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Eagle
Court of Honor
General Pre-arrangements
As soon as the Eagle Scout presentation kit
arrives, if not before, the Scoutmaster or troop
committee chairman should begin serious
preparations for the Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
The Eagle candidate and his family should be
invited to designate an award presenter who should
then be contacted and his participation firmed up.
If a hall or other facility is to be used for the
ceremony, the necessary arrangements should be
made with the owners or other responsible group as
soon as possible.
In order to obtain letters of recognition and
congratulations from government officials, the
requests must be mailed a minimum of four weeks
prior to the ceremony.
When the who, what, when, and where have been
established, those who will actually plan the
Court of Honor should be brought together. This
group will usually include representatives from
the troop committee, the patrol leaders council,
and the troop ladies auxiliary (if the troop has
one). Coordination should be established
concerning such details as:
 | Other advancement recognition |
| Ceremony details, including props, public
address system, and the movements of the
participants |
| Decorations |
| Refreshments |
| Invitations to the guests |
| Printing of the program |
| Publicity, with special emphasis on
photographs in newspapers |
When the planning is complete, it is essential
that all key people understand their roles in the
arrangements and in the ceremony itself. Periodic
rechecking to make sure that preparation in all
assignment areas is progressing on schedule is a
good idea. The presenter and any other guests who
will have a speaking part in the award
presentation should be contacted directly. It is
helpful in these people have a thorough
understanding of their individual duties as well
as some general information concerning Scouting
history and the significance of the Eagle Award.
As the day of the ceremony draws near, those
who will participate should be well prepared. They
should know precisely how the entire Court of
Honor is to take place. In summary, everyone
should understand where and why they fit in.
Features of a Good Eagle Ceremony
Here are a few things to keep in mind while
planning an Eagle Court of Honor:
| The ceremony should have a crisp definitive
opening. |
| A proper introduction of the Eagle Scout
candidate should be made by someone or some
group the Scouts in the Troop respect. |
| A complete and easy to understand
explanation should be made regarding what must
be accomplished to attain the Eagle Scout rank.
(Explicit mention should be made of the
candidate's Eagle Service project.) |
| The Eagle candidate's parents should be
escorted to the front of the room and should
stand or sit near their son. (If neither of his
parents is able to attend, his guardian, a close
relative or friend should join him.) |
| The Eagle candidate should reaffirm his
belief in the ideals of Scouting by either
reciting the Scout Oath or participating in the
Eagle charge. |
| The presenter should be someone of special
significance to the Eagle candidate. The
presenter should be given a few moments to speak
concerning the individual Scout or the Eagle
Award. |
| Either the presenter, assisted by a troop
committee member, the Scoutmaster, or the
Scout's parents should pin the badge on the
Eagle recipient. |
| Both the mother and father should receive
some recognition from the Eagle Scout himself.
The Eagle Scout should receive congratulations
from all people involved. All or some of the
letters of congratulations may be read to those
present. |
| The Eagle Scout should be given the
opportunity to say a few words if he is inclined
to do so. The ceremony must have a definite
closing. |
Small pitfalls to avoid:
In Eagle ceremonies, as in so many other
areas of life, it is often the small things that
cause the problems and ruin the big things. The
following are small items that are often
overlooked.
| When using candles for the ceremony, get a
supply of fresh candles. Don't try to get by
with candles that have previously been used. The
Eagle ceremony is a big enough event to warrant
fresh candles. Then, save them and use them for
other purposes. |
| Make sure you have matches or a working
lighter available. A lot of people have given up
smoking and it is more difficult to ask a group
of people for matches and get a positive
response. |
| Check the PA system immediately before the
start of the ceremony. |
| Check all props before the start of the
ceremony. This includes the lectern, any lights
being used, the candles, etc. |
| Remind the parents of the Eagle Scout that
their son will be pinning awards on them also.
They should dress in a way to facilitate this.
The mother should wear a dress or suit with
lapels or a blouse with a collar. This makes
life for the Eagle Scout a lot simpler than a
turtleneck sweater. The father should wear a tie
or, at least, a jacket with lapels. |
| PLEASE rehearse the ceremony. Stumbling over
words detracts from the quality of the ceremony.
The young man worked hard to achieve the rank of
Eagle; we want to make the ceremony appropriate
to his achievement. |
Other General Thoughts
A guest book which can be signed by everyone
who attends the Eagle Court of Honor makes a
wonderful memento of the occasion for the new
Eagle Scout.
Some of the ceremonies in this document include
the presentation of a membership in the National
Eagle Scout Association. Such a presentation can
be added to any of the ceremonies. Consider
presenting a NESA membership to the new Eagle
Scout. Whether you present the membership or not,
invite a representative of NESA to attend the
ceremony and to say a few words as part of the
ceremony.
All of the Courts of Honor in this document
assume that the Eagle Scout comes from the
"traditional family:" one mother and one
father. This is not necessarily true. Be prepared
to handle the exceptions by modifying the
ceremonies, as appropriate. Some Eagle Scouts will
be part of a single parent family while others
will involve multiple sets of parents. Be
sensitive to individual situations.
Finally, a word of advice to the mother of the
Eagle Scout: enjoy the ceremony. Let someone else
do the work of providing refreshments and
decorating the hall. This day belongs to your son
and to you; make it a day that you will remember
fondly.
Eagle Court of Honor Execution
Keep in mind that the purpose of an Eagle Court
of Honor is first, to honor the Scout. If the
Court of Honor is executed well, it will inspire
other Scouts to follow the adventurous and
rewarding Eagle trail. A dignified and meaningful
Court of Honor will also show the community the
result of the Scouting program, so they will
direct other boys into the Scouting programs and
support the movement.
Some things to think about while planning the
event:
| Make it simple, but keep it fun. |
| The Master of Ceremonies (MC) sets the tone
and the pace of the ceremony. |
| Keep the aisle space clear for parading the
colors. |
| Use props with candles; Scout spirit candle. |
| Make sure the candidate's parents sit in a
special place. |
| An Eagle Ceremony should be held separately
from troop Courts of Honor. |
| Master the lighting and sound system before
a ceremony. |
| Have the principle speakers sit close to the
front to reduce program lag time in traveling to
the podium. |
| Have the troop march in with patrol flags,
and sit together for colors. |
| It is appropriate to let humor in and to
expect the unexpected. |
| Have the Eagle speak from prepared notes! |
| Daytime window light may affect slide
programs. |
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