In sports, there are Hall of Fames for every exceptionally great career

But what if I told you that there's a Hall of Fame for something you can into before even becoming a legal adult?

That my friends are to become an Eagle Scout for the Boy Scout troops of America.


Some may have notions about life as a Boy Scout as being a way to get kids out of the house when they have nothing better to do. But through my experience as a Scout for Troop 149 in Thornbury, PA and adventures in Camp Horseshoe on the Mason-Dixon Line and on the Philmont Expedition in New Mexico, I can say that being a Boy Scout was awesome!

When I joined the Boy Scouts during my middle school years there was a big number looming over every Boy Scout with the potential to get the Eagle rank.

2.

What does the number two mean? It means that 2% of every Boy Scout in American becomes an Eagle Scout. The club is that exclusive.

Guess how many Presidents have been an Eagle Scout too?

1.

That was the 38th POTUS Gerald Ford. (Who was never even elected to serve as President.)

In other words, you can do something that every President since the dawn of the 20th Century besides Ford never did in becoming an Eagle Scout.

And guess who's the most famous baseball player who was also an Eagle Scout?

Lou Gehrig? Mickey Mantle? Stan Musial? Mike Trout?

Nope.

Albert Belle.

Belle was one of the most fierce hitters of the 1990s for the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, but his horrible attitude towards the media and fans costed him a chance for the Hall of Fame he otherwise deserves. But at least he somehow became a Hall of Fame Boy Scout.

The two biggest requirements in earning the Eagle Scout rank are the following:

  • Earning 35 Scout Merit Badges
  • Planning and completing a community service project

35 merit badges are something you at least have plenty of years to earn. The Eagle Scout project, however, is something else.

First off, not only do you actually have to do the project, you have to plan it and get it approved.

The 10 step Eagle Scout project process is:

  1. Come up with a project.
  2. Write down the plan for the project day-by-day, hour-by-hour, with a budget listed and find the number of people who'll work on it with you.
  3. Go to your local township council and write a proposal letter to get it approved
  4. Have it approved by your council
  5. Purchase the products required
  6. Execute and track your progress on your project day to day
  7. Once the project is completed test it to make sure it works.
  8. Write a post-project reflection paper.
  9. Submit the entire binder of work from your project to the Boy Scouts of America.
  10. Congratulations! You are now an Eagle Scout!

Did I mention that you have to do all of this before turning 18?

From my experience in building a bridge for my local part, the process of completing an Eagle Scout project is a long and brutal task, but the rewards make it worth it.

When you're an Eagle Scout, you're an Eagle Scout for life.

Not only does it give you great pride, but being an Eagle Scout is also a terrific booster for your resume. It could be the difference between being selected for the job you want because the employer knows that you were capable of doing great things for your community before even becoming an adult.

What's also awesome about being an Eagle Scout for me personally is that I have something in common with Steven Spielberg.