Your child's Eagle project

[BlsdMama]

Where did the budget/money for the project come from?  From the person/group receiving the project?

 

 

(I'm curious because we're up against a wall here.)  I've whined previously but we're hitting a lot of deadends with the raffle being nixed.

 

AND then there is the fact that we haven't lived in that community for the past 7 or so years.... that makes it a challenge.  Sigh.  I'm so frustrated with this.  He has applied to Lions Club for assistance running a fund raiser and hoping and praying that pans out - we should hear next week.

 

But we got the final quotes in and we're looking at needing $3k by October-ish so we can pour concrete before frozen ground.  And I'm feeling squoooshed by the rock and the hard spot.

 

There is a blip in the fundraising part of Scouts that they must get something of "value" for their purchase - does that mean that selling names on boards will be nixed too?  

[Anne in CA]

I think that the idea behind the Eagle project is for the boy to lead, not for his family to do everything themselves. My ds got donations from Rhodda paint (Rhodda always does these projects where I'm from and I am a faithful customer to them for that reason) and an offering taken up by the church where the project was done. Other than the refreshments my family provided (although some refreshments were donated as well) we didn't lay out any money.

 

I would see if the concrete company would comp any of this. It is a tax write off if they do.

[BlsdMama]

I think that the idea behind the Eagle project is for the boy to lead, not for his family to do everything themselves. My ds got donations from Rhodda paint (Rhodda always does these projects where I'm from and I am a faithful customer to them for that reason) and an offering taken up by the church where the project was done. Other than the refreshments my family provided (although some refreshments were donated as well) we didn't lay out any money.

 

I would see if the concrete company would comp any of this. It is a tax write off if they do.

 

 

The concrete company is cheap - $100/cubic yard delivered.

 

The cost is wound up in the materials and the nursing home wants us to stay local.  We want to stay local too.  The catch of that is... we got the quotes from the lumber yard and this is where they fell.

The town is only a bit over 1200 people now, I think, and so companies are limited and very much "stay local" and I wholeheartedly agree. I'm just afraid that is going to nix the project entirely.  

 

The kid is only two months from freezing weather and his 18th birthday is in March.  This will kill his ability to get his Eagle if we can't sort this out. :(

[mommyoffive]

No advice.  i hope you figure it out.

[magnificent_baby]

Is it too late to change ideas? 

Edited August 27, 2016 by magnificent_baby

[QueenCat]

We were told not to ask the beneficiary for money but ds could accept it from them if offered. For example, for ds, the recipient was a church. The Men's Group from the church told ds that if he came and told them about his project at their breakfast, they'd do a love offering for the project. That brought in enough to cover everything (I think, it's a been a few years, but I don't remember him getting $ from others and he didn't do a fundraiser). Lowe's sold everything at cost and threw in a few freebies. We didn't pay anything, other than for pizza and drinks plus some snacks during the work days, from what I recall.

[Anne in CA]

Don't let his dream die, lol. If he needs another, easier project, it can be done. March is a long way off, and the project has to be done by March, he will still have time after his birthday to complete paperwork. I've seen more than one Eagle project be started and completed in less than a month.

 

Have him beg the lumber company for a donation, and if that doesn't work keep going in another direction.

 

[BlsdMama]

Don't let his dream die, lol. If he needs another, easier project, it can be done. March is a long way off, and the project has to be done by March, he will still have time after his birthday to complete paperwork. I've seen more than one Eagle project be started and completed in less than a month.

 

Have him beg the lumber company for a donation, and if that doesn't work keep going in another direction.

 

 

We had a backup plan - making a bench for a rest stop for the nature trail.  

 

Right now we really want to make this work.  It's my grandpa's assisted living home so, you know, lots of sentimental attachment.  I'm just feeling a little desperate.

[FriedClams]

I second finding another project. If he cannot raise the money, or get the beneficiary to donate, etc. then go back to the committee. It's not unusual in our troop for the guys to revamp/edit/change projects once they start the process. Our committee rarely signs off the first time a boy brings his initial idea. Sometimes the original idea cannot be done. $3000 is a lot of money for a project (I've mentored about 8 guys and none were that expensive). But, it's his project, so he needs to figure it out.

[happi duck]

We had a backup plan - making a bench for a rest stop for the nature trail.

 

Right now we really want to make this work. It's my grandpa's assisted living home so, you know, lots of sentimental attachment. I'm just feeling a little desperate.

Can the backup plan be his official project and he do the other project as a private citizen? Then he can have a raffle!

[prairiewindmomma]

I triple the recommendation to switch projects. I agree that the emphasis is on leadership!

[DawnM]

I said this on the other thread, but I will say it again. $3,000 is way too much for an Eagle Project. We were told $0-$1,500 should really be the cost range. No one is truly $0, but a blood drive can be very minimal, etc....

 

Boy #1 had a cost of right around $1,000. We had family donations (grandparents) and we paid the rest. This was my Aspie and no way was I dealing with fund raisers.

 

Boy #2 had a cost of roughly $600. Again, we had donations, and we got a local supply place to give us a huge discount. I think we paid $200.

 

Someone should have told you that wasn't doable. Really. I am surprised no one questioned it.

 

Can you downsize the project?

 

Do you have camp cards in your district to sell?

 

Could your son have a garage sale? Do some odds and ends for people? Mow lawns?

[Alessandra]

I remember this from the first thread. It is a tremendous idea. But just too many ways to go wrong. For example, a spate of awful weather/storms followed by freezing. The combination of the time frame and the money sounds very difficult.

 

Agreeing with others that it is very common to change project ideas. It's all part of the learning process.

[merry gardens]

Ug.

 

My son planned to self-fund a project that looks like other eagle projects done in boy scout magazines and even the form itself. My son has a job and family members have already offered donations for a modest priced eagle project, so this shouldn't be a big deal. EXCEPT his scout master wouldn't sign off on that or the rest of his project. :smash:

 

I'm beyond frustrated. My son doesn't know what his scout master wants, and reading about other eagle projects doesn't help because this new scoutmaster seems to think that what the boy scout organization holds out as samples and requirements just simply isn't enough. The beneficiary was happy with the proposal and I expect that our district would be, but the scoutmaster wants MORE! Bigger! BETTER! (from a boy who is close to his 18th birthday.)

 

I'm not sure if there's ever going to be an eagle project from this kids. Time is ticking away. Tick, tick, tick.

 

[DawnM]

And just in case I didn't mention this before. My son changed his project. The one he was asked to do changed (by the pastor) and was simply NOT doable. In fact, our scout master is the one who suggested we change. It was going to be very difficult and expensive.

 

So, we changed it.

[FriedClams]

Ug.

 

My son planned to self-fund a project that looks like other eagle projects done in boy scout magazines and even the form itself. My son has a job and family members have already offered donations for a modest priced eagle project, so this shouldn't be a big deal. EXCEPT his scout master wouldn't sign off on that or the rest of his project. :smash:

 

I'm beyond frustrated. My son doesn't know what his scout master wants, and reading about other eagle projects doesn't help because this new scoutmaster seems to think that what the boy scout organization holds out as samples and requirements just simply isn't enough. The beneficiary was happy with the proposal and I expect that our district would be, but the scoutmaster wants MORE! Bigger! BETTER! (from a boy who is close to his 18th birthday.)

 

I'm not sure if there's ever going to be an eagle project from this kids. Time is ticking away. Tick, tick, tick.

I think there are two issues here - The scout master and the deadline. As a committee chair I worked hard to make the process positive for everyone, but honestly, the 17.9s can be frustrating. Many (not all, but the vast majority) waited and waited, despite encouragement to get going on the project/merit badges/etc and then their deadline becomes the troop's emergency. Because they are 17.9 doesn't mean the process or requirements change. I tell the guys to budget at least 4-5 months for the process, and that's best case. There is research, pricing out the project, photographs, work lists, scout master approval, bringing the idea to the committee, any revamps (we've yet to have a boy not need one), another committee meeting, council approval, fundraising, setting a date, getting participants, weather delays, execution, wrap up, final signatures, etc. It's a fairly arduous process and not one that can be done correctly in a month.

 

But, for you guys, with that scout master, today, I'd contact the troop committee chair and get a meeting scheduled for your son. He can present to the whole Committee, get feedback, and get moving. It sounds like the scout master is new and unreasonable. The scout should not be unduly delayed. Now, an unscheduled committee meeting is unreasonable (unless your committee doesn't meet with regularity anyway) but he should be able to get someone to help him. Have him start sending email. Copy you guys and the committee chair. From your details, he needs to shake the trees. Loudly. And fairly quickly.

 

ETA- And hopefully this is helpful... Projects for us that didn't get approved were because the scope was too huge, or, the scope was too small to provide meaningful leadership opportunities. Building 25 picnic tables in your garage for a park seems like a great idea, but if the scout does all the work they're not leading anyone. That project would not get approved locally. If the scout plans a major construction job, and all the kids in the troop are 13 (and thus can't help because they can't use power tools), and their plan is to only use troop labor, well, they'll get mentored on the problems and sent back to rework the idea. It's not the project scope as much as the opportunity to plan, schedule, financially manage, and complete a project through leading people.

Edited August 26, 2016 by FriedClams

[OnMyOwn]

I agree with changing projects since you have a March cut-off date. Couldn't your son still do this project for the nursing home at a future date if you can figure out a way to fund it? Just because he doesn't do it as his Eagle project doesn't mean he can never do it, right?

[merry gardens]

I think there are two issues here - The scout master and the deadline. As a committee chair I worked hard to make the process positive for everyone, but honestly, the 17.9s can be frustrating. Many (not all, but the vast majority) waited and waited, despite encouragement to get going on the project/merit badges/etc and then their deadline becomes the troop's emergency. Because they are 17.9 doesn't mean the process or requirements change. I tell the guys to budget at least 4-5 months for the process, and that's best case. There is research, pricing out the project, photographs, work lists, scout master approval, bringing the idea to the committee, any revamps (we've yet to have a boy not need one), another committee meeting, council approval, fundraising, setting a date, getting participants, weather delays, execution, wrap up, final signatures, etc. It's a fairly arduous process and not one that can be done correctly in a month.

 

But, for you guys, with that scout master, today, I'd contact the troop committee chair and get a meeting scheduled for your son. He can present to the whole Committee, get feedback, and get moving. It sounds like the scout master is new and unreasonable. The scout should not be unduly delayed. Now, an unscheduled committee meeting is unreasonable (unless your committee doesn't meet with regularity anyway) but he should be able to get someone to help him. Have him start sending email. Copy you guys and the committee chair. From your details, he needs to shake the trees. Loudly. And fairly quickly.

 

ETA- And hopefully this is helpful... Projects for us that didn't get approved were because the scope was too huge, or, the scope was too small to provide meaningful leadership opportunities. Building 25 picnic tables in your garage for a park seems like a great idea, but if the scout does all the work they're not leading anyone. That project would not get approved locally. If the scout plans a major construction job, and all the kids in the troop are 13 (and thus can't help because they can't use power tools), and their plan is to only use troop labor, well, they'll get mentored on the problems and sent back to rework the idea. It's not the project scope as much as the opportunity to plan, schedule, financially manage, and complete a project through leading people.

 

Thank you so very much!!!! That was quite helpful!

 

fyi, this is my son's second project. He met with another beneficiary recommended by someone in the troop to ask what that organization wanted, planned a project (complete with designs and pricing of materials) sent them back to the beneficiary and then waited...and waited...and asked...and waited. One month later, he was told they decided they wanted something else, and then they gave him a list of things that likely cannot be done by the deadline due to the time it takes for approval plus weather. So...he found another beneficiary. They had a couple projects they wanted done and he choose the project that sounded most like other eagle projects because he wanted something that would get approved quickly. The scoutmaster's response took his momentum and energy away, and he's trying to recover it.

 

He has contacted the person in charge of arranging the parent meeting. It might take a couple of weeks to get scheduled and in the mean time, he's going to try to meet with the scoutmaster again. Hopefully it will all work out. My son is certainly going to have to learn how to lobby for himself to get this through.

[Granny_Weatherwax]

My DS's project (cutting 150+invasive  trees out of a nature preserve) was funded by us and the volunteers. It was a low cost project, though. The costs were mostly in gas and oil for the chainsaws and food and drink for all of the volunteers. DH and I paid for the food and drink. The men who owned the chainsaws provided the gas and oil.  DS provided the chain saw owners with a nice gift card at his Eagle ceremony as a way of saying thanks.

 

When I was on the committee the most expensive project was around $1000 and the majority of those funds were donated by the recipient of the project.

 

 

 

Aside: Blood drives are not acceptable projects in our district. Major construction projects aren't required either.

[Guest]

Blood drives here are acceptable as an ancillary to a health fair organized and run by the Scout.

 

The local lumber place wouldnt donate even cutting a board for us, so my lad went elsewhere...right over to Home Depot where they were happy to have us, the managers were trained, and loaded the kid right up. They have a dollar limit, which is not high enough for your 3k, but every little bit helps.

 

Donations are acceptable; get the word out and people will help. Our recipient was a school district...no money there, and the PTAs dont help outside projects. Ds had a guy contact him and donate the use of equipment. Saved his crew many hours.

Edited August 27, 2016 by Heigh Ho

[QueenCat]

Ug.

 

My son planned to self-fund a project that looks like other eagle projects done in boy scout magazines and even the form itself. My son has a job and family members have already offered donations for a modest priced eagle project, so this shouldn't be a big deal. EXCEPT his scout master wouldn't sign off on that or the rest of his project. :smash:

 

I'm beyond frustrated. My son doesn't know what his scout master wants, and reading about other eagle projects doesn't help because this new scoutmaster seems to think that what the boy scout organization holds out as samples and requirements just simply isn't enough. The beneficiary was happy with the proposal and I expect that our district would be, but the scoutmaster wants MORE! Bigger! BETTER! (from a boy who is close to his 18th birthday.)

 

I'm not sure if there's ever going to be an eagle project from this kids. Time is ticking away. Tick, tick, tick.

 

Is he not meeting with someone from District? We had a district rep that worked on those details more so than the scoutmaster.

[merry gardens]

Is he not meeting with someone from District? We had a district rep that worked on those details more so than the scoutmaster.

 

No, he hasn't yet met with anyone from our district. There's a spot on the form for scoutmaster signature and my son thinks he needs the parent committee and the scoutmaster to approve the project before it goes to district.

 

Thanks BlsdMama for starting this thread! Eagle projects have been on my mind lately. After pondering FC's comments earlier, I suspect that my son's scoutmaster sees fundraising as one more way to demonstrate leadership, so that may be why the scoutmaster wants to see my son do some kind of fundraiser.

Edited August 27, 2016 by merry gardens

[FriedClams]

No, he hasn't yet met with anyone from our district. There's a spot on the form for scoutmaster signature and my son thinks he needs the parent committee and the scoutmaster to approve the project before it goes to district.

 

Thanks BlsdMama for starting this thread! Eagle projects have been on my mind lately. After pondering FC's comments earlier, I suspect that my son's scoutmaster sees fundraising as one more way to demonstrate leadership, so that may be why the scoutmaster wants to see my son do some kind of fundraiser.

"Fundraising for an Eagle Scout service project shall not be required of any candidate. Whether or not fundraising takes place is the Scout’s decision based on the needs of his project. The BSA prefers, in fact, that Scouts choose projects that can be done at little or no cost."

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/EagleScoutRank.aspx

 

Your son should thoroughly read that page before meeting with anyone.

Edited August 27, 2016 by FriedClams

[DawnM]

Ug.

 

My son planned to self-fund a project that looks like other eagle projects done in boy scout magazines and even the form itself. My son has a job and family members have already offered donations for a modest priced eagle project, so this shouldn't be a big deal. EXCEPT his scout master wouldn't sign off on that or the rest of his project. :smash:

 

I'm beyond frustrated. My son doesn't know what his scout master wants, and reading about other eagle projects doesn't help because this new scoutmaster seems to think that what the boy scout organization holds out as samples and requirements just simply isn't enough. The beneficiary was happy with the proposal and I expect that our district would be, but the scoutmaster wants MORE! Bigger! BETTER! (from a boy who is close to his 18th birthday.)

 

I'm not sure if there's ever going to be an eagle project from this kids. Time is ticking away. Tick, tick, tick.

Here is what I did. When my oldest went to meet with the scoutmaster about his initial write up, I went and sat in on it. I wanted to know exactly what was being asked. I don't care how "boy lead" it is, boys are intimidated by adults who tell them their idea is WRONG. You have ever right to talk to the SM yourself, or make an appointment with the 3 of you.

[DawnM]

Chances are a blood drive will not be acceptable. The boy doesn't have to do anything but hang a few posters and have folks hand out orange juice. 99.99% of the time, it won't be signed off on. I won't sign one. 

 

No, you can not sell names on a board--it's still a game of chance and a no-go. 

 

Most boys do fundraisers, but don't forget, his fundraising app has to be turned into and signed by his Council. Some do projects where the beneficiary supplies the materials and/or funds. My ds's was funded by the city (work at the city ski hill). Our latest in our troop was funded by the county and with some donations. LDS projects tend to be funded by the church. One boy in our troop is totally self-funded--he's been working fundraisers for several years. 

 

Have your District Advancement Chair call your SM and explain the scope of a project.

We had a boy who was told no to a blood drive from our scout troop, but he went to council (above the SM's head) and it was approved!

 

http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/2013/05/01/eagle-blood-drives/

 

We didn't want to do one and I wouldn't suggest it necessarily, but BSA has them listed as a suggestion under their ideas for eagle projects.

 

Dawn

[merry gardens]

"Fundraising for an Eagle Scout service project shall not be required of any candidate. Whether or not fundraising takes place is the Scout’s decision based on the needs of his project. The BSA prefers, in fact, that Scouts choose projects that can be done at little or no cost."

 

http://www.scouting.org/scoutsource/GuideToAdvancement/EagleScoutRank.aspx

 

Your son should thoroughly read that page before meeting with anyone.

 

THANK YOU!!! Thank you so much! :)

 

I knew we'd read that somewhere, but we've read so much about eagle projects lately I wasn't sure where.

[merry gardens]

Here is what I did. When my oldest went to meet with the scoutmaster about his initial write up, I went and sat in on it. I wanted to know exactly what was being asked. I don't care how "boy lead" it is, boys are intimidated by adults who tell them their idea is WRONG. You have ever right to talk to the SM yourself, or make an appointment with the 3 of you.

 

Thanks for writing that. :)

 

I'm trying hard to make sure this is a "boy lead" project, so I didn't sit in on the meetings my son has had with various people about his proposed eagle project(s). That was a mistake. My husband or I should have gone in to all of them and listened. Now I wish I'd heard what my son said and what the SM told my son. When ds came out of his meeting with the scout master, I asked him if he got the paper signed, he said no. I asked why not and it was clear my son didn't know why, except that the scout master wanted something more, but he didn't know what. So I went in and spoke to the SM to find out. I just felt like I was hitting a brick wall. It wasn't just the fund raising that was beyond what the boy scouts want--it was the amount of leadership he was expecting too. (BSA says must lead at least 2 other boys.) I raised pointed out the BSA requirements, but I got the distinct impression that if I kept pushing it would raise red flags with this SM to question if it was even a "boy lead" project.

 

However this turns out, it is definitely proving to be a learning experience for my son.

[DawnM]

Another project around here that I have heard they want boys to consider is Civil War Cemeteries. They are old and the headstones are wearing out. They want boys to do rubbings of them, make archives, grid them, number them, look up as much as they can on the person, dates, etc....and then make a book that is accessible for people visiting to know where their loved ones or ancestors are. Very inexpensive.

 

Another person told me her son moved a library. The school location moved and they wanted to move the library. So, he categorized, boxed up, organized, and rebuilt the library in another location. It was a private high school. Also low cost.

[FriedClams]

I don't want to derail, but I need a tiny brag spot. (I figured y'all would understand!) DS received his Eagle tonight, and he was awarded the (oh my word what a ton of work!) Dr. Bernard Harris SuperNova award.

 

Moms, hang in there. Keep encouraging. Keep asking questions. Keep praying. Keep cheering.

 

Margaret in CO, as always, you rock on the BSA Intel!!! All those projects sound wonderful.

[DawnM]

I don't want to derail, but I need a tiny brag spot. (I figured y'all would understand!) DS received his Eagle tonight, and he was awarded the (oh my word what a ton of work!) Dr. Bernard Harris SuperNova award.

 

Moms, hang in there. Keep encouraging. Keep asking questions. Keep praying. Keep cheering.

 

Margaret in CO, as always, you rock on the BSA Intel!!! All those projects sound wonderful.

 

 

Congratulations!

 

My two oldest have their Eagle scout (Dec. of '15 and April of '16).