Four New Eagles

On May 3, 2026 we attended an Eagle Court of Honor for four Scouts from our troop: Bryan, Spencer, Logan, and Brandon. All Eagle Courts of Honor are special, but this one was particularly meaningful for me. I was there when each boy joined our troop for the first time. I watched all four progress through all seven ranks and I sat on at least one Board of Review for each of them. I taught them skills as a merit badge counselor and camped with them. And, perhaps most significantly, Steve and I planned the 2021 COVID-replacement summer camp at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, which all four loved so much that they chose that location for their Eagle ceremony. 

Four New Eagles (affiliate link)

As if this Court of Honor weren't already so meaningful, the new Eagles chose Trevor to be the Master of Ceremonies. Trevor was the Senior Patrol Leader when three of the four joined the troop, so from the beginning they saw him as a role model. Trevor is 2 years older than Bryan, Spencer, and Logan, and 3 years older than Brandon, so it's no surprise that they relied on him for guidance during their paths to Eagle. And it was a huge compliment that they selected him as MC. 

The whole day was full of Proud Mom moments, but none so much as when Logan and Bryan each named Trevor as a mentor and awarded him a mentor pin. And then I had a Proud Wife moment, when Logan and Spencer each named Steve as a mentor! What a day. Huge congrats to Bryan, Spencer, Logan, and Brandon for their accomplishment. We're all so proud of you. 

Eagle Palms

One of the requirements to become an Eagle Scout is to complete 21 merit badges. Any merit badges earned beyond the required 21 count toward an additional award, called Eagle Palms. An Eagle receives one palm for every 5 additional merit badges. Trevor completed his Eagle rank with 31 merit badges, so he received palms representing the 10 extras during his Eagle Court of Honor in September 2022. 

It is traditional that an Eagle Scout be the one to award palms to a new Eagle. Trevor chose fellow Eagle Scout and lifelong friend Ronan to award his palms. In October 2023, Trevor was honored when his friend Owen chose him to award his palms during his Eagle Court of Honor.  

Eagle Palms (affiliate link)

An Eagle can keep earning merit badges (and thus, palms) until their 18th birthday. With just over 5 months of Scouting before he ages out, Trevor has 42 merit badges. It is extremely unlikely that he'll complete four more merit badges in that time, so my guess is that he will end his youth Scouting career with a silver (15) and a bronze (5) palm. Owen still has 2.5 years of Scouting, so who knows how many he will earn! 

The next time you see an Eagle Scout (most recognizable by their red, white, and blue neckerchief), ask about their palms. It's really interesting to see how many merit badges some have earned. I'm sure they'll appreciate being asked about this lesser-known accomplishment. 

Trevor's Eagle Project, Documented

I blogged about Trevor's Eagle project right away, but now it's finally in the album 13 months later. 

 

Trevor's Eagle Project (affiliate link)

I really struggled with this page. I wanted to show a lot of pictures of Trevor's two workdays, but I also wanted to include the before and after photos from the installation. That meant a double-pager. Once I finally got the photos the way I liked them, I went back and forth with the colors. I switched out the papers countless times before settling on the khaki with a small black border for the photos and the green patterned paper as a background. It took awhile to figure out how to do the title. I added the journaling and thought I was done. 

At the last minute, I decided there was too much empty green space. I added the 12 flags along the left that list the points of the Scout law. I liked the way it looked and decided the layout was definitely done. I scanned the page and put it in the album.

I liked it in the album, but when I saw it on my monitor, it looked really unbalanced. I added the 7 Scout ranks on the right and I'm much happier with the page. 

Eagle Scout Court of Honor: Gift Ideas

I attended my first Eagle Scout Court of Honor in January 2012, about six months before Trevor became a Scout. I knew next to nothing about Scouts, but since the Eagle in question was our nephew Ian, I didn't think twice about bringing a gift. Of course we did!

Fast forward five years. Trevor bridged from his Cub Scout pack to his Boy Scout troop. At our second-ever meeting with the troop, one of the moms gave us an invitation to her son's Eagle Court of Honor. We didn't know her or her son, but appreciated the invitation and were eager to attend. I had the vague idea that we should probably bring a gift, but what do you give a literal stranger? Money, obviously. But how much? I asked around and the general consensus was that within our troop, most families gave $20 to an Eagle. 

Over the past 5 years, we've attended an average of 3 Eagle Courts of Honor a year, so $20 per Scout is reasonable (particularly when you consider that we often donate toward their Eagle projects). This year, in addition to Trevor's, we've been to the Courts of Honor for eight Eagles and sadly missed another while we were on vacation. (Six of those were earned during COVID and they held a combined delayed ceremony.) I imagine that in a very large troop with multiple Eagles each year, gifts may not be expected from those within the troop. Regardless, a card is always nice. 

I have dozens of creative ideas for giving money as a gift, but there's nothing wrong with just putting cash into a card. Most Eagles are 16-17 years old and can definitely use spending money. Some may be saving for college. Gift cards are great, too. Places like Amazon, Target, or Walmart are popular, as are places that sell outdoor gear, like REI or Bass Pro Shops. 

If you prefer to avoid a money gift altogether and want something that can be opened and kept, I have a few ideas for you. Click on the links below the photos to see the items. Affiliate links below. 

*  Eagle T-shirt  *  Eagle Scout Ornament  *  Eagle Scout Keychain  *  Wooden Eagle Keepsake Box  *

*  Eagle Figurine  *  Eagle Scout Centennial History  *  Eagle Scout Compass  *  Legacy of Honor Book  *

If you want to buy a gift rather than give money or a gift card, I suggest checking with the parents first. A compass is handy, but not if the Eagle already has one they use and really like. Same with knives, survival tools, outdoor equipment, etc. These can make wonderful gifts that are cherished, of course, but it's best to check. 

If you happen to be the Eagle reading this post, remember to properly thank everyone who gives you a gift. Trevor had a LOT of thank you notes to write, so we kept the design really simple. (I say "we" because I made the cards - after he approved my design - then he wrote the notes and I addressed the envelopes.) I used the header of the program for the main part of the card, with strips of patriotic washi tape above and below. 

If you have any other suggestions for great gifts for Eagle Scouts or want to share what your troop does, please tell me in the comments!

Eagle Scout Court of Honor: The Reception

While Eagle Scout Courts of Honor vary a bit from Scout to Scout, the receptions that follow can be vastly different from one another. We've been to one with a full catered dinner and others with a buffet-style meal. We've seen heavy appetizers for an evening reception and light appetizers in the early afternoon. We've been to plenty of Eagle Courts of Honor with just cake and some snacks, as well as others with only cake or cupcakes. The venue, time of day, number of guests, and budget are all important factors for deciding what is right for you. 

We brainstormed lots of ideas for the reception for Trevor's Eagle Scout Court of Honor before ultimately settling on a cookie table. Along a variety of cookies, we also put out lollipops and M&Ms, served individually in the Eagle-themed cupcake wrappers we wouldn't be using for cupcakes. We had Eagle Scout dessert plates and flag napkins, in keeping with the theme (affiliate links here and below). 

 

Our kitchen had been a construction zone for months and I wasn't sure if we would have it back in time for me to bake for Trevor's Eagle Court of Honor. Fortunately, we did! I was really excited to bake after not doing so for so long. I made six types of cookies and gratefully accepted my friend Ann's offer to make a seventh type (Salted Chocolate Chunk). I made Chocolate Mint Cake Mix Cookies, Haystacks with butter in place of the peanut butter, Butterscotch Oatmeal cookies, M&M cookies, a variety of Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars where I replaced the chocolate chips with English toffee bits....

... and Raspberry Jello Sugar Cookies. 

Raspberry Jello Sugar Cookies

1.5 c. butter, softened                 6 oz. Raspberry Jello

1 c. sugar                                       1 egg

3.5 c. flour                                     1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp. baking powder

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light. Add half of the gelatin and mix well. Stir in egg and vanilla until fully incorporated. Gradually add flour and baking powder, stirring well after each addition. 

Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto baking sheets. Gently press each cookie with the bottom of a clean glass to flatten it. Sprinkle the cookies generously with the remaining raspberry gelatin. Bake 8-10 minutes. 

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I never got a photo of the food table, but based on how many cookies our guests ate, they were a hit. 

Eagle Scout Court of Honor: The Videos

There were two video presentations during Trevor's Eagle Scout Court of Honor. The first was a look at his ten years (so far) of Scouting. It was 14 minutes long, with about a minute dedicated to each year. Then a section at the end showed Trevor's Eagle Project and the official photos following his Eagle Board of Review. I loved putting it together and reminiscing about all his activities and the great friends that all three of us have made through Scouting. This was the first time I'd used iMovie and I'm very happy with the video I made. This is the title slide. Of course, I made it in PicMonkey. 

The second video, just over a minute long, was a surprise for Trevor. Even though this video was 1/14 the length of the first, it took me just as long to do. It took a long time to find and select just the right photos. Figuring out how to do voiceovers was an extra challenge. I'm so happy with how the video came out. We are so proud of Trevor and so lucky to be his parents.

 

There's a third video I want to share on this occasion. I first saw it in 2014 and thought, "Someday that will be me." Well, someday is here and I couldn't be happier. 

Finally, we have a video of Trevor's entire Eagle Court of Honor. We took it primarily because one of Trevor's mentors couldn't attend the ceremony, but also so we could look back on it and remember that important day. 

Eagle Scout Court of Honor: The Decorations

There are a lot of decisions to make when planning an Eagle Scout Court of Honor, but the color scheme isn't one of them. They are always red, white, and blue. These are the colors that appear on the Eagle patch, neckerchief, and medal. 

Our troop has two big tubs of supplies for Eagle Courts of Honor that previous Eagle families have donated after their big events. It was wonderful not to have to reinvent the wheel for every element of Trevor's ceremony. These seven blue felt banners, with large patches of each of the Scout ranks, are part of every Troop 482 Eagle Court of Honor. The large battery-operated candles decorated with red, white, and blue ribbon, as well as the smaller tea lights, also belong to the troop.                

An Eagle mom from years ago made this decorative tablecloth that covered our greeting station. 

Simple ribbons added an Eagle touch to the memorabilia tables. One table held items from Trevor's five Cub Scout years, including his Belt Loop Display, while the other table held items from his 5 years (and counting) in Scouts BSA. 

I made my own contribution that future Eagle parents can use, created from two items I found in the troop bins: red, white, and blue artificial flowers, and a huge amount of confetti. Apparently, a lot of people have bought confetti, came to their senses at the last minute and didn't use it at the ceremony, and then tucked it into the tub. This decoupaged flower pot was my way of using some of that confetti in a way that wouldn't require any clean-up. Making it was really easy. Affiliate links below. 

Decoupaged Confetti Flower Pot

Materials:

• plastic flower pot
• number stickers (can also be cut from cardstock)
• confetti
• Mod Podge
• artificial flowers

Steps: 

Adhere the numbers to the flower pot, either by sticking them on or by using Mod Podge if they're cardstock. Working with one section of the flower pot at at time, add a coat of Mod Podge, then apply the sequins. Continue working all the way around the pot until the entire area is covered the way you want it. Let the Mod Podge dry completely. Add a second coat of Mod Podge over the entire surface. When that is dry, add a third coat. Finally, arrange the flowers in the pot. 

Here's how it looked at the ceremony:

I made another project using Eagle Scout confetti, but that one didn't go into the troop tub. It's for Trevor to keep. I'll show you that tomorrow.

Eagle Scout Court of Honor: The Program and the Guest Book

While an Eagle Scout Court of Honor has some traditional elements that almost everyone incorporates in their ceremony, no two are the same. Each Eagle Scout brings their own personality to the event. Here is the program from Trevor's Eagle Court of Honor. 

Regular readers are probably expecting me to say that I made it in PicMonkey, but I actually made it as a Word document. Then I printed it onto the Neenah Vellum Bristol I've been using for colored pencil projects. 

For the guest book, I adhered the invitation to the Court of Honor onto the center of a piece of white 12"x12" cardstock. I put out red and blue pens in keeping with the Eagle theme and stationed a Scout to greet everyone and make sure they signed in. 

This will go into the scrapbook album as is, along with the pages I make from the event. I love seeing the names of all the people who were able to attend and help honor Trevor for his huge accomplishment.