Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 17:51     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:Op here. Why do everyone mention summer camp sign up? He is at 5th grade with 1 year cub scout experience. He goes to day camps every summer because I need childcare, and he normally attends the outdoor sports and water activities. Are you all talking about special summer day or overnight camps organized by cub scout or boy scout?

He has been enjoying scout activities like camping etc run under the den leader. It has been many parents staying around at every meeting. Our troop has not talking about transition next year fall, but I assume that the den leader stays to lead us.


Cub scouts transition to formal Scouts in spring of 5th grade. Scouts has official summer camps where they can get merit badges and meet other rank requirements. Scouts has way less parent involvement, many parents drop off, it's the older scouts providing leadership along with a handful of uniformed adults. I wouldn't assume your den leader stays in the same role, ours moved into a backend role where he doesn't interact with kids for example.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 16:47     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Op here. Why do everyone mention summer camp sign up? He is at 5th grade with 1 year cub scout experience. He goes to day camps every summer because I need childcare, and he normally attends the outdoor sports and water activities. Are you all talking about special summer day or overnight camps organized by cub scout or boy scout?

He has been enjoying scout activities like camping etc run under the den leader. It has been many parents staying around at every meeting. Our troop has not talking about transition next year fall, but I assume that the den leader stays to lead us.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 16:40     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:DS would love to become one. How challenging is that? I just take a quick look at the requirement. For example, he probably can't earn the cycling badge because he can't even bike at age 11. Swimming is just okay, only can swim pool, but not to the point to save anyone or in ocean. Do scouts have to take lessons to learn swimming and cycling lessons on their own or den leader could teach them? He also has asd & adhd, do anyone know kids with diagnosis become eagle scout? The empathy part and volunteering part might be challenging for him to understand and executive to help others.


You just have to not quit and stick to it. You don't need to excel.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 16:35     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is in the process right now, and one thing he's focused on is getting through as much as possible in middle school before the demands of high school come along. It seems very doable, especially with summer camp.


Our troop operates like this unofficially, most kids are trying to finish requirements through middle school and then they make Eagle at 15 or 16. My DS is 11, and I think it'll be an uphill battle for him because his weekends are full of sports. Meanwhile, his friend who has basically no other ECs can fulfill requirements just because he's always available to attend all activities. BUT the kids have to want to advance too - and that means somethings going to campouts or meetings without your friends.


DS does sports that we have been able to work around most scout camping. However he will miss 1-2 every year and it's been fine. He went to summer camp for the first time this year and he missed many things to do it because of the dates. To your point, he REALLY wants to do it and I do think that makes a difference.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 16:35     Subject: Re:How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Eagle is about persistence and growth. The merit badges are probably the easiest part, you just have to decide to complete them. It takes time and some discipline but they are not hard. There are no tests assocaited with them. The pamphlets are now available online so you have the resource you need for completing most of the MB. Scouts in the DMV area are noramlyl able to knock out most merit badges at summer camp. Most Troops in this area have counselors for all the Eagle required merit badges in the Troop. There are merit badge classes offered through rec centers and programs in this area.

There is a check list that you need to complete for each rank. It takes time but it is more about following the checklists.

Leadership is the most time-consuming part of ranking up, you will need to serve in a leadership position for at least 15 months. What this means can be Troop dependent. In our Troop, the scouts in leadership positions are responsible for planning meetings and camping trips. They learn a lot about how to think about what goes into planning a meeting and what goes into planning a trip.

The hard part of earning Eagle is having access to the merit badges you need, this is a big challenge for kids in various parts of the country but not an issue in the DMV, and the persistence to complete the steps. The Eagle project can be hard for a Scout but is doable if they leave themselves enough time.


Really. I earned eagle (and had many friends do as well) in a small rural southern town. Maybe hard for inner city, is that the implication?


There are FB groups for MB opportunities and many parents looking for a MBC for any number of Eagle and non-Eagle MB because there are no Counselors in their District. It seems to be a problem all over the country.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 16:31     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DS is in the process right now, and one thing he's focused on is getting through as much as possible in middle school before the demands of high school come along. It seems very doable, especially with summer camp.


This is a good strategy and worked well for DS. Plus those are great years to spend a lot of time camping and hiking and doing volunteer work like Scouting for Food and all the other community service your troop may do (ours mostly does trail work and outdoor service projects).

But our troop doesn’t Eagle kids until about 16 or so, so you still have to be involved in high school.

Your DS may find the leadership parts hard or he may grow into them by the time they’re expected. Would be a great setting to try it out and see.

If executive function is an issue, you may need to be involved heavily along the way. And maybe attend scout camp in the summer. Scouting gives kids a lot of opportunities for independence so maybe you want to provide scaffolding along the way.



Thanks, great advice. He's set it up now to be working on Eagle for likely part of 9th and 10th grade. The troop doesn't seem to have many "rules" about it, so he will see how it goes. Thankfully he has done the majority of the work on his own, with my only input being in scheduling and planning. Once I showed him how to work the requirements starting from the end and going backwards he figured out how he could do that. We will see if this method pays off!
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 13:20     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:DS is in the process right now, and one thing he's focused on is getting through as much as possible in middle school before the demands of high school come along. It seems very doable, especially with summer camp.


Our troop operates like this unofficially, most kids are trying to finish requirements through middle school and then they make Eagle at 15 or 16. My DS is 11, and I think it'll be an uphill battle for him because his weekends are full of sports. Meanwhile, his friend who has basically no other ECs can fulfill requirements just because he's always available to attend all activities. BUT the kids have to want to advance too - and that means somethings going to campouts or meetings without your friends.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 13:09     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
It's supposed to be very challenging. That's why it's a read distinction.
Talk about burying the lede...the neurodiverse diagnoses.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 13:02     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:DS is in the process right now, and one thing he's focused on is getting through as much as possible in middle school before the demands of high school come along. It seems very doable, especially with summer camp.


This is a good strategy and worked well for DS. Plus those are great years to spend a lot of time camping and hiking and doing volunteer work like Scouting for Food and all the other community service your troop may do (ours mostly does trail work and outdoor service projects).

But our troop doesn’t Eagle kids until about 16 or so, so you still have to be involved in high school.

Your DS may find the leadership parts hard or he may grow into them by the time they’re expected. Would be a great setting to try it out and see.

If executive function is an issue, you may need to be involved heavily along the way. And maybe attend scout camp in the summer. Scouting gives kids a lot of opportunities for independence so maybe you want to provide scaffolding along the way.

Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 12:02     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
DS is in the process right now, and one thing he's focused on is getting through as much as possible in middle school before the demands of high school come along. It seems very doable, especially with summer camp.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 11:40     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
It is achievable. It is a lot of work. Starting early helps. Many troops will setup occasions where most/all of the troop together will earn some merit badge.

There are stages below Eagle Scout, example Life Scout. Those also are worthwhile.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 11:32     Subject: Re:How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:Eagle is about persistence and growth. The merit badges are probably the easiest part, you just have to decide to complete them. It takes time and some discipline but they are not hard. There are no tests assocaited with them. The pamphlets are now available online so you have the resource you need for completing most of the MB. Scouts in the DMV area are noramlyl able to knock out most merit badges at summer camp. Most Troops in this area have counselors for all the Eagle required merit badges in the Troop. There are merit badge classes offered through rec centers and programs in this area.

There is a check list that you need to complete for each rank. It takes time but it is more about following the checklists.

Leadership is the most time-consuming part of ranking up, you will need to serve in a leadership position for at least 15 months. What this means can be Troop dependent. In our Troop, the scouts in leadership positions are responsible for planning meetings and camping trips. They learn a lot about how to think about what goes into planning a meeting and what goes into planning a trip.

The hard part of earning Eagle is having access to the merit badges you need, this is a big challenge for kids in various parts of the country but not an issue in the DMV, and the persistence to complete the steps. The Eagle project can be hard for a Scout but is doable if they leave themselves enough time.


Really. I earned eagle (and had many friends do as well) in a small rural southern town. Maybe hard for inner city, is that the implication?
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 11:29     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not hard


+1

Have relative who has been a long-term Scout Master or whatever the head of the program is called. Earning Eagle Scout status takes a lot of time and probably means that the scout has no other ECs. Most of the kids whom I saw have very little if any athletic talent. None had girlfriends--so lots of free time.


Probably true but it’s a decent hook for college and way cheaper than travel sports.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 11:29     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not hard


+1

Have relative who has been a long-term Scout Master or whatever the head of the program is called. Earning Eagle Scout status takes a lot of time and probably means that the scout has no other ECs. Most of the kids whom I saw have very little if any athletic talent. None had girlfriends--so lots of free time.


Really? The Eagles in our Troop, we have multiple kids complete the rank each year, are involved in varsity sports or drama or band or a series of other activities. None of the Eagles in our Troop are doing only Scouts. Many Scouts aim for a summer project because they have time away from their school based activities. It is all about time management.


Yeah, that person is probably the person from the other thread calling Scouts losers. I don't know what their issue is, but their stereotype is not representative of the scouts I see.
Anonymous
Post 09/15/2025 11:27     Subject: How challenging to be eagle scout?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:Not hard


+1

Have relative who has been a long-term Scout Master or whatever the head of the program is called. Earning Eagle Scout status takes a lot of time and probably means that the scout has no other ECs. Most of the kids whom I saw have very little if any athletic talent. None had girlfriends--so lots of free time.


Really? The Eagles in our Troop, we have multiple kids complete the rank each year, are involved in varsity sports or drama or band or a series of other activities. None of the Eagles in our Troop are doing only Scouts. Many Scouts aim for a summer project because they have time away from their school based activities. It is all about time management.