Advancement and Awards

Guide to Advancement

The Guide to Advancement is the official source for administering advancement in helps Scouters understand and implement the advancement programs and procedures of the Boy Scouts of AmericaPolicies and procedures outlined in the Guide to Safe Scouting apply to all BSA activities, including those related to advancement and Eagle Scout service projects.

Additional information and best practices appear in
other official BSA resources such as BSA Advancement Newsthe national Advancement Team’s Twitter feed, and the advancement educational presentations released by the national Advancement Committee. The latest advancement resources can be found on the BSA advancement resources page

Units advancement chairs enter youth advancements, awards, and merit badges utilizing internet advancement.

 

Merit Badge Counselors

A merit badge counselor is both a teacher and a mentor to the Scout as they works on the merit badge. Merit badge counselors should be satisfied that each Scout under their guidance meets all the requirements set forth for the merit badge. In this sense, a merit badge counselor is an examiner. In a larger sense, the real opportunity for a counselor lies in coaching—helping Scouts over the different hurdles of the requirements and helping make them aware of the deeper aspects of the subject from their knowledge and experience.

The merit badge counselor may help a Scout by providing instruction and guidance on the subject matter. However, the counselor must not complete the Scout's work on the requirements. The counselor needs to test the Scout to ensure that they has completed all the required work but may not modify the merit badge requirements in the process. This standard ensures that the advancement requirements are fair and uniform for all Scouts. For a list of merit badge counselors, contact your Scoutmaster. If you have questions, please contact Robert White.

Boards of Review

After a Scout has completed the requirements for any rank, they appear before a board of review. Its purpose is to determine the quality of their experience and decide whether they has fulfilled the requirements for the rank.

Eagle Scout Boards of Review:  At least one district or council representative must serve as a member of an Eagle Scout board of review. To schedule an Eagle Scout board of review, contact the district advancement chair.

Eagle Scout Service Project

While a Life Scout, plan, develop, and give leadership to others in a service project helpful to any religious institution, any school, or your community. The project must benefit an organization other than Scouting. A project proposal must be approved by the organization benefiting from the effort, the unit leader and unit committee, and the council or district before starting. To obtain approval from the district for an Eagle Scout service project, contact the district advancement chair.

Resources: 


Contacts

For additional information or questions about advancement, contact the district advancement chair.