Eagle Scout
Elijah Otto

In life, there are many things to do.  One of those things is scouting.  A  reason you
would join scouting is because of how much fun it is.  There are many activities in which to
engage. For example, you can go skiing with all of your friends.  Don’t worry if you are not good
at it because you can take lessons.  One of the best parts of scouting is hanging out with other
people that are there with you. Another fun thing you can do is go on camping trips.  You can
travel so many places to go camping.  While you are camping you can learn so much as well.
For example, you can find a stick and have someone teach you how to widdle it into a cool
design.  Scout leaders can also teach you how to find good firewood and start a fire.  As a scout
troop you have to cook your own food.  It might sound like it is not fun but it is.  Many times the
leaders that are with you on the trip are really good at cooking and can teach you how to make
really good food.  Many times, as a younger scout, it is kind of annoying to have to cook.
However, as you get older you realize how important it is to learn this skill.  The type of cooking
while you are camping is different though.  Instead of having a whole kitchen available to you to
get whatever you need, you have to take an idea of what you want to eat while you are camping
and get what you need, pack it, then take it with you, set it up, and then eventually be able to
cook with it.  Now that is not including the other stuff that you have to prepare for camping.  All
of this might seem like a lot to do that is not a lot of fun.  However, in the end, the work is worth
it because of all the memories you can make and all the things you learn. 
Eventually as you continue in Scouts, you start to earn progress to new ranks.  The
highest rank in Scouts is the Eagle Scout.  As a scout starting out, you think that it is so far
away and not worth it.  Then, as you get older, you learn how eventually you could make it to
Eagle.  On the way, there are many things that you must do.  One of the things that you have to
do is obtain merit badges.  For merit badges you have requirements.  However, in doing this
work you can learn a lot.  You can learn about public speaking, about potential jobs you might
want to do, and about legal things that are involved in many aspects of life.  Another thing that
you have to do to become an Eagle Scout is lead other young scouts.  In the troop, there are
many rolls that are of important rank.  In order to be able to become an Eagle Scout, you have
to hold one of the positions.  The best thing about the position is getting to learn how to be a
leader and a teacher to the scouts that don’t know what they are doing. 
Then the hardest thing to do in order to get the Eagle rank is to do an eagle project.  All
the other requirements you had to do should have helped you in order to make the project
possible.  To get the project to work and count for your rank, you have to talk to leaders to find
out if you are permitted to build your project and request for donations towards the project so
fundraising won’t be necessary.  After you get all the stuff you need, you have build it.  The
hardest part about building it though is that you, as the leader of the project, are not supposed
to do almost any work.  It is the people that you recruit that do all the work.  The only time that
you can work is if you need to show the helpers how to do what they need to do.  After a lot of
time, planning and hard work, you eventually get the project done.  However that is not the end
of the work.  You still have to fill out paperwork and sit in front of a board and have them ask
you questions on your project.  If they think that you made the project which you should have
then they give you the approval to become an Eagle Scout.  At that point you can work to get
more added on to the Eagle Rank by earning Eagle Palms.  To earn the Eagle Palms you would
have to get the Eagle Scout rank and then do more merit badges.