Alongside the normal learning curricula, schools offer scouting activities for their students. The aim is to prepare young people to make moral and ethical decisions over their lifetime. They learn about the role of integrity, diligence and taking responsibility for the environment and other people. When your paths cross with a scout, chances are high that they may want you to recommend them for the highest rank as a scout, which is the Eagle Scout. Writing a good recommendation letter helps them in achieving their dream.
Contents
- 1 Eagle Scout Recommendation Letters
- 2 What is a recommendation letter for an Eagle Scout?
- 3 Eagle Scout Reference Letters
- 4 How do I write a letter of recommendation for an Eagle Scout?
- 5 What should be in an Eagle Scout letter of recommendation?
- 6 Eagle Scout Letters
- 7 How do I write a letter of recommendation for my son?
Eagle Scout Recommendation Letters
What is a recommendation letter for an Eagle Scout?
Eagle Scout letter of recommendation supports the candidacy of an Eagle Scout. Eagle Scout is the top rank achievable by a boy scout while being part of the Boy Scouts of America program.
A candidate seeking to join the ranks of an Eagle Scout is required to select six references and five if they lack a previous employer. This is as per section 2 of the Eagle Scout Rank Application. The applicant is then required to request their references to each write a recommendation letter sent to the Eagle’s Scout Board of Review for evaluation.
Eagle Scout Reference Letters
How do I write a letter of recommendation for an Eagle Scout?
This letter is less formal hence has an easy format of writing. Here are some key points to base on when structuring the letter:
- An introduction
This is the beginning of the letter where you first write the salutation where you refer to the Eagle Board of Review. In the first paragraph, only include four sentences that briefly state the name of the candidate, the relationship between you and them, and how long you have known them.
Reference letters accompanied by questionnaires should start with the answering of the questions then the onset of the letter writing where you positively explain why you are referring them. - The body
Three or four paragraphs are just enough for you to expand on what you mentioned in the first paragraph. You get to site direct examples of how the Boy Scout has shown morals and qualities held within the Scout oath and Law. - Brief conclusion
Write a summary of the points discussed in the introduction and the body and include why you highly recommend them for the aspiring Eagle Scout. After all these, write your full name, contact information, email address and signature.
What should be in an Eagle Scout letter of recommendation?
The aim of writing an Eagle Scout recommendation letter is to let the board know of the virtues and principles of the referred scout clearly and briefly. Here are some points to take note:
- Explain how well you know the scout
Give a brief explanation of how you relate to the scout. You might have met in school and they were your classmate or student, their pastor at church, their employer or parent. - Personal encounters portraying the scout’s character
One thing to keep in mind while writing about their character is the Scout Oath and Law. They emphasize values such as leadership, integrity, diligence and all good characters stated in the oath. Ensure you touch on these core values to convince the receiving audience about the scout’s eligibility for the position.
It’s so plain when you mention the values they pose without showing pieces of evidence. Site examples of instances where they were kind, diligent and leaders of certain positions. This makes the letter more captivating and real to the readers.
Eagle Scout Letters
How do I write a letter of recommendation for my son?
Like universities and colleges that request parents to write recommendation letters for their children, so does the board of scout’s. However, this might be disturbing since you probably never thought they’d want one and you won’t know exactly what to write about.
Don’t panic because all they’re trying to do is to create a personal touch about your child and how he is at home and with relatives. Here are some tips on writing an Eagle Scout reference letter for your son:
- Avoid panicking
Don’t pressurize yourself on how you want to make the letter detailed or the format to use and correct grammar too. The board is only interested in knowing the characters of your son at home and won’t penalize them if you make some few grammatical mistakes in the letter.
Mention instances at home where you two worked on a project and if he did it alone, ensure you mention how he is independent enough. Don’t scream out about how he wanted to set the house ablaze because this will only send a negative impression to the board and it will ruin their chances of admission. - Write honest experiences
There’s no man alive who is pure enough to be completely honest. So don’t overdo the praises showered upon your son, be honest of instances when he was on the wrong.
You can say that he gets grumpy when he’s exhausted and jealous when not showered with the same amount of affection as his siblings. This makes the letter seem true and it increases chances for him to secure a place among the last contestants. - Focus about your child
Avoid turning the letter into a sales pitch whereby you seem to be selling out your son’s good code of conduct to the board.
Be clear when making your points of the activities your son carries out at home and his relationship with nature. Avoid reciting the basic accomplishments but be specific on how he makes a great team leader among others. - Write about what happened recently
When talking about recent encounters, focus on the events that were impactful to his life and should reflect on the Eagle’s Scout principles. You can mention that he has a tree garden, which he takes care of every day before and after school.
Mentioning that you aren’t limited to mentioning past events like when he might have overcome the fear of heights when he was young. Nevertheless, it motivated him to lead his friends into a team to build a treehouse recently at your backyard.