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I would worry a little if this is a sudden change in attitude/behavior. Is there something going on with him you don't know about? As far as getting him to finish the more you push the less likely a teen is to do something. However, sometimes bribes work well. Would he be willing to finish if you offered him some reward? You could tell him the reasons you hope he chooses to finish (help in college admissions, etc.) and say that if he does make it to celebrate his achievement you were planning on X and then leave the choice to him. I think it's important for him to know you love him unconditionally either way.
My oldest son was the same. He stayed in, just never filed the paperwork. He's now 24 and in his last year of engineering school so not getting Eagle didn't much matter. Both my brother and I didn't finish it either.
Your son now has other priorities and interests.
Personal opinion, Eagle has been somewhat cheapened with so many getting it, years ago (1960s) only one or maybe two boys in a troop could get it, now it seems like Eagle ceremonies are like high school graduation with entire troops earning it.
My oldest son made the transition from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, fully intending to become an Eagle Scout. Unfortunately, his troop was small, and by the time he became a Life Scout (one step below Eagle), all of his same-age buddies had dropped out of the troop. He eventually dropped out too, much to my disappointment. The leaders warned us that if the boys don't finish up their Eagle rank by about the age of 16, driving and girls would become more important to them than Scouts.
I would agree with North Beach with regard to the Eagle rank being somewhat "cheapened". There were boys in my son's troop who smoked (outside of troop activities), and were not what I would consider "pillars of the community", yet they became Eagle Scouts by earning the requisite number of badges and completing their Eagle project.
My son is now in his late 20's, and I know he's disappointed that he didn't continue on to his Eagle rank. However, as a boy who grew up without a father, I think the Boy Scout program did for him what I, as a mother, could not. He needed to be around his buddies and Scout leaders, he learned so many different skills while camping and attending Scout activities...and for this I am grateful.
For those of you stating that teh Eagle Scout Rank has lost its "effectiveness" And whole troops are getting it, you are wrongly mistaken. The Rank is a symbol of accomplishment, It shows your capability to finish a project and to be able to be devoted to something for a long period of Time. The Rank is highly looked at by Schools and major companies ahve been led by Eagle Scouts. For Example Lockheed Martin, Department of Defense, and most USA government officials and branches. The Rank is honored by organisations such as The Knights of Pythias and The Sons of the Revolution. Both organisations that were founded during the United States early founding years including the revolutionary war and the Civil War. The Rank has Much backing and most likely a candidate for a job with the Eagle Rank will be chosen over another candidate.
For those of you stating that teh Eagle Scout Rank has lost its "effectiveness" And whole troops are getting it, you are wrongly mistaken. The Rank is a symbol of accomplishment, It shows your capability to finish a project and to be able to be devoted to something for a long period of Time. The Rank is highly looked at by Schools and major companies ahve been led by Eagle Scouts. For Example Lockheed Martin, Department of Defense, and most USA government officials and branches. The Rank is honored by organisations such as The Knights of Pythias and The Sons of the Revolution. Both organisations that were founded during the United States early founding years including the revolutionary war and the Civil War. The Rank has Much backing and most likely a candidate for a job with the Eagle Rank will be chosen over another candidate.
This thread is 3 years old . I also doubt the fact that the rank of eagle scout is going to be a gold mine into getting jobs. A good college education,gpa, and internship will trump the fact you were ever in the bsa.
I proudly display "My Son is an Eagle Scout bumper sticker today and my son is 30 years old. Besides it distinguishes my beige Honda Odyssey from all the other 5 thousand in my town!
A wise mother told me "Help him get it before he turns 16. when they start smelling perfume and gasoline it is all over"
Jobs, driving, sports, music, girls, cars all play a hand in distracting a young man from finishing and I do believe those who drop out regret it.
I told son "No Eagle Scout, no Driver's License" and it worked. He did not complain one bit and several times over the years he has thanked me for my attitude.
he proudly puts it on his CV and has had more than one interviewer congratulate him on this achievement. It teaches perseverance, responsibility, team work and also promotes a bond with the boy and his dad or other male figure in his life. DS built playground equipment for Batter Women's Shelter in our home town and it was so very much appreciated. He was so proud and learn alot beyond how to build playground equipment.
His senior in college his apartment suffered a terrible fire. He lost almost everything he had and it was devastating but when he found his Eagle Scout Medal he lost it. It meant that much to him. Something of his high school life survived and it was a symbol of his success.
The Eagle Scout achievement does open a lot of doors. It can easily distinguish you from the many other candidates who also have great grades and other impressive extracurricular activities.
It is hard to encourage boys to complete it, though. Scouting competes with many more activities than it did in the '60s and '70s.
I wonder if some of the "prestige" has to do with how big Scouting is where you live? When I was growing up it seemed everyone was in the Cub Scouts and a lot made the transition to Boy Scouts and then everyone pretty much dropped out around age 14 or so. Now, in my area, almost no one is in Scouts and it seems to be the "activity of last resort" for parents who want their kid to do something. In our town of 6,500 or so people 300 kids play Little League every year, but the Scout Pack has like 5 kids in it.
I know the thread is old, but if my kid had gotten that far I would push them over the top to finish it. Not because it really matters in the long run in terms of jobs and prestige, but because it was something they started and they should finish. In terms of the project, honestly, how difficult can it be? Our local paper featured an Eagle Scout project a little while back and they had organized planting new flowers, shrubs and cleaning up the grounds of a local VFW. Not exactly some massive undertaking. The one kid in my high school who earned it did something like repainting curbs and cleaning up planters on our equivalent of "Main Street".
Also, no offense to anyone, but becoming an Eagle Scout isn't going to earn you recognition or accolades or open doors these days (the association may even hurt given the rhetoric espoused by the BSA). It's a great personal accomplishment, but no one is going to look at it any differently then any other extra-curricular activity a kid would do. Being a varsity athlete or captain of the debate team is viewed in the same light as earning the Eagle Scout rank. The Scouts have lost their luster over the years just as many other organizations have. When one can walk into a Knights of Pythias lodge or Masonic Temple and just pay dues and be a member, it isn't exactly the "elite" establishment they used to be.
Since a PP mentioned the government, we've had 5 Presidents who were in the Scouts...
JFK was a Boy Scout and achieved the rank of Star Scout.
Gerald Ford was a Boy Scout and the only Eagle Scout.
Clinton, GW Bush and Obama were all Cub Scouts (Obama being the Indonesian equivalent).
It is best to let him do what he wants. I have one Eagle scout, two that are not...my Eagle scout son just was motivated to do a service project, that interested him. He organized a restoration project of an old African American cemetery. Years ago, cemeteries were also segregated...crazy.
It is best to let him do what he wants. I have one Eagle scout, two that are not...my Eagle scout son just was motivated to do a service project, that interested him. He organized a restoration project of an old African American cemetery. Years ago, cemeteries were also segregated...crazy.
I don't think he has "Eagle Scout" on his resume.
I've only ever once run across someone who had Eagle Scout on their resume and this is out of hundreds of people I have interviewed. I asked about it, got a canned response about responsibility, duty and honor and that was it. I didn't hire him but the Eagle Scout part didn't weigh on that decision one way or the other. It really came off like resume padding and/or the only reason he did it was to gain any kind of advantage he could.
I have not checked to see if the OP is still participating in this thread, but she basically described me at 18 years old. I was only a "project" short of getting my Eagle Scout when I too dropped out. I gave my parents some silly story about how the scoutmaster kept doing all his troop prayers in Jesus name (when that's not my religion), but in reality, I was intimidated by doing such a large project, and I quit instead of having the embarrassment of telling people I didn't know what I was doing. Kinda sad for me to look back on, as project management is now one of my strengths in the corporate world.
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. I also doubt the fact that the rank of eagle scout is going to be a gold mine into getting jobs. A good college education,gpa, and internship will trump the fact you were ever in the bsa.
