Lost within a digitized world, organizations that focus on skills in the physical world seem to be forgotten easily.
Scouts BSA, formerly known as The Boy Scouts of America, is an organization that aims to prepare young people to make ethically and morally sound decisions throughout their lives. A series of rank advancements and merit badges are used to instill knowledge and good habits within the young scouts. The highest and most prestigious award a scout can earn is the rank of Eagle.
Eagle Scouts embody the traits of trustworthiness, loyalty, helpfulness, friendliness, courteousness, kindness, obedience, cheerfulness, thriftiness, bravery, cleanliness and reverence. They are disciplined and motivated leaders that have given back to their communities. Achieving this status is not easy by any means, but does the rank really set an individual apart from their scout and non-scouting peers?
Junior Daniel Zietlow is a scout currently working to complete his Eagle. He has enjoyed a lot about scouting so far, like “being able to camp and do stuff outdoors.” Zietlow continued, “You bond with other people and get to experience that community.” He feels as though scouting has given him an opportunity to be part of something bigger than himself, and he is well on the path to becoming an Eagle.
The Eagle rank requires Scouts to earn 21 merit badges ranging from Camping and Emergency Preparedness to Citizenship in the World. These teach the scout how to be a member of society and how to be able to take control in potentially dangerous situations. Scouts also must hold a leadership position in the troop for six months, where they learn communications skills that many non-scouts have not had the chance to form.
But these tasks only seem like a setup for the true test of a scout. The famous “Eagle project” is the requirement that halts almost every scout in their journey on the road to becoming an Eagle Scout. The requirement reads as follows in the boy scout handbook:
“While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. (The project must benefit an organization other than the Boy Scouts of America.) A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, your Scoutmaster and unit committee, and the council or district before you start.”
In order to complete the project as intended, it is necessary for scouts to demonstrate their mastery in a multitude of skills. The Eagle Scout candidate has to be able to determine, plan and gain approval from a scoutmaster, beneficiary and district board before the project can begin. Following approval, the candidate must fundraise, purchase materials, gather community volunteers, plan work dates, execute and report on their entire project.
The report consists of a 30-page document that calls for the scout to contact City Hall, list all materials and supplies necessary for the project, plan the cost of each item, estimate the number of workdays to complete the project and reflect on the scout’s own leadership skills once the project has been completed. It is to be filled out over the course of the project and submitted to the district board upon competition – all before the scout’s 18th birthday.
The scout will then participate in a board of review to determine whether or not the project was satisfactory. They must meet with the board themself; no parents or scoutmasters are allowed to help the scout explain their project and scouting career. The board then asks the candidate about their experience in scouting and future plans to help serve their community and those around them for the rest of their lives.
The board asks the scout to leave the room as they deliberate for a few minutes, and then the scout is allowed to rejoin the room with his parents present to receive the final decision. All of the work done by the Eagle Scout candidate is exemplary and outstanding for a high school student, but does it seem to pay off throughout the rest of an Eagle’s life?
A study conducted by Sung Jang, Byron Johnson and Young-II Kim of Baylor University explored 46 lifestyle differences between Eagle Scouts, scouts and non-scouts.
The study showed that Eagle Scouts are 52% more likely than non-Scouts to agree they always try to exceed expectations. In addition, Eagle Scouts are roughly 55% more likely than non-scouts to have held a leadership position in the workplace. Throughout the course of an Eagle Scout’s life, they hold more responsibility than many of their non-scout peers.
Senior Sam Jones is an Eagle Scout and said that the organization has taught him a lot. “Through dedication anything is possible, and if you are prepared for anything you will experience things others won’t have the chance to get,” he said. Jones had encouraging leaders that helped push him to become an Eagle Scout when he was only 14 years old.
Since BSA’s birth in 1910, fewer than 4% of scouts have achieved the rank. “It is even more special because an extremely low percentage of people earn the rank,” commented Zietlow. In 2019, the average age of an Eagle Scout was about 17.3 years old. Jones earned his Eagle when he was only 14 years old. The achievement can testify for the character of this PV student in all walks of life.
The Baylor University study was able to cohesively prove that being a scout can have an effect on individuals and their habits throughout life. It shows the difference in habits between Eagle Scouts and their non-scouting peers. The results just prove the notion that becoming an Eagle can change the life of a young scout forever.
Nathan Zietlow, a scouting leader from troop 46 is another local Eagle Scout. “Helping others doesn’t feel like a sacrifice, it’s just what you do.” commented Zietlow. Being an Eagle Scout is just a part of who he is. He does not consciously think of himself as someone that goes far out of the way to help those around him, it is just what he does.
The award is an indicator of the dedication a person has and their willingness to try their best in every situation. An Eagle Scout is always ready for anything and is always willing to help others in any situation. The rank is not a one time achievement; once completed, the values associated with it become habits in the lifestyle of the Eagle Scout.
