and construct structures in river to enhance fish habitat.

   77. Designed and created tactile sensory mats for special education center at school

   78. Design and construct wood and Plexiglas display signs at local sports fields

   79. Refurbished and preserved submarine propeller exhibit at local library for 50^th anniversary celebration

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