Etowah Twelve Steps from Life to Eagle

Before a Scout appears before the Eagle Scout board of review, the completed application, and project planning and report forms are submitted to the Northeast Georgia Council Service Center for approval. To ensure that the application is correct, a waiting period may be necessary.

Scouting’s highest progress award, that of Eagle Scout, is a significant honor that only a few attain. We must be certain that each of us will maintain the high standards of the Eagle Scout rank, with all the requirements met and not adding additional requirements. The following instructions should serve as Northeast Georgia Council specific guidelines to the 10 Steps from Life to Eagle.

  1. Upon elevation to Life rank, Scouts should request an Eagle packet from the district advancement chairman. It shall be the responsibility of the unit leader to review the packet with the Scout.
  2. It will be the Scout’s responsibility to choose an Eagle Scout project with the concurrence of his unit leader and the approval of the unit committee. An acceptable project must:
    • Be planned in writing using the Eagle Scout Leadership Service Project Workbook. It is available online and through the district advancement chairman. The workbook must be used as the Scout’s write-up. It can have references to other pages. The information must be clear and concise with detail that whoever reads it can tell what is going to be done. It must state how the Scout will plan, direct, and give leadership to others. 
    • This must be a project that will benefit a school, community, or religious group other than the Boy Scouts of America and have an impact (it does not need to have a lasting value). It must provide the oppurtunity for the Scout to have sufficient planning, development, and leadership of others.
    • Use drawings, photographs, and any other supporting documentation necessary to clearly define the project including, but not limited to:
      • Number of people to be used
      • Estimated time to do the project and date you wish to start the project.
      • Rough estimate of materials needed to do the project and a rough estimate of the costs wether donated or not. 
    • Tools needed to do the project (always include a first aid kit). Follow Guide to Safe Scouting for use of any power tools needed for the project.
    • A tentative deadline for project completion must be included.
    • If the beneficiary's representative's signature is not present on page six of the workbook, written approval from the institution or organization must be attached to the workbook .
  3. Once the Scout has completed pages A-G of the Project Proposal, the following approvals are needed:
    • Candidate's Promise, must have Scout's signature.
    • The Unit Leader, must have a signature.
      • Beleives project provides impact worthy of an Eagle Scout service project, and will involve planning, development, and leadership.
    • The Troop Committee, must have a signature.
      • Confirms Scout is a Life Scout and registered with the unit. Comfortable the project is feasible and the Troop can provide the support agreed upon.
    • The beneficiary (the religious institution, school, or community representative).
    • Council or District Approval:
      • After obtaining the above approvals the scout is to make an appointment with the District Advancement Committee for a project board approval. The Project may begin only after approval of the District Board.
      • The troop advancement chairman, or in their absence the unit leader, can assist the Scout in presenting the paper work to the district Eagle Scout board of review chairman or his designee. It is recommended that the Scout personally appear before the Eagle Board of Review or its representative to attain approval of his project. Rare cases may require the Scout to mail, or courier his project to the board for approval. This will delay the approval process.
  4. Do Your Project!
    • Once approved, the project may begin. The Scount may only begin the planning and execution of the project after it is approved by the District Board.
    • The first step should be to work on completing the Project Plan portion of the workbook.
    • Fundraising:
      • A Scout must submit a fund raiser request (found in the Eagle Project Work Book at the end of the Plan section) to the NEGA Advancement Chairman at ac-council@nega-bsa.org before asking for donations from any person or organization NOT listed in the exception list below. 
        • The Scout
        • The Scout's parents or relatives  
        • The Scout's unit 
        • Chartered Organization 
        • Members or parents of members of the scout’s unit 
        • From the beneficiary of the project 
        • Home Depot
        • Lowes
      • This includes donations of money, material donations, and/ or discounts on materials. 
    • The Scout should track and record all the time it takes to propose, plan, and execute the project. This includes designing, securing donations, make changes or corrections, and all time spent preparing the project for approval.
    • Extra pages may be added to the workbook, but each section should begin in the book and then have indicator(s) as to where to find the continuation (Ex: Appendix A, B, etc., Refer to page 7, 8, etc, or refer to tab A, B, etc.). The Scout may use a table of contents to reference where everything can be found.
    • Keep notes
    • Take pictures during the project if at all possible.
    • Upon completing the project:
      • The Scout will fill out the Project Report section of the workbook including signing on Project Report Page C, and obtain signatures from the benificiary and unit leader. 
        • Do this as soon as possible while the project is still fresh in mind and the approriate signatories are avaialble.  
  5. When all Eagle Scout requirements are completed, the Scout then completes the Eagle Scout Application form with the assistance of the unit leader or unit advancement chair.
    • Carefully record month/date/year on all rank advancements and merit badges, along with the unit number where merit badges were earned.
    • Check to be sure the dates are correct.
    • Get references. State the full address of each person-street, city, state, zip code, area code and phone number.
    • The begin date for requirement four must be after the Life Scout board of review date. (Leadership positions must total six months of leadership and are based on months (not converted to weeks or days): example of correct dates are January 1, 2024 to June 30, 2024 if continous across any and all positions. If not continous, it is based on full months from each starting date (2.25 + break + 3.75 = 5 months). 
    • Be sure to do requirement six life purpose and listing any positions held, honors and awards.
    • Make sure all signatures are filled out and dates are completed.
  6. Upon completion of the Eagle Scout Application, the completed Eagle Scout Application with all supporting documentation, including the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, to the Northeast Georgia Council Service Center for approval.
    Supporting documentation consists of:
    • a:
      • ambitions and life purpose (requirement six),
      • list of leadership positions and experiences in life (i.e. church, school, and community) (requirement six),
      • and a listing of honors and awards received (requirement six)
      • any letters of recommendation collected by the unit leader or advancement chairman, letters are preferred but not required. Only the contact information for recommendations on application are required. 
    • b: all sections and pages of the workbook are required at the final eagle Board of Review. Which includes sections 1, 2 and 3. A final review and approval of the project cannot be accomplished with out all sections of the workbook brought to the final board.
  7. Under no circumstances will the District Eagle Scout Board of Review be conducted prior to the service center approving the application.
  8. Upon approval of the Eagle Scout application, the district Eagle Scout board of review is granted and the complete packet is returned to the unit leader of record.
  9. Upon successful completion of the Eagle Scout Board of Review, the signed and dated Eagle Scout application is forwarded to the Northeast Georgia Council Service Center to certify its approval. 
  10. The application is then submitted to the National Eagle Scout Service Center for final review and approval.

Note: All requirements, including the Project Report must be completed prior to the Scout's 18th birthday. The application and Board of Review can be done after the 18th birthday, but must be done within 2 years after the 18th birthday.