UNION DISTRICT BOARD OF REVIEW INFORMATION

District Board of Review Meetings:

St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 116 S. Church St., Enter at the office side from the parking lot off Franklin Street, Monroe.

7:00 pm Second Monday.   No board in July.

Board of Review Chairman:

                                                Richard Shields

                                                PO Box 769

                                                Monroe, NC 28111-0769

                                                Richard@TheCarolinaTrader.com

                                                704-289-1604

Policies and Guidelines For

District Board of Review

Revised 04/05

KNOW THIS MATERIAL.  A Scout's rank depends on your knowledge of these guidelines.   

MERIT BADGES

1.  All merit badge counselors must be approved by the District Advancement Committee.

2.      A national registration form (no money required) and a national merit badge counselor application must be filled out by each counselor and on file with the committee.

3.      A merit badge counselor can only be approved for 7 merit badges at any one time.

4.  The district committee encourages Scouts to earn merit badges from a number of different counselors. 

5.  Anyone under the age of 18 serving as a merit badge counselor is prohibited.

Info for Unit Leaders

1. Boards of Review will be held the 2nd Monday of each month except July at St. Paul Episcopal Church, 116 S. Church St., Monroe, entrance will be off the parking lot on the Franklin St. side of the church.  The Board will convene at 7:00. 

2. Please notify Richard Shields 704-289-1604 by the lst Monday of the month if you are planning to send Scouts to the Review Board for Star or Life. The Board will be canceled if no Scouts are planning to come.

3. Time length of the board will vary upon questions asked and response time, the time taken by Board members to review the Scout's work, etc.  Eagle Boards will take no less than l hour.

4. Each candidate should be accompanied by at least one adult who is prepared to sit on review boards of other Scouts.  There will be a limit of 4 Scouts per month from each troop.  There must be at least one adult with each two Scouts.

5. Call Richard Shields at 704-289-1604 if you have any questions.

6. Star and Life boards may be done on the troop level.  Eagle must be done on the district level.

STAR AND LIFE BOARDS OF REVIEW

1.  Preparation--Each Scout should be prepared for the following:

    a. To answer any questions pertaining to the work that they have previously done from Tenderfoot to the present rank being reviewed and pertaining to their future plans.  General questions in regards to merit badges may be asked.  The board will be looking for leadership abilities and knowledge of Scout skills in a leadership situation.

   b. The board will determine the Scout's attitude and his acceptance of Scouting's ideals.  Scout spirit is defined as living the Scout Oath (Promise) and Scout Law in a Scout's everyday life.

2. His handbook page for the rank being reviewed for needs to be filled out and signed.

EAGLE SERVICE PROJECT

1. Eagle candidates must follow the Life to Eagle Packet of the BSA which includes the Eagle Service Project application. #18-927

2. The Eagle Service Project application must be approved by the troop committee and be accompanied by approval letter or letters from the church, civic group, or governing body of the location where the project will be done.  "Before" pictures, if applicable, would be helpful to the Board to make its decision.

3. The project should not be a buddy project or a parent/Scout project.  It cannot be done for a business.  The board will expect the Scout to know what materials he needs plus their cost and how he will pay for them.  The tools he will need and who will help him.  A detailed time schedule to complete the project needs to be included.

3. The troop committee approved Eagle Service Project application needs to be sent to Richard Shields, PO Box 769, Monroe, NC 28111 at least a week before the monthly Board of Review.  Those arriving after the board meeting will be held till the next meeting. Please do not send in binders. The project application will be reviewed without the Scout being in the room. The Scout need not be present.

4.  Work on the project should not be started until approval is given.  This prior approval of the project does not mean that the Eagle Board of Review will accept the way the project was carried out.  They may still turn down the project if it was not done per the BSA guidelines.

5. A final report on the project is to be submitted by the Scout to the Eagle Board with his Eagle Application.  This report should be detailed and include photos of before and after and any letters of appreciation from the beneficiary.  The Boy Scout Requirements book gives a good description of a report.

6. A thank you letter from the organization benefiting from the project will be considered as proof that the project was done and completed to the satisfaction of the recipient organization. 

EAGLE BOARDS OF REVIEW

1. When a Scout has finished his work, he needs to complete the Eagle Application, complete the Eagle Project report, write his Life Purpose Statement (Eagle Application Requirement #6) and forward these items to Richard Shields, PO Box 769, Monroe, NC 28111-0769 for verification of dates, merit badges earned, registration, etc by the council office.  Allow at least three weeks before the next board meeting for the Board of Review to verify the Scout's work. He may also include reference letters if he so chooses.  References may be contacted by mail or by phone.   Other references may also be contacted by the board.  Once the application is returned to the district, the Eagle Board of Review will be scheduled for the next monthly board of review.

Suggestions for Success or How Not to Embarrass a Scout

1. Make sure your Scouts know the information before they get to the Board.

2. Make sure the paperwork is correct and signatures are on the applications and in the handbook.

3. Make sure Eagle projects are a quality project, have some time involvement and show leadership to others in carrying out the project.  Buddy or father-son projects are prohibited.  Projects for commercial/businesses are prohibited.

4. Make sure all requirements have been met, leadership time is correct, Eagle application or handbook page for the appropriate rank is completely filled out, time has expired since last advancement, handbook or application is signed where needed, etc.

5. Lastly, if you aren't sure about something call for advice.