Eagle Project

NOTE: the service project is to be “…helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community…" This means that it needs to benefit a Not For Profit organization.

What to do:

• Consult with local Scouting leadership, starting with your unit, while selecting a project
• Choose a project you will be proud of for the rest of your life
• Do a project that really stretches you, especially in the area of leadership
• Start documenting from day one (you will use this info for your final report)
  – Keep a log of the hours you put into your search for a project
  -Keep a log of notes regarding your search, including names of people you work with

What NOT to do:

• Projects that begin prior to achieving Life Rank or ending after your Eagle Board of Review
• Work on your project (other than planning) prior to getting ALL approvals
• Projects for the Boy Scouts of America, including troop or council property
• Any project that another Scout is using for his Eagle project (only one Scout gets credit)
• Projects involving only routine labor normally done by volunteers (Your project must allow you to demonstrate creativity, planning, and leadership of others)
• Any project for profit-making organizations. For example:
  -Painting the clubhouse for a home-owners association
  – Installing curb reflectors in a store’s parking lot
  – Doing landscaping for a local business

READ MORE HERE

Initial project write-up:

Record events in your notebook when they happen and keep as accurate a set of notes as possible. When you call or visit some one to discuss your project, write that in your notebook. Make a separate section to record what you buy, what is donated, any moneys that you receive. In a separate section, record when you do the various parts of your project, who helped, how much time each of the volunteers spent on the project. Make a section to list tools and equipment.

Remember, you cannot begin actual work on the project until it is approved by the district, but there is a lot of planning to be done before you get that far.

Get a current copy of the Life to Eagle Packet. This is the official booklet which is submitted to the district for approval. Read everything in it before beginning to write up your plan. The plan should tell someone else everything they would need to know to carryout your project without you.

Your initial write-up in the workbook you should include all the information on the page Documenting your Eagle project – the beginning.

Documenting during the project:

Use a notebook or folder to collect papers so they will be available to you. It’s better to have more than you need at the end.

Keep information you’ll need for your final report like:

• Tables, Charts, Diagrams
• Time Logs – list the people that worked on your project, when and how long they worked
• Tools and Equipment
• Expenses, Money Received, Goods and Services
• Diagrams and drawings
• Photographs (TAKE LOTS OF PHOTOS!)
• Also, try to remember to keep complete notes of your progress. You’d be amazed at how much you’ll forget.

Final write-up:

Describe what actually happened as you carried out the plan. This information is entered in the last section of the Eagle Service Project Workbook.

Review what was done and see what lessons were learned as well as providing a historic record. In this case, you also need to write a final report because your project is not complete without it! In the ‘Carrying Out the Plan’ workbook section, briefly describe what was done and how you deviated from the plan. Go through each section of the plan and write a summary of the results versus the plan. For example, discuss if you had all of the materials you needed or if you had a lot left over. Summarize the actual costs, tools used (and tools needed that you did not have), or anything else of interest.

Provide a record of all the time worked by your volunteers. This can be done in a list or table showing names, dates, hours worked, tasks performed by each volunteer. Discuss how you were able to lead the volunteers. Did you have any problem with getting them to come to work or to stay focused on the assigned tasks? Leading people is a difficult skill and you most likely learned something about this. The final reviewers want to read about what you learned about leading people.

Include a section in you report for representative photographs. A photo of you presenting the finished product to the organization for whom you did the work help show off the value of the project. Photographs should be labeled.

Consult with your project advisor often as you are completing the report. Once you and your advisor are happy with the result, it is time to get the final approval signatures.

Read the material on the Eagle project report for more information.

Initial project approval:

There are several approvals required for your project along the way. The first is the verbal approval from your unit leader or project advisor that your idea will qualify as a valid project.

After the written plan in order and ready to submit, you will then need several signatures in the Eagle Service Project Workbook. A responsible representative from the organization you are doing the project for is the first signature on the list.  It is also a good idea to get a letter from the organization if possible. Next, review the project with your unit leader and get their signature. Your unit committee chair can sign on behalf of your unit committee. The project is now ready to present to the District Advancement Committee for approval. Note: you should keep a copy of the project, exactly as is presented to the various committees, in case it is lost during the approval cycle.

It is very important that you do not DO any of the project, except planning, until the District Committee has signed it. Once they have approved the project plan, then you can begin to do the project!

Check your work against this planning page to ensure you’ve covered all your bases.

Project Description:

Briefly (approximately 1/2 to one page) describe the project. This should not include any details, those will come later. Address this section as though you were telling a friend what you were going to do.

Who Will Benefit:

Name the group or organization who will benefit from your project and how your project will benefit them. Remember, the project cannot benefit the Boy Scouts. Do not describe the project again, just focus on the benefit of the project.

Planning Details:

This is the heart of the project plan and the area which will require the most work. The plan should include all details needed by someone else to carryout the project as though you were not around. The plan will include the sections discussed below, if appropriate. All sections are not applicable to all projects, so may be omitted if not needed. Since there is limited space in the workbook, you may attach extra pages with the details. You may prefer to write or type the plan on separate pages and then cut and paste them into the proper section of the workbook after your advisor has helped you get it into the final form.

Present Condition

Describe the current condition or situation that you are going to change. This is a good place to include pictures (either photographs or drawings) of the project area.

Plans/Drawings/Designs

If your project is to build something, you will need detail plans or drawings. Show all dimensions, paint schemes, floor plans, layouts, or other detail that can be drawn. Photographs may also be of value here for some projects. If you have made a design (e.g. emblem, logo, etc.) include it in this section.

Materials

Materials are those things which become part of the finished product. Include material specifications (exact size, quality, brand, finish, etc.), number of each item, and cost. If items are to be donated, state so. This section is best presented in the form of a separate list attached to extra pages in the workbook.

Tools

Provide a list of all tools required to work the project, don’t take for granted that required equipment will just appear when you need it. Be very specific. Tell how those tools will be obtained. If you must purchase tools, include them in the financial plan. If you must buy tools, discuss what is going to be done with them after your project is complete.

Supplies

Examples of supplies are sandpaper, trash bags, posters, gasoline, pens, markers, paper, paint rollers, drop cloths, etc. Provide a list of all supplies you will need and where you will get them. Since supplies cannot normally be reused, you need to either buy them or have them donated.

Schedule

Make your best estimate of how long tasks will take and in what order they will be done. Your schedule may be in the form of a Gantt Chart (like the one attached to this document, showing the time it takes to do the generic project), a calendar with tasks entered on the appropriate days, or just a list of tasks and the date when they will be done. Include project planning and approval on your schedule.

Step-by-step instructions

Instructions should read like a recipe in a cookbook. These tell the workers exactly what to do. Include a list of every task you can think of, what order they will be done, who will do them. Include the clean-up of the work site in your plan.

Financial plan

Provide a list of all materials, tools, supplies, etc. with a cost of each. This information may be part of your list of materials/supplies. If items are loaned or donated, state so. Remember to include fees (e.g. city dump fees) in your cost estimate. Once you have determined how much the project is going to cost, you must find the money to pay for it. You may consider several sources for funding, including the organization for whom you are doing the project, donations from others, from your allowance, or any other legitimate source. You may conduct fund-raising activities to finance the supplies and materials needed for your project. Obtaining the funds to do the project is your responsibility, don’t assume that someone will cover cost until you have asked them.

If you cannot come up with all the money you need, look at reducing the cost to get within your budget. You may even find that the project is too expensive and you will have to chose another one.

Written /Printed Information

If you are going to use handouts, posters, letters, or other written materials as part of your project, include a copy of those in the plan. These should be included as attachments to the workbook.

Helpers/Workers

Discuss who will be doing the work. You do not need to tell names, just the number of people, what organization they are part of, and what special skills will be required. However, if you can make a list of potential helpers (with their phone numbers) it will help you get volunteers later. For example, are you going to need a carpenter? Describe how you are going to organize the workers to get the work done efficiently. Will they be divided into teams and if so who will lead the teams? What tasks will each team be doing? How will you use adult leaders? Discuss how you will ensure the safety of the workers.

Remember, you do not have to DO any of the physical work yourself; you are responsible for LEADING others in carrying out the project and ensuring that everything is done the way you want it.

Adult Supervision

Boy Scout policy requires at least two adult leaders be present at all times during any Scouting activity. At least one of them must have ‘Youth Protection’ certification. It is your responsibility to ensure that this policy is followed. Don’t assume that the right people will just ‘be there’ – arrange, in advance, for them to be there. You should state how you will ensure this in your plan.

Work Site

Where will the work be done? If you are going to build something, are you going to build it at the location where it will be used or somewhere else then moved? Remember, you must get permission to use any work site from the responsible person/owner. If the location where you are going to work requires special facilities or tools, state so. Think about how the weather will effect your work site.

Transportation

Moving people, materials, supplies, tools to/from a work site will most likely be required. Discuss what needs to be moved, what vehicles you will need, where you will get those vehicles, and who will drive. BSA policy places limitations on drivers under 21 years old; ensure you are aware of these limits and work within them. Remember that all passengers must be seated with a seat belt on whenever a vehicle is in motion. All of this is your responsibility.

After completing the project, prepare a report that discusses your project.

1. Introduction
Tell what your project is, what you intended to accomplish, why you selected this particular project. Tell who your sponsor is and how your project benefits the sponsor. Mention the sponsor representative, and if you had some one guiding and instructing you technically, mention that person.

2. Project implementation
Describe the planning stages of your project, who you met with, any special problems in planning that you had to resolve, any special concerns such as safety . Discuss what you did to prepare for your project, such as presentations to sponsoring organizations, raising funds, getting donations of material and equipment, preparing posters and handouts, what you did to get people to volunteer.

Discuss the actual work required to accomplish your project. Was the project completed according to your original plans, or did you have to revise and change some of the steps? Were you able to keep everyone busy, were there any special problems keeping everything under control and running smoothly? Were the volunteers friendly, or did they complain and fool around? Generally, the best way to write this section is to simply say, “This is what we did on the first day.", “This is what we did on the second day.", etc.

3. Conclusions, Thoughts, Ideas
This section summarizes your efforts and how the project affected you and the people you worked with. Tell whether the project was successful, did it met the goals outlined in your project approval form? Tell about any unexpected problems and what you might do differently if you were to do this project again. What did you learn from doing the project? How has the project helped you and your sponsor?

Finally, take some time to acknowledge and thank anyone special, the people that gave you that extra bit of support. Acknowledge your sponsor, the person who guided you as a mentor, the people and organizations that donated money and material, your friends who volunteered their time.

4. Tables, Charts, Diagrams
Provide an appendix with the following documents and any other documents that you think would help the Board of Review evaluate your efforts.

• Time Log — list the people that worked on your project, when and how long they worked
• Tools and Equipment
• Expenses, Money Received, Goods and Services
• Diagrams and drawings
• Photographs

Who Will Benefit:

Name the group or organization who will benefit from your project and how your project will benefit them. Remember, the project cannot benefit the Boy Scouts. Do not describe the project again, just focus on the benefit of the project.

Planning Details:

This is the heart of the project plan and the area which will require the most work. The plan should include all details needed by someone else to carryout the project as though you were not around. The plan will include the sections discussed below, if appropriate. All sections are not applicable to all projects, so may be omitted if not needed. Since there is limited space in the workbook, you may attach extra pages with the details. You may prefer to write or type the plan on separate pages and then cut and paste them into the proper section of the workbook after your advisor has helped you get it into the final form.

Present Condition

Describe the current condition or situation that you are going to change. This is a good place to include pictures (either photographs or drawings) of the project area.

Plans/Drawings/Designs

If your project is to build something, you will need detail plans or drawings. Show all dimensions, paint schemes, floor plans, layouts, or other detail that can be drawn. Photographs may also be of value here for some projects. If you have made a design (e.g. emblem, logo, etc.) include it in this section.

Materials

Materials are those things which become part of the finished product. Include material specifications (exact size, quality, brand, finish, etc.), number of each item, and cost. If items are to be donated, state so. This section is best presented in the form of a separate list attached to extra pages in the workbook.

Tools

Provide a list of all tools required to work the project, don’t take for granted that required equipment will just appear when you need it. Be very specific. Tell how those tools will be obtained. If you must purchase tools, include them in the financial plan. If you must buy tools, discuss what is going to be done with them after your project is complete.

Supplies

Examples of supplies are sandpaper, trash bags, posters, gasoline, pens, markers, paper, paint rollers, drop cloths, etc. Provide a list of all supplies you will need and where you will get them. Since supplies cannot normally be reused, you need to either buy them or have them donated.

Schedule

Make your best estimate of how long tasks will take and in what order they will be done. Your schedule may be in the form of a Gantt Chart (like the one attached to this document, showing the time it takes to do the generic project), a calendar with tasks entered on the appropriate days, or just a list of tasks and the date when they will be done. Include project planning and approval on your schedule.

Step-by-step instructions

Instructions should read like a recipe in a cookbook. These tell the workers exactly what to do. Include a list of every task you can think of, what order they will be done, who will do them. Include the clean-up of the work site in your plan.

Financial plan

Provide a list of all materials, tools, supplies, etc. with a cost of each. This information may be part of your list of materials/supplies. If items are loaned or donated, state so. Remember to include fees (e.g. city dump fees) in your cost estimate. Once you have determined how much the project is going to cost, you must find the money to pay for it. You may consider several sources for funding, including the organization for whom you are doing the project, donations from others, from your allowance, or any other legitimate source. You may conduct fund-raising activities to finance the supplies and materials needed for your project. Obtaining the funds to do the project is your responsibility, don’t assume that someone will cover cost until you have asked them.

If you cannot come up with all the money you need, look at reducing the cost to get within your budget. You may even find that the project is too expensive and you will have to chose another one.

Written /Printed Information

If you are going to use handouts, posters, letters, or other written materials as part of your project, include a copy of those in the plan. These should be included as attachments to the workbook.

Helpers/Workers

Discuss who will be doing the work. You do not need to tell names, just the number of people, what organization they are part of, and what special skills will be required. However, if you can make a list of potential helpers (with their phone numbers) it will help you get volunteers later. For example, are you going to need a carpenter? Describe how you are going to organize the workers to get the work done efficiently. Will they be divided into teams and if so who will lead the teams? What tasks will each team be doing? How will you use adult leaders? Discuss how you will ensure the safety of the workers.

Remember, you do not have to DO any of the physical work yourself; you are responsible for LEADING others in carrying out the project and ensuring that everything is done the way you want it.

Adult Supervision

Boy Scout policy requires at least two adult leaders be present at all times during any Scouting activity. At least one of them must have ‘Youth Protection’ certification. It is your responsibility to ensure that this policy is followed. Don’t assume that the right people will just ‘be there’ – arrange, in advance, for them to be there. You should state how you will ensure this in your plan.

Work Site

Where will the work be done? If you are going to build something, are you going to build it at the location where it will be used or somewhere else then moved? Remember, you must get permission to use any work site from the responsible person/owner. If the location where you are going to work requires special facilities or tools, state so. Think about how the weather will effect your work site.

Transportation

Moving people, materials, supplies, tools to/from a work site will most likely be required. Discuss what needs to be moved, what vehicles you will need, where you will get those vehicles, and who will drive. BSA policy places limitations on drivers under 21 years old; ensure you are aware of these limits and work within them. Remember that all passengers must be seated with a seat belt on whenever a vehicle is in motion. All of this is your responsibility.