Introduction

Congratulations on achieving the rank of Life Scout and approaching the end of the road to Eagle Scout.  One of the toughest requirements is to demonstrate your leadership ability by planning and completing an Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project.  The eagle project is in part a lesson in dealing with bureaucracy: requirements, prohibitions, multiple layers of approvals, etc.  It entails a many-step process that can be quite frustrating if a scout does not follow the requirements carefully.  To help you get through this process, the troop has prepared these procedures. 

Steps to a Successful Project

1. First, point your web browser to the following link to download the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook:   http://www.nesa.org/trail/18-936.doc 
   
   (If you don’t have internet access, contact the Troop 33 Eagle Coordinator (step 6) to get a copy of the workbook.)  The workbook is available in several formats, but this Microsoft Word version will be the easiest for you to work with.  Save the blank file to your computer in a folder you’ll remember, and print it out.  Before you do anything else, read the entire package carefully from beginning to end.  It will give you a good sense of all the required steps.  Pay particular attention to the directions on pages 4-6 of the workbook.

2. Another good resource to look at is this project guidance from the main Boy Scout website:  http://www.scouting.org/BoyScouts/AdvancementandAwards/service.aspx.
3. Decide which of the three types of institutions you’d like to do your project for: community, school, or church.  Those are the only permissible beneficiaries.
4. Once you’ve decided who you want to do a project for, find out who you need to talk to in the chosen organization for ideas and approvals for projects.  Contact the person and discuss ideas.  Many of these institutions are familiar with Eagle projects, and may have ideas in mind already.
5. Start a log of all the time you spend developing your project.  All of your planning time counts toward the total.  There is no hard rule about how much time your project must take, but Troop 33 has had an informal rule-of-thumb that a project that uses at least a total of 100 person-hours would not be considered too thin. 
6. Now, you have an idea for your project.  It’s time to begin to interact with the Troop 33 bureaucracy, before you do a lot of work on your proposal.  Call the troop’s Eagle Coordinator, currently Dean Tousley, at 301-270-0131 or e-mail him at drtousley@mindspring.com to discuss your project idea.
7. Check with the Scoutmaster. He might have an old Eagle Scout Project Workbook from a previous project like yours that can serve as a guide.
8. Once the Eagle Coordinator gives the OK on your idea (which may involve him first consulting with other troop leaders), he’ll give you the go-ahead to fill out your workbook. 
9. It is typical that you will go back and forth with the Eagle Coordinator a couple times before your proposal is deemed ready for presentation to the Troop 33 Committee (parents).  If you thoroughly address all the requirements in the workbook directions, including health and safety aspects of your project, how you will obtain any needed equipment and materials, and how you will organize your workers, less interaction will be needed.  It is easiest to do all this by e-mailing the Word file back and forth.  Mr. Tousley recommends deleting the first page of the workbook file, which is a photograph that makes the file huge and cumbersome to e-mail.  The Eagle Coordinator will share your proposal with the Scoutmaster and the Troop Committee Chair when he considers it ready, to obtain their agreement.  Often, they will suggest additional revisions to the proposal.  It is recommended to have a few “before” pictures showing the conditions that your project is intended to redress (for example, a park overrun with weeds, walls in obvious need of paint, etc.). 
10. When the Eagle Coordinator, Scoutmaster, and Committee Chair agree your proposal is ready to be presented to the Committee, the Eagle Coordinator will request that the Committee Chair schedule a meeting where you will present your proposal for discussion and approval.  This could be done at a special meeting or at a regularly scheduled Committee meeting. 
11. Approval Signatures:  Look at the bottom of page 10 of the Project Workbook.  There are spaces for four signatures.  You must obtain all four of them before you may begin to implement your project.  After you have the three troop leaders in step 9 satisfied that your project is ready to proceed, contact the responsible person in your benefiting institution (community, school, or church) and arrange to meet with him or her to get a signature indicating the institution’s approval of the project.  You should have this institution signature before you bring your proposal to the Troop Committee. 
12. You will attend a scheduled or ad hoc Committee Meeting, present your proposal, and answer questions about it.  Often, additional changes are required as a result of the Committee meeting.  If the Committee approves your project, the Committee Chair and the Scoutmaster will sign off on your proposal. 
13. Now you should have 3 of the required 4 signatures to begin implementation of your project.  (Everything up to this point is planning.)  The last signature required is that of the Paint Branch District Eagle Coordinator, a position currently held by Mr. Dick Marsh.  You’ll need to call him at 301-384-1910 and arrange a time to get together with him at his home (off Randolph Road near Colesville). 
14. After you have the four required signatures, you’re ready for the easy part: scheduling and implementing the project.  Remember that this is supposed to be you leading others doing work, not doing all the work yourself.  You must ensure that enough people show up with the right tools and materials to get the job done.  It is advisable to obtain commitments in advance.  You are fortunate that Troop 33 has an outstanding record of support for Eagle projects, but your workers need not be limited to the troop.  Remember that clean-up is an essential part of every project.
15. Make sure there is a log for workers to sign in and out, so you have an accurate record of the time spent. 
16. Remember to arrange for somebody to take photos during your event, as well as afterwards, showing the improved conditions the project has resulted in.
17. Pages 11-14 of the workbook must be filled out (including “after” pictures) when the project is done.  You must get the signatures of the Scoutmaster and the institution representative (along with your own) on the bottom of page 14 indicating that you have done the job. 

Congratulations!  You’ve shown your leadership skills and made a significant contribution to the welfare of your community, school, or church. 

There is some more bureaucracy and paperwork required before you can schedule your Eagle Board of Review.  See page 15 of the workbook.  You’re almost there! 

When you have finished the project and all the other requirements for your Eagle Rank you have to fill out the Eagle Scout Application.  That is another story you have to talk with the Eagle Scout Coordinator about. Make sure you use the most up to date application.