A new study by a major university shows that Eagle Scouts have a positive, lasting influence on American society.   Probably not a surprise to anyone who is visiting this web site!  The following is a summary of their findings.  (The entire report can be downloaded from the download page on this website, or here.)

Research Finds Eagle Scouts Have Positive, Lasting Influence on American Society

Nationwide study shows those who attain Scouting’s highest rank enhance youth’s values, ethics, decision making, relationships and personal development

Newswise — WACO, Texas (April 10, 2012) – One hundred years after Arthur Eldred of New York earned the first Eagle Scout Award from the Boy Scouts of America, researchers with Baylor University’s Institute for Studies of Religion (ISR) and Program on Prosocial Behavior have released findings from a nationwide, scientific survey that demonstrates the significant, positive impact Eagle Scouts have on society – from holding leadership positions in their workplace and neighborhood to voting, giving and volunteering to protecting the environment and being prepared for emergencies.

“There is no shortage of examples or anecdotal accounts that suggest Scouting produces better citizens, but now there is scientific evidence to confirm the prosocial benefits of Scouting or earning the rank of Eagle Scout,” said the study’s principal investigator, Byron R. Johnson, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences, director of the Program on Prosocial Behavior and ISR co-director. “The central question of this study was to determine if achieving the rank of Eagle Scout is associated with prosocial behavior and development of character that carries over into young adulthood and beyond.”

With funding from a major two-year research grant from the John Templeton Foundation, Baylor researchers with ISR’s Program on Prosocial Behavior partnered with the Gallup Organization to conduct a nationwide random survey of 2,512 adult males.

Sung Joon Jang, Ph.D., associate professor of sociology, Baylor ISR Faculty Fellow and co-principal investigator, said analyses were conducted to see whether three groups of survey respondents – Eagle Scouts, Scouts who did not achieve the Eagle Scout rank, and non-Scouts – differed in responses to a series of survey questions related to the following topics:
• Well-being (survey questions dedicated to recreational activities, emotional well-being, relational well-being and physical well-being)
• Civic engagement (survey items focusing on membership in formal and informal groups, community donations, community volunteering, community problem-solving, environmental stewardship, political participation and civic leadership)
• Character development (survey statements asking about commitment to learning, goal orientation, planning/preparedness, self-efficacy, activities with neighbors, accountability, moral attitudes, openness to diversity, civic attitudes and spirituality)

The Baylor study found that Eagle Scouts – compared to Scouts who never attained the rank of Eagle Scout and men who were never Scouts – were significantly more likely to:
• Exhibit higher levels of participation in a variety of health and recreational activities, such as regular exercise, outdoor recreation, attending plays and live theater, reading books, playing a musical instrument and visiting a local, state or national park (Figures 1-10, pp. 4-9),
• Show a greater connection to siblings, neighbors, religious community, friends, coworkers, formal and informal groups and a spiritual presence in nature (Figures 11-18, pp. 9-13),
• Share a greater belief in duty to God, service to others, service to the community and leadership, such as donating money within the last month to a religious or non-religious organization or charity, reporting volunteer time with a religious or non-religious organizations, working with neighbors to address a problem or improve something, voting in the last presidential election and holding leadership positions at a workplace or local community (Figures 19-26, pp. 13-17),
• Engage in behaviors that are designed to enhance and protect the environment, such as being active in a group that works to protect the environment, avoiding the use of certain products that harm the environment and using less water in their households (Figures 27-29, pp. 17-18),
• Be committed to setting and achieving personal, professional, spiritual and financial goals (Figures 30-35, pp. 18-21),
• Show higher levels of planning and preparedness, such as having a disaster supply kit in their home and emergency supplies in their car, designating a specific meeting place for family during an emergency and being CPR certified (Figures 36-39, pp. 22-23), and
• Indicate that they have built character traits related to work ethics, morality, tolerance and respect for diversity, such as always exceeding people’s expectations and doing what is right, working hard to get ahead, treating people of other religions with respect, strongly agreeing that most religions make a positive contribution to society, stating that respecting religious leaders outside of their religions is somewhat important and showing respect to the American flag (Figures 40-46, pp. 24-27).

Young-Il Kim, Ph.D., a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at ISR and study co-author, found that “Eagle Scouts consistently indicate their experience in Scouting contributed to positive and prosocial development.”

“Compared to Scouts and non-Scouts, Eagle Scouts exhibit significantly higher levels of health and recreation, connection, service and leadership, environmental stewardship, goal orientation, planning and preparedness, and character,” said Rodney Stark, Ph.D., Distinguished Professor of the Social Sciences at Baylor and co-director of ISR.

Scouts, your Eagle project will go much smoother and faster if you organize your materials from the very start.  Get into the practice of keeping all your associated materials in one place – this can be a notebook, a file box or a brief case of some kind.  As you do your work, whether it is internet research, meeting with your coach, talking with your beneficiary, or pricing items at the local lumber store, keep your notes in a spiral bound notebook.  If you date your entries, you will have a very comprehensive log and notes all in one place.  Parents, you can really help your Scout by helping him buy organizational tools like this.

You are going to be submitting a paper proposal, not an electronic one.  So here’s another tip.  Buy a report cover on day one, and then insert a blank Eagle Service Project Workbook (you can strip out the informational pages.)  As you fill out your proposal on the computer, insert the completed printed page and remove the blank one in your report cover.  Also insert your “before” photographs, plans, and any other support materials.   Slowly but surely your proposal will grow before you!  The blank pages will remind you what has to be done, and the completed pages will give you a feeling of accomplishment.

And as long as we are talking about getting organized, make sure that you keep all your merit badge cards, awards, and other Boy Scout materials in one place.  While National does have transcript of all your achievements, it is not unusual for awards to be lost or misfiled.  It happens at least once a year in our troop.  This usually means that there is a mad scramble to try to find the original document, which is most often a lost blue card that was never submitted.  If everything is kept in one place, you can simply pull out your copy to verify your award.  Not to mention that it will be easy to set up your display of awards at your Eagle Scout Court of Honor!

As an Eagle Coach, I see a big difference between boys who are organized and those who are not.  When a Scout forgets to bring half of his materials to a meeting, it forces us to delay a discussion on those items until the next meeting, thus dragging out the process.  So get yourself organized and cut some serious hours from the time required to finish your Eagle project!

If a Scout believes that he has completed all the requirements for a rank, he cannot be denied a Board of Review.  BSA is solidly behind this in the new 2011 Guide to Advancement.  Section 8.0.0.2, “Boards of Review Must Be Granted When Requirements are Met” clearly spells this out.  BSA expects that boards will be scheduled at least monthly, and explicitly says that a unit leader does “not have the authority to expect a boy to request one, or to “defer” him, or ask him to perform beyond the requirements in order to be granted one.”

In other words, you cannot be denied a board of review because a leader says that you are “not mature enough”, you missed an outing or you have not done other tasks that have nothing to do with the specific rank requirements.

So, if you feel that you have met all the requirements for rank advancement, ask for the board.  If you are refused, it is time for you or your parents or guardians to speak with the local District Advancement Chair.  If you do not know who that is, call your Council and ask!