You Can Be a Star – Advancing to Star Rank

The trail to Star rank marks a major turning point in your career as a Scout.  This is first time that a position of responsibility is required for advancement.  In your path to First Class Scout, you were taught by older Scouts, and the program and events were often planned to assist you in your advancement.  Now you are expected to turn around and help younger Scouts. In doing so, you will be demonstrating another requirement for Star Scout, living the Scout Oath and Law.

In your first leadership position, you will be expected to take responsibility for a job that needs doing.  In many troops, your first position will be just enough for you to handle, perhaps Troop Librarian or Historian.  But you will still have tasks to do, and everyone will be counting on you.

If you have your eyes on Eagle Scout, be aware that THE major requirement to demonstrate to your Eagle Scout Board of Review is your ability to lead others.  Now is the time to get your feet wet with leadership, and learn as much as can about inspiring others, managing resources, planning, and taking responsibility for the outcome.

You are expected to make mistakes!  That’s part of the program, for you to learn from your mistakes.  So make plenty of them early!  I like to draw, and I once read a book about drawing that said that the sooner you make your first 10,000 mistakes in drawing, the sooner you will be an accomplished artist!  Leadership is like that.  So roll up your sleeves, and give it a try!

If you have been earning Eagle-required merit badges along the way, Star Rank is often a fairly easy jump.  You need to be a First Class Scout for four months, and earn six merit badges, four of which must be Eagle-required.  It is not unusual for a new First Class Scout to already have four or five merit badges, so four months of service and a few more merit badges and you are there.  But now there are generally no troop programs to help you.  You are expected to take the responsibility for your own advancement.  If you are an aspiring Eagle, I’m betting you can do it!

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