TROOP 12 BOR SCHEDULE Board of Reviews are now held on the 3rd Monday of each month. As always, make sure you have completed your scoutmaster conference and contacted the Troop Advancement Coordinator. PURPOSE OF A BOR A periodic review of the progress of a Scout is vital in the evaluation of the effectiveness of the Scouting program in the unit. The unit committee can judge how well the Scout being reviewed is benefiting from the program. The unit leader can measure the effectiveness of his or her leadership. The Scout can sense that he is, or is not, advancing properly and can be encouraged to make the most of his Scouting experience. Not only is it important to review those Scouts who have learned and been tested for a rank, but also to review those Scouts who have shown no progress in their advancement over the past few months. Participants in a Board of Review must keep these objectives in mind:
The Board also provides an opportunity for the Scout to develop and practice skills needed in an interview situation, and it is an opportunity for the Scout to review his accomplishments. The Board of Review is not a retesting of requirements - 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 a time to determine the Scout's attitudes, accomplishments, and acceptance of Scouting Ideals. Scout Spirit is defined as living the Scout Oath and Scout Law in a Scout's everyday life. The board should make sure that good standards have been met in all phases of the Scout's life. A discussion of the Scout Oath and Scout Law is in keeping with the purpose of the review, to make sure that the candidate recognizes and understands the value of Scouting in his home, unit, school, and community. The Scout should be in full uniform. The Chairperson of the board greets the Scout and introduces him to the board members. The chairman of the board should ask the Scout to recite one or more of the following:
For Tenderfoot and Second Class ranks, typically just the Scout Oath and Law are asked. For higher ranks, more should be expected. One or two re-tries are appropriate, especially for younger Scouts. The board members ask appropriate questions of the Scout. Open-ended questions are better, allowing the Scout to speak about his opinions, experiences, activities, and accomplishments. If an answer is too brief, a good tool is to follow with a "Why?" or "How?" type question to prompt for more details. Questions regarding home, church, school, work, athletics, etc. are all appropriate, as well as scouting experiences. A Board of Review should take from 15 to 30 minutes, with shorter time for lower ranks. When all board members have asked their questions, the Scout is asked to leave the room. The board members then decide if the Scout is ready for the next rank; the board's decision must be unanimous. The Scout is asked back into the room and the Chairperson informs the Scout of the board's decision. When the Scout is approved for the next rank, there are general congratulations, and the Scout is encouraged to continue advancing. If there are issues which prevent the Scout from advancing, the board must detail the deficiencies so the Scout can correct them. The Scout must be told specifically what must be done in order to be successful at the next Board of Review. The Chairperson sends a written follow up to both the Scout and the Scoutmaster, regarding the deficiencies and the course of action needed to correct them. A Board of Review for Eagle is similar to other Boards of Review, except that it lasts longer with more questioning and discussion. The Eagle Scout Rank application, Letters of Recommendation, and Eagle Project notebook are reviewed by the board. Questions can include asking about these documents as well as areas used in lower rank reviews. USEFUL LINKS |