Troop 90 Board of Review Guidelines

Purpose of a Board of Review

The members of a Board of Review should have the following objectives in mind:

• To make sure the Scout has completed the requirements for the rank.
• To see how good an experience the Scout is having in the unit.
• To encourage the Scout to progress further.

Additionally, the Board of Review provides "quality control" on advancement within the unit, it provides an opportunity for the Scout to develop and practice those skills needed in a interview situation, and it is an opportunity for the Scout to review his accomplishments.

The Board of Review is NOT a retest; the Scout has already been tested on the skills and activities required for the rank. However, the chairman of the Board of Review should ensure that all the requirements have been "signed off" in the Scout's handbook. Additionally, the chairman should ensure that leadership and merit badge records are consistent with the requirements for the rank. The Board of Review is an opportunity to review the Scout's attitudes, accomplishments and his acceptance of Scouting's ideals.

Composition of a Board of Review:

For all ranks (except Eagle) and Eagle palms, the Board of Review consists of three to six members of the Troop Committee. The Troop Advancement Chairperson or a designee typically acts as the chairperson of the Board of Review. Relatives or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout's Board of Review. Unit leaders (Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmasters, Crew Advisor, Post Advisor, etc.) should not participate in a Board of Review unless absolutely necessary.

For the rank of Eagle, the Board of Review consists of three to six members drawn from Scouting and the community. The members of the Board of Review are selected by the District Advancement Committee; at least one member of the District Advancement Committee must be a member of the Board of Review for Eagle, and serves as chairperson of the Board of Review. Unit leaders from the Scout's unit, relatives, or guardians may not serve as members of a Scout's Board of Review for Eagle.

A Board of Review for Eagle may contain members of the community who are not registered Scouters; however, they should be knowledgeable of the principles of Scouting. For example, a representative from a chartering organization, an adult Eagle Scout (even if not currently registered), or a religious leader are frequently asked to assist with an Eagle Board of Review. The Scout may request an individual to be a member of his Board of Review. As a general rule, no more than one member of an Eagle Board should be associated with the Scout's unit.

Mechanics of a Board of Review:

The board should be conducted no later than two weeks before the Court of Honor for Tenderfoot through Life ranks. An Eagle board should be at least eight weeks before the Court of Honor to allow sufficient time for the Eagle application to be processed.

The Scout is introduced to the board by the Chairperson of the board. The Scout should be in full uniform. The chairman of the Board of Review should ask the Scout to come to attention, and recite one or more of the following: The Scout Law, The Scout Oath, The Scout Motto, The Scout Slogan, The Outdoor Code. For the lower ranks, one or two (usually the Law and Oath) should be sufficient. For higher ranks, more may be expected. One or two re-tries are appropriate, especially for younger Scouts, or if the Scout appears nervous.

The board members are invited to ask questions of the Scout. The questions should be open-ended, offering an opportunity for the Scout to speak about his opinions, experiences, activities, and accomplishments. Avoid questions which only require a simple one or two word answer. If an answer is too brief, follow up with a, "Why?" or, "How can that be done?" to expand the answer. The questions need not be restricted to Scouting topics; questions regarding home, church, school, work, athletics, etc. are all appropriate.

The Chairperson should be made aware of any "out- of-bounds" areas; these should be communicated to the board before the Board of Review begins (e.g., if a Scout is experiencing family difficulties due to a divorce, special sensitivity would be in order.)

The time for a Board of Review should be from 10 to 30 minutes, with the shorter time for the lower ranks. When all members have had an opportunity to ask their questions, the Scout is excused from the room. The board members then consider whether the Scout is ready for the next rank; the board's decision must be unanimous.

Once the decision is made, the Scout is invited back into the room, and the Chairperson informs the Scout of the board's decision. If the Scout is approved for the next rank, there are general congratulations and hand shakes all around, and the Scout is encouraged to continue advancing.

If there are issues which prevent the Scout from advancing to the next rank, the board must detail the precise nature of the deficiencies. The Scout must be told specifically what must be done in order to be successful at the next Board of Review. Typically, an agreement is reached as to when the Scout may return for his subsequent Board of Review. The Chairperson must send a written follow up, to both the Scout and the Scoutmaster, regarding the deficiencies and the course of action needed to correct them.

The mechanics of a Board of Review for Eagle are similar to all other Boards of Review, except that a Board of Review for Eagle is more in depth, and might last as long as 45 minutes to an hour.

The Nature of the Questions:

The questions for the lower ranks are simpler and generally deal with factual information about the Scout's participation in his unit, and his approach to applying the skills he has learned toward earning the next rank. The questions for the higher ranks are less factual, and generally seek to aid understanding of how Scouting is becoming an integral part of the Scout's life.

Remember: it is not the point of a Board of Review to retest the Scout. However, questions like, "Where did you learn about ..." or "Why do you think it is important for a [rank] Scout to have this skill?" are valid. The Board of Review will need to select questions which are appropriate for the particular Scout and his experiences.

What Every Scout Should Know:

Every Scout should know and be prepared to discuss the following:

Scout Oath: "On my honor I will do my best to do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law; To help other people at all times; To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake, and morally straight."

Scout Law: "A Scout is Trustworthy, Loyal, Helpful, Friendly, Courteous, Kind, Obedient, Cheerful, Thrifty, Brave, Clean and Reverent."

Scout Motto: Be Prepared.

Scout Slogan: Do a good turn daily.

Outdoor Code: "As an American, I will do my best to be clean in my outdoor manners, be careful with fire, be considerate in the outdoors, and be conservation-minded."

Tenderfoot Rank

This is the Scout's first experience with a Board of Review. The process may require some explanation on the part of the Board of Review Chairperson. The first few questions in the Board of Review should be simple. The Board of Review should try to gain a sense of how the Scout is fitting into the Troop, how he is benefiting from the Scouting experience, and the Scout's level of enjoyment of the Troop and Patrol activities.

Encourage advancement to 2nd Class. Point out that the Scout may have already completed many of the requirements for 2nd Class. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 10-20 minutes.

2nd Class Rank

This is the Scout's second Board of Review. The process should be familiar, unless it has been some time since the Board of Review for Tenderfoot. Questions should focus on the use of the Scout skills learned for this rank, without retesting these skills.

The Board of Review should try to perceive how the Scout's patrol is functioning, and how this Scout is functioning within his patrol. Encourage work on the remaining requirements for 1st Class. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 15-20 minutes.

1st Class Rank

By this point the Scout should be comfortable with the Board of Review process. The Scout should be praised for his accomplishment in achieving 1st Class (particularly if he joined Boy Scouts less than a year ago). Questions concerning the additional sense of responsibility to the troop and to his patrol are suitable.

The 1st Class rank will produce additional opportunities for the Scout. Merit badges will begin to play a role in future advancement to the Star and Life ranks. Encourage merit badge work if it has not already begun. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 20 minutes.

Star Rank

With the Star rank, emphasis is placed upon service to others, merit badges, and leadership. Scout skills remain an important element for the Star Scout; however, the emphasis should be on teaching other Scouts these skills. Explore how the Star scout can assist with leading his patrol and troop.

The focus of the board will be on how the Scouting philosophy is becoming part of the Scout's life. Often the Star rank is a place where Scouts "stall out". Encourage the Scout to remain active, and participate fully in his patrol and troop. If the Scout appears to be looking for additional opportunities, suggest leadership positions such as Den Chief or Troop Guide. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 20 minutes.

Life Rank

The Life rank is the final rank before Eagle. The Life Scout should be fully participating in the Troop. The board's emphasis should be placed upon leadership in the unit, as well as teaching skills and leadership to the younger Scouts. Questions about Scouting values and concepts and their place in the Scout's daily life are appropriate.

At this point, the Scout is starting to "give back to Scouting" through leadership, training of other Scouts, recruiting, keeping Scouts active in the program, etc. Merit Badge work is also important at this stage. Explore suggestions for improving the program. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 20 - 30 minutes.

Eagle Rank

The Board of Review for the Eagle Rank is different from the other Boards of Review in which the Scout has participated. The members of the Board of Review are not all from his Troop Committee. Introductions are essential, and a few "break in" questions may be appropriate.

At this point, the goal is to understand the Scout's full Scouting experience, and how others can have similar meaningful Scouting experiences. Scouting principles and goals should be central to the Scout's life; look for evidence of this. Although this is the final rank, this is not the end of the Scouting trail; "Once an Eagle, always an Eagle".

Explore how this Eagle Scout will continue with Scouting activities, and continued service to his home, church, and community. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 30 - 50 minutes.

Eagle Palms

Eagle Palms are awarded for continued leadership and skills development (merit badges) after the Eagle Rank has been earned. The purpose of this Board of Review is to ensure that the Eagle Scout remains active within the unit, contributes to the leadership of the unit, and assists with the growth of the other Scouts within the unit. The approximate time for this Board of Review should be 15 minutes.