Powder Mill District
Eagle Scout Board of Review

Contact Andy Sensing at (302) 377-6253 about Eagle Scout Boards of Review in Powder Mill District.

Eagle Scout Boards of Review (ESBoR) are scheduled on the second Sunday and third Tuesday of each month. The Eagle Vice-Chair will contact the Eagle Candidate directly to schedule the date, time and location. The Eagle candidate should bring his unit leader (see Step 9) and be in proper uniform. The Scout should wear the merit badge sash, not his OA sash. If a Scout has already turned 18 he should leave his youth insignia until after his Eagle Board. The Scout should bring his Boy Scout Handbook.

If you would like to serve on the district ESBoR please contact Andy Sensing.

Following are The 12 Steps from Life to Eagle applicable to the Eagle Scout Board of Review:

5. The Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, properly filled out, must be submitted with the application.
Powder Mill Scouts are asked to turn in the original and three copies of the Eagle Scout Rank Application (including the statement of ambitions/purpose and list of positions/honors/awards), the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, and letters of recommendation. It's also suggested that a copy of the Scout's individual history report be included.

6. When the completed application is received at the council service center, its contents will be verified and the references contacted. The Scout shall have listed six references (five if no employer, and parent if no organized religious association). The council advancement committee or its designee contacts the references on the Eagle Scout Rank Application either by letter, form, or telephone checklist. (The council determines the method or methods to be used.) The candidate should have contacted those individuals listed as references before including their names on the application. If desired by the council unit, the candidate may be asked to deliver a blank reference form and envelopes to the listed references. In Powder Mill District the method to be used is left up to the unit. It is suggested that Eagle candidates contact their references and request that letters be sent to their unit advancement chair. This should be done early enough that the application process isn't hindered due to lack of letters. The candidates should not be involved personally in transmitting any correspondence between persons listed as references and the council service center or advancement committee. If the initial reference letter or form is not returned to the council unit in a timely manner, the council unit advancement committee must make direct contact with the reference(s) listed on the Eagle Scout Rank Application on its own, by follow-up letter, phone contact, or other methods as it chooses. The candidate shall not be required to make a follow-up contact with the reference or submit other reference names. A Scout cannot have a board of review denied or postponed because the council office or council unit advancement committee does not receive the reference letter forms he delivered, however it is expected that the unit will include all letters when turning the application in to the council service center.

7. After the contents of an application have been verified and appropriately signed, the application, Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, and references will be returned from the council service center to the chairman of the Eagle board of review so that a board of review may be scheduled. Under no circumstances should a board of review be scheduled until the application is returned to the chairman of the Eagle board of review. Reference checks that are forwarded with the application are confidential, and their contents are not to be disclosed to any person who is not a member of the board of review.

8. The board of review for an Eagle candidate is composed of at least three but not more than six members. One member serves as chairman. Unit leaders, assistant unit leaders, relatives, or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout’s board of review. The board of review members should convene at least 30 minutes before the candidate appears in order to review the application, reference checks, and leadership service project report. At least one district or council advancement representative must be a member of the Eagle board of review if the board of review is conducted on a unit level. A council or district may designate more than one person to serve as a member of Eagle boards of review when requested to do so by the unit. It is not required that these persons be members of the advancement committee; however, they must have an understanding of the importance of the Eagle board of review.

9. The candidate’s unit leader introduces him to the members of the board of review. The unit leader may remain in the room, but does not participate in the board of review. The unit leader may be called on to clarify a point in question. In no case should a relative or guardian of the candidate attend the review, even as a unit leader. There is no set of questions that an Eagle candidate should be asked. However, the board should be assured of the candidate’s participation in the program. This is the highest award that a Scout may achieve and, consequently, a thorough discussion of his successes and experiences in Scouting should be considered. After the review, the candidate and his unit leader leave the room while the board members discuss the acceptability of the candidate as an Eagle Scout. The decision must be unanimous. If the candidate meets the requirements, he is asked to return and is informed that he will receive the board’s recommendation for the Eagle Scout rank. If the candidate does not meet the requirements, he is asked to return and told the reasons for his failure to qualify. A discussion should be held with him as to how he may meet the requirements within a given period. Should the applicant disagree with the decision, the appeal procedures should be explained to him. A follow-up letter must be sent to the Scout confirming the agreements reached on the action(s) necessary for the advancement. If the Scout chooses to appeal, the board should provide the name and address of the person he is to contact.

10. Immediately after the board of review and after the application has been appropriately signed, the application, the service project report, references, and a properly completed Advancement Report are returned to the council service center.

11. When the application arrives at the council service center,the Scout executive signs it to certify that the proper procedure has been followed and that the board of review has recommended the candidate for the Eagle Scout rank. This workbook and references are retained by the council. The workbook may be returned to the Scout after council approval.

Only the Eagle Scout Rank Application is forwarded to the national Eagle Scout Service.

12. The Eagle Scout Service screens the application to ascertain information such as proper signature, positions of responsibility, tenure between ranks,and age of the candidate.Any item not meeting national standards will cause the application to be returned for more information. If the application is in order, the Scout is then certified as an Eagle Scout by the Eagle Scout Service on behalf of the National Council. Notice of approval is given by sending the Eagle Scout certificate to the local council. The date used on the certificate will be the date of the board of review. The Eagle Award must not be sold or given to any unit until after the certificate is received by the council service center. The Eagle Scout court of honor should not be scheduled until the local council receives the Eagle Scout rank credentials. After earning the Eagle Scout Award, a Scout may work to earn Eagle Palms. An Eagle Palm or Palms must be earned before the Scout’s 18th birthday. Palms must be earned one at a time, in the order of Bronze, Gold, and then Silver. Each Palm level can only be earned after a three-month tenure since earning the last Palm and by satisfactory completion of all of the other requirements for the next Palm.