Great job on achieving the rank of Life.  You are now able to start planning your Eagle project.   Troop 52 has put together this checklist to help make sure your project goes smoothly.  Please let your Life to Eagle Coordinator know if you have any questions and good luck!  

1. Check in with the Life to Eagle Coordinator (LTEC) for Troop 52.  They are your link to the proper steps you must take to complete your road to Scouting’s highest rank and will help guide you through the pitfalls and roadblocks that may slow you down. They will go over the requirements for a proper Eagle project and can make suggestions if you do not already have one.
2. Decide what you would like to do.  It must be of a significant nature and not normal repair or maintenance.  It must be performed for a church, school, community or charitable (501(c)3) organization.  It cannot be done on private or BSA owned property or during BSA events like Camporees, Webelos Woods or OA projects. Contact the organization, work out a plan and get approval from them. 
3. Make your plans and write them down.  Discuss it and get approval from the LTEC. They will help you finalize your plans and put them in the proper form. This may take several revisions so be patient. Remember, the LTEC is there to help you with your project and not make you jump through hoops for nothing. 
4. Get approval from the benefiting organization then signatures from the Troop’s LTEC, Scoutmaster and finally the District Eagle Coordinator.
5. Do your project. 
   1. Set the date with the charity and notify the Troop well in advance.  Post a notice on the re-mailer and make an announcement in at least two meetings.  You are not limited to using only Scouts from Troop 52.  You may utilize people from your school, church, other Troops and the charity you are helping.
   2. Bring your plans to the project and make sure everyone is on board with what you are doing. Make assignments and pass out instructions.
   3. Make sure all tools and supplies are on site from the start
   4. Have lunch planned for everyone, water and a first aid kit available
   5. A good Eagle project pays for itself.  You should try to solicit funds, supplies, equipment, food and whatever you need to complete your project from the community.  Keep a list of all your expenses and include that in your final report.  If you cannot get donations you can turn to your family or pay for it yourself as a last resort but you should try real hard to get outside help.
   6. Do not do the work yourself.  You are the supervisor but a successful Eagle project does not always turn out exactly as planned.  You will be judged on how well you lead the project and adjust for any problems, not necessarily if it was completed as planned.
   7. Take before and after pictures from the same place so they can be compared.  This is a requirement.
   8. Have enough work to keep everyone busy and working.  Power tools must be used by adults only so don’t plan something that is all drills and saws.  
   9. This should be of significance so plan on at least a full day or weekend. Painting park benches or a pavilion is considered maintenance and is not a good project.  Building new benches while painting the old ones at the same time may qualify.
   10. You are representing Troop 52 and BSA.  The way you plan and execute your project will affect future Scouts that may want to do something at the same location.  Do what you say you are going to do, phone people when you say you are going to call and be true to your word.  Your actions reflect on us all, not just you.
   11. Keep records of the people that helped including your planning hours.  Have a check-in and checkout list for people to sign and turn it in with your paperwork.  A copy must be sent to our Troop Service Coordinator to credit the Scouts that helped you keep track of their service hours.
   12.  Some projects may take several weekends or more.  You can divide your help to come on different days so they don’t burn out and you wind up by yourself at the end, finishing the project alone.
   13. Consult our LTEC along the way to make sure you are proceeding in the right direction.  You do not want to finish and then realize you did something wrong or are missing something you need.

6. When the project is complete you should get the representative from the organization you were helping to review and sign-off on your form. 
7. Have the LTEC go over your paperwork so they can help you write it up and put it together in the proper order. 
8. Send thank you notes to everyone that made any donations of money, equipment, food or supplies and the organization where the project was done.  DO NOT SKIP THIS REQUIREMENT.  This may be the difference between the next Scout that approaches them getting help or not.
9. Your project is done. Now you are ready to schedule your Scoutmaster conference. Congratulations!