Declan Birmingham is a proud Eagles Scout. The challenge of becoming an Eagles Scout is quite difficult but extremely rewarding. To put into perspective how challenging it is to earn the distinction of Eagles Scout, Declan Birmingham notes that only 5% of young people who enter the scouts’ program in America reach the prestigious Eagles rank. This site will serve as a place for Declan Birmingham to explain how one obtains the rank of Eagle Scout and future blogs will go over the benefits of earning this distinction.
For starters, someone who works extremely diligently to earn the rank of Eagle will need at least 4 years. More often than not it will take a person at least six years to complete the hundreds of requirements that must be met to reach this level. Usually, people who earn the rank of Eagle are around sixteen or seventeen years old. This is because you need to be at least ten years old to join Scouts BSA. If you’re a parent of a child considering the scouts, Declan Birmingham encourages you to think of the skills that will be learned along the way to achieving Eagle rank. Skills like:
- Fire Making
- Fire Safety
- CPR
- Leadership
- Teamwork
- Camping Setup and Safety
- Blade Sharpening and Safety
- Communication
- Environmental Sustainability
- Self-Worth
- Civic Duty
While these are just a few of the skills, Declan Birmingham credits a lot of the lessons learned for preparing him to attack the next stage of his life. Having the rank of Eagle is a welcome addition on a college application. It shows that a student is willing to put in the work to achieve a goal. It also shows that they have a willingness to work with others and lead them to their targeted destination. In a world that is increasingly reliant on their cell phones and other technological gadgets to get through the day, the Scouts is an organization that helps young people break away from technological dependency and develop their own personality. Exploring nature provides a sense of balance and alleviates the stress that often comes from technological dependency.
When a new scout starts their journey, they will focus mainly on learning survival skills, attending troop meetings and studying their official Scouts BSA Handbook. It usually takes a little over a year to learn every detail of the Handbook, but it provides a blueprint for what being a true scout is all about. Those who look to reach higher status in their Scout ranking will need to ascend from First Class to Life rank. If they are serious about making this happen, they should reach out to their troop leader about the different merit badges they need and which they should make a priority. A good troop leader will be excited to help another person who is interested in obtaining the Life rank. Once a Life rank is achieved it is time to turn to a leadership position. It will then usually take more than a year to complete an Eagle Scout project, while also obtaining a total of 21 merit badges. Keep in mind, this is not a full-time job. A teenager will also be balancing their high school responsibilities with this scout work. It takes incredible time management skills and dedication
As the difficulty of earning Eagle rank is well-established, many may question what are the benefits outside of looking great on a college application? For starters, the prestigious rank enters a person into an exclusive group that bonds people for life. Eagle scouts have a strong commitment to one another, and this can help by the time an Eagle Scout reaches the corporate world. In fact, Eagle scouts are often sought out for leadership roles at major companies. There are a ton of leadership and communication skills learned throughout the process that can be leaned on when the time comes to interview. The most important benefit may just be the sense of self-worth that is achieved by reaching Eagle rank. Declan Birmingham credits his time in the scouts for turning him into the confident person he is today.