Howdy,
Once a young boy has completed the rigerous fifth grade, he embarks on a journey that will ultimatley change his life. This "adventure" is called entering the Boy Scouts of America. The acclamied goal of this organization is to "mold" adolecent boys into outstanding community figures. It also allows for the chance to create entertaining hobbies for the boy to take on with him in life. These aspirations are crucial to the development of a human. Allowing a person to learn traits that will affect society is vital to the success of the targeted community. A scout learns how to be trustworthy, loyal, helpful, friendly, curtious, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, clean, and reverant. These aspects along with the social evolution of a young boy into a man, i believe is the basis of the scouting program. If a boy fully understands the meaning of this program, he can develop into a type of person that society cherishes. However, this thought process is often overlooked in the program. Instead of focusing on learning valuable morals and ethics, the program pushes recieving awards. In most cases these awards are at the center of scouting activity. All participants strive to obatin the highest award. The eagle. This award is looked high upon in society and is often a benefit to have. My expierence with this award, however, have come to make me think differently. I have been working on my eagle for the past three months. Unfortunatley i procrastinated finishing my service project. When i completed the project, i wondered if i would have had more pleasure if i had completed it sooner. I am now a senior in highschool and had limited time to work on it, often i would stay up late trying to finish it. After my project was completed i felt proud of myself, but wanted to complete the rest of the award quickly. Unfortunatley, i was held back yet again. When i turned my application into the scouting council, i was rejected. Two of my pervious awards were not exactly four months apart. This caused my leaders, parents, and myself to painstakingly find the correct data. Luckily the correct data was found. Now i must face the "Council of Elrond" in a rigerous trial to test not my morals as a human, but my knot tying skills and if i can survive in the desert with only a toothbrush and a balloon! Has obtaining my eagle been a process of moral growth, or more of a race for correct dates and numbers? I believe that the scouting program needs to focus more on the ethical teachings of its program. I cherish the memories, adventures, moral lessons, and social aspects of the scouting program more than any of the awards or rank advancements i have recieved. When entering the real world will it benefit me to know how to socially interact or how to make a "monkey bridge?" To conclude, is the eagle award really a reflection of personal character? If i was a employer i would chosse someone who can socially interact, have fun, has a plesant nature, and a strong work ethic. What does having your eagle really mean? Someone can lie, cheat, steal, have a cruel attitude towards life, with no work ethic, and still be looked at because of the "eagle award." After going through the scouting program and recieving my eagle, I believe that the Boy Scouts of America could focus on more things that help prepare the scout for scoial aspects of life, rather then trying to recieve a badge and medallion.
Thanks!
--Max( sorry it is so long, but I was in the zone.)
