The Evidence of Eagles

Most of us at some point or another have met a young man who proudly includes in his credentials of his youth that he is an "Eagle Scout". If you are not familiar with the program of the Boy Scouts of America, that might sound like a strange thing to list as great accomplishments of youth. But there is no question that Eagle Scouts are a unique classification of youth who carry that distinction with a unique pride. It seems that once a boy adds that credential to their resume, they carry that honor with them forever.

In brief, the Boy Scouts program is an international youth organization organized to develop good values, community spirit and leadership in boys that will help them become better citizens in manhood. It is a program that is over 100 years old and that has chapters all over the world. When a boy starts in the scouting program, he works his way up a series of ranks, each of which is progressively more difficult to achieve.

The highest rank of any boy scout is the Eagle rank. Statistics tell us that of the thousands of boys that enter the Boy Scouts program, only 3% are able to achieve that final rank and be able to stand proudly and say "I am an Eagle Scout." And it is more than just an honor that stays within the BSA. Being an Eagle Scout can be listed on college applications, it can help with advancement in the military and become part of a man's employment resume right along with time in the military and college experience. It is that valuable to a young man.

When a young man reaches the threshold of this prestigious rank, the requirements of him are high. Boys who wish to get over this final hurdle must work at it usually for over a year to accomplish what is required of them to put that Eagle pin on their uniform. And at the very heart of these strenuous requirements is the concept of community service.

Community service is an integral part of every aspect of the program the Boy Scouts organization puts together for the boys. At each step along the path of advancement, some "service hours" are required of the boys. It is so much a natural part of the way a boy scout thinks that many recreational activates are organized around service projects so the boys come to understand that being in community service is just part of being a citizen. And it can be fun too.

But to make the rank of Eagle, the candidate must complete his "Eagle Project". This is a distinctive project that must be of significant community value. The process of even getting that Eagle Project approved is strict and held to a high standard. And once the boy has his project approved, it will take weeks if not months to complete it.

Typical Eagle projects include the complete repainting of a community service building, planting trees in a public park, landscaping all of the open areas in a church or organizing a community wide blood drive. There is no question that Eagle Projects make a positive impact on the community. And when a boy successfully completes that project and has turned in all of his requirements to become an Eagle Scout, he will look back with pride on that project and often take family members, friends and show his children and grandchildren that project with pride because he is able to say "that was my Eagle Project."

So look around the community. Odds are you won't look far before you will see the impact of the Eagle program in your town. The Boy Scouts make sure the best of their best leave a mark on the community. They want to be sure that wherever their finest leaders can be found, there you will find the evidence of Eagles.

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