Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Scouts BSA program of Scouting America. Since its inception in 1911, only four percent of Scouts have earned this rank after a lengthy review process. The Eagle Scout rank has been earned by over 2.75 million youth.
Requirements include earning at least 21 merit badges, 13 of which are specifically required; the others are chosen by the Scout. The Eagle Scout must demonstrate Scout Spirit, an ideal attitude based upon the Scout Oath and Law, service, and leadership. This includes an extensive service project that the Scout plans, organizes, leads, and manages. Eagle Scouts are presented with a medal and a badge that visibly recognizes the accomplishments of the Scout. Additional recognition can be earned through Eagle Palms, awarded for completing additional tenure, leadership, and merit badge requirements.
Those who have earned the rank of Eagle Scout also become eligible, although are not required, to join the National Eagle Scout Association.
History
thumb|250x250px|The original Eagle Scout medal concept
The BSA's highest award was originally conceived as the Wolf Scout, described in the June 1911 Official Handbook for Boys.
On October 11, 2017, Boy Scouts of America announced they would begin a program to include girls in the Boy Scout program beginning in 2019. With the introduction of Scouts BSA and the acceptance of girls, the age limit for Eagle Scout was extended. In February 2019, the first girls joined the renamed Scouts BSA program. New youth members, girls or boys, 16 years of age or older, but not yet 18 who joined between February 1, 2019, and December 31, 2019, could request an extension to complete the Eagle Scout Award requirements after they turn 18 years of age. In 2020, the first female Eagle Scouts were added to the Boy Scouts of America. On February 8, 2021, nearly 1,000 female Scouts became members of the Inaugural Class of Female Eagle Scouts. Members of the Inaugural Class were commemorated in a special edition of Scout Life magazine; the publication formerly known as Boys' Life.
Requirements
The rank of Eagle Scout may be earned by a Scout who has been an active Life Scout for at least six months, has earned a minimum of 21 merit badges, has demonstrated Scout Spirit, and has demonstrated leadership within their troop, crew or ship.
Scouts must earn the following 10 merit badges as there are no alternates: Camping, Citizenship in the Community, Citizenship in the Nation, Citizenship in the World, Communication, Cooking, First Aid, Family Life, Personal Fitness, and Personal Management. In addition, Scouts must choose one each from the following to round out their required merit badges: Emergency Preparedness OR Lifesaving; Environmental Science OR Sustainability; and, Swimming OR Hiking OR Cycling. The Scout must earn seven additional elective merit badges beyond the required 14 to become eligible for the award. If a Scout has earned more than one merit badges where there are alternates, the extras will be counted toward the 21 merit badge requirement total.
Palms
Palms represent additional advancement for a youth who has stayed active in the unit after achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. A Palm is awarded when the Scout has demonstrated Scout Spirit, leadership and ability; has earned five additional merit badges beyond those required for Eagle or for the last Palm; and has taken part in a conference with their unit leader.
The insignia is a small metallic palm frond pin or device that is worn on the ribbon of the Eagle Scout medal, on the Eagle Scout square knot or on the Eagle Scout badge.
Insignia and apparel
thumb|274x274px|An Eagle Scout presentation kit, including Mom, Dad, and Mentor pins as well as the rank badge and medal
The Eagle Scout badge is worn on the left shirt pocket by youth.
The Eagle Scout Award Kit currently includes the Eagle Scout medal, the Eagle Scout badge, a mother's pin, a father's pin and an Eagle Mentor pin. A variety of caps, belt buckles, pins, tie tacks, neckerchiefs and slides, bolo ties, rings, jackets, T-shirts and other items are also available for purchase.
Medal
Since its introduction in 1912, the Eagle Scout medal has undergone several design changes. Changes to the scroll and to the eagle pendant were not always introduced at the same time, therefore types may be somewhat mixed. Scouting historians classify these medals by the five different manufacturers and then by 17 sub-types, with several minor variations.
In 1920, the Robbins Company took over production. They produced six distinct variants, all in sterling silver. The first 1920 version was similar to the Dieges & Clust design, but with smaller scroll lettering and the standard single knot. The second 1920 version has more distinctive feathering on the back side of the pendant. The engraving on the 1930 version is especially fine.
Badge
Since its introduction, the Eagle Scout badge has undergone several design changes. Scouting historians have classified these badges into nine different designs, with several minor variations within each type.
The production of badges and emblems changed in 1956 to the rolled edge now in current use, thus eliminating the various colored backgrounds. The outside oval was then changed to red. With the introduction of the Improved Scouting Program in 1972 came an overhaul of many badges and emblems. The new stylized Eagle Scout badge with no text was a major change that proved to be unpopular. It appears that some Scouters commissioned reproductions of the 1956 badge for issue in place of the 1972 version. In 1975 the badge design partially reverted to the 1956 version. 1985 saw a reversion to the 1956 issue with some minor differences. The border and the eagle were done in silver metalized thread and the Be Prepared text was in blue. In 1986 the metalized eagle changed back to standard thread due to problems with wearing and the scroll and text were enlarged. The metalized border was changed to standard thread in 1989. Later variants increased the thread count of the white stripe to eliminate the visible background.
After achieving the rank of Eagle Scout
thumb |right |[[U.S. President Harry S. Truman meeting with a group of Eagle Scouts in the Oval Office, 1950]]
Eagle Scouts are expected to serve as examples for other Scouts and to take on leadership roles. They are represented in fields including the military, higher education, academia, business, and politics..
Adult Eagle Scouts
The list of Eagle Scouts is extensive. In addition, the accomplishment is considered to be notable as Adult Scouters who earned Eagle Scout as a youth are entitled to wear a square knot emblem with a red, white, and blue striped square knot above the left shirt pocket.
Eagle Scouts who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced enlisted rank in recognition of their achievements.
NESA directly administers several Eagle Scout scholarships.
Controversies
After the BSA v. Dale decision in 2000 affirmed the BSA's right to exclude homosexuals, a small number of Eagle Scouts returned their badges to the National Council in protest of the BSA's policies. The advocacy group Scouting for All claimed to have received as many as one thousand letters from Eagle Scouts who had done so; In response, two Eagle Scouts returned their badges in protest of the change to the BSA's policy accepting gay Scouts. Mitchell Paige, Arlo L. Olson, and Ross Ulbricht, the creator of the darknet Silk Road.
Impact
The National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) researched the total volunteer hours of the Eagle service projects ever done and it came to a total of more than 100 million hours of service. Each year, new Eagle Scouts add more than three million more hours.
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