20+ Sample Eagle Scout Letters of Recommendation

What Is an Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation?

Scouting Magazine says that 52,160 young men earned Scouting’s highest honor on 2018. If you are familiar with the boy scouting program, you should already be aware that being an Eagle Scout is actually considered as the highest and best achievement that you can get. Once you plan to apply for the Eagle Scout rank, it is imperative for you to prepare all the requirements that you will be asked from you. One of which is getting a reference from a someone who is more than willing to write an Eagle Scout letter of recommendation that the organization can review.

An Eagle Scout letter of recommendation is actually simply a recommendation letter document that is developed to support the candidacy of a Life Scout to be an Eagle Scout. This document is very important as it entails how the candidate is known by the people around him. With the help of a letter of recommendation coming from different references, it will be more efficient and easier for the screening committee to get to know the candidate further.

In comparison to other personal letter of recommendations, an Eagle Scout letter of recommendation is also based on personal accounts. Hence, it is important for you to select references whom you have a personal connection or relationship with. It is essential for you to choose those references whom you believe can effectively attest that you are a qualified Eagle Scout candidate. Remember that an Eagle Scout letter of recommendation is an essential document that can impact your application, which is why you have to be particular and sure of your reference selection.

Elements of a Detailed Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation

Do you want to write an Eagle Scout letter of recommendation for an individual but you are not sure of the items or information that can make the particular document be at its most effective? To begin with, you should be familiar with the basic details that are observed in a generic letter of recommendation. With the knowledge about this matter, it will be easier for you to include your personal touch that can better the quality of your discussion and overall recommendation. Here are the standard information that are commonly seen in a detailed letter of recommendation:

The explanation of the relationship between the reference and the candidateThe statement of recommendation that reflects the confidence of the reference that the candidate is qualified for and is deserving of the eagle scout rankThe major reason/s that made the reference decide to recommend the candidateThe instances, circumstances, programs, events, and activities that showcase the character of the candidateThe conclusion that can make the recommendation for the candidate stronger

7 Steps for Developing the Best Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation

If you are asked or requested to write an eagle scout letter of recommendation and you have accepted the responsibility, make sure that you are properly guided by a number of reliable references. It will be best if you will refer to a letter of recommendation template so you can have a guide for the actual formatting of the Eagle Scout letter of recommendation. Aside from this tool, there are still a lot of references that you can look into which can help you have an outstanding document output.  Also, you have to be confident with the process that you will follow for the creation of the letter of recommendation. Having a step-by-step guide that you have already tried and tested can enable you to have an impressive and high-quality recommendation letter. Below is a seven-step process that can help you develop the best eagle scout letter of recommendation.

1With the help of the eagle scout letter of recommendation template that you have chosen and downloaded, begin to place the the date when the letter has been written, your header, an inside address, and a salutation in your eagle scout letter of recommendation document layout.2Write an introduction which should include your name, your relationship or connection with the eagle scout candidate, the duration of your relationship with him, a statement of your recommendation, and the name of the eagle scout candidate that you are recommending.3Present the qualities and characteristics of the eagle scout candidate which are directly aligned with the principles of the organization. You can also discuss the strengths, abilities, skills, and interest of the candidate to make your discussion more detailed and informative.4Present actual happenings or events where the positive traits of the eagle scout candidate have been observed. All of these circumstances should be based on your personal experiences or interactions with the candidate.5Come up with a conclusion that can positively add weight to your recommendation. Assure the organization that you truly believe that the candidate is worthy of being an eagle scout based on his character, his scouting achievements, how he treats other people, and how he is a great representation of what the organization champions.6End the document with a complimentary close followed by your name, signature, and/or contact information.7Review the initial draft that you have created and make changes, additions, or any modifications if necessary.

References for Your Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation

“Requirement 2 on the Eagle Scout Rank Application states, ‘Demonstrate that you live by the principles of the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. List the names of individuals who know you personally and would be willing to provide a recommendation on your behalf.'” (source: speakcdn.com) The references who will write an eagle scout letter of recommendation should be familiar or aware of the scout oath and the scout law as this can ensure that they are aware of the principles of the organization and are convinced that you truly embody these principles in your day-to-day life. With this, you have to make sure that you will include a copy of the specified items together with your request for a recommendation. Here are the references that should write an eagle scout letter of recommendation for you:

Your Parent: Since your parents have been with you from the very beginning of your life, it only makes sense that they should be one of your references. Allowing any of your parents to be your reference can help the screening committee see who you are whenever you are at home or within what you treat as a safe environment.A Religious Official: Send a letter of recommendation request to the religious official that heads the church or any religious organization where you attend. If you do not participate in any religion, you can make a document that discusses your beliefs, ethics, and morals in replacement of the recommendation letter coming from a religious official.A A representative of Your Academic Institution: Being a scout is being a student of life. With this, your learning environment surely plays a significant role when it comes to shaping you as an individual. Your teacher, adviser, department head, counselor, school principal or any other entities from the academic institution where you attend or have attended can act as one of your references.An Employer: You will be screened in different areas of your life if you want to be an eagle scout. It is not enough for you to be evaluated with how you are at home, at the church, or at school. It is also important for the screening committee to know how you leave an impact to the people within a professional work setting. One of the letters of recommendation for your eagle scout candidate should be coming from your employer. In case you are still unemployed or have no employment experiences and records, you will only be required to submit five letters of recommendation from five references.Any Reference of Your Choice: You can personally select two more individuals whom you would want to write a letter of recommendation for you. It can be someone from the organization or from the community where you live. There may be an instance where you will receive an offer letter of recommendation. Make sure that the person who gave it is reliable before accepting the offer and making him or her your reference. 

Advantages of Having an Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation

It is necessary for your eagle scout letter of recommendation to focus on the leadership skills of the candidate. Aside from this, you also have to prioritize the presentation of his integrity as an individual. If you can successfully make a thorough and comprehensive eagle scout letter of recommendation, the document can benefit the eagle scout candidate in many ways than one. Do you want to know a few of these advantages or benefits? Some of the advantages of having an outstanding eagle scout letter of recommendation include the following:

An eagle scout letter of recommendation can help support and strengthen the candidacy of a life scout to be an eagle scout.An eagle scout letter of recommendation can complete the application for being an eagle scout as the specific document is actually a requirement for the endeavor.An eagle scout letter of recommendation can give an idea about the candidate from the perspective of different entities which is very important when it comes to screening the qualifications, character, and behavior of the individual.An eagle scout letter of recommendation can provide samples and actual instances where the reference personally saw or observed that the candidate is giving value to and living the morals of the organization.

Do’s and Don’ts for Creating an Excellent Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation

The Boy Scouts of America (BSOA) is a known organization that is driven by a number of values. You have to make sure that you can identify each of these values so you can incorporate them in the letter of recommendation that you are making for an eagle scout candidate. You have to be mindful of these things as well as other tips and recommendations so you can develop a highly-effective document. Do you want to create an eagle scout letter of recommendation by now? A few guidelines that can let you make an excellent eagle scout letter of recommendation with ease are as follows:

Do highlight or give focus on the strengths of the candidate when making an eagle scout letter of recommendation.Do ensure that you will have a credible, believable, and reliable discussion within the eagle scout letter of recommendation so that the usage of the document can be maximized and optimized.Do specify the diligence and other positive attributes of the candidate as the characteristics of individual matters a lot during the assessment.Do consider the letter recipient or the entities who will review the document so you can make sure that your eagle scout letter of recommendation is informative and can be understood by your audience.Do provide samples that illustrate the behavior and character of the eagle scout candidate to make your letter of recommendation more believable and objective.Do be particular with the language that you will use when writing the eagle scout letter of recommendation to make sure that the screening committee can relate to what you are saying the exact way that you would like them to.Do not make your eagle scout letter of recommendation lengthy, unless if really necessary, so you can have a discussion that is narrowed down to only what is necessary and relevant for your recommendation and for the candidate’s application.Do not make-up or falsify any information that you will include in the eagle scout letter of recommendation as you have to make sure that all of your statements are based on personal accounts, insights, and observations.

Eagle Scout Letter of Recommendation FAQs

If you are unfamiliar or unaware of certain matters related to the creation of an eagle scout letter of recommendation, make sure that you will not hesitate to ask questions especially to entities who have already created the particular document or those who are knowledgeable on how to create one. Here are some questions that are typically asked about eagle scout letter of recommendation:

What are the key points that should be highlighted in an eagle scout letter of recommendation?

Just like an MBA letter of recommendation and a letter of recommendation for graduate school, your eagle scout letter of recommendation must be precise and filled with facts and other relevant information related to the candidacy of an individual. The highlights or key points of the eagle scout letter of recommendation that you will write should include the reason/s why you believe that the eagle scout candidate is worthy of your recommendation, the strengths of the candidate, the achievements of the candidate as a scout, the actual events that prove that the candidate has good morals and an impressive character, and any other information which you believe can better the chances of an individual to be considered as an eagle scout.

How can you make an excellent eagle scout letter of recommendation?

Unlike many letters of recommendation, an eagle scout letter of recommendation can actually be written in an informal manner. Even with this being said, it is still important for you to closely look into the format, language, and content that you will incorporate in the letter. For you to be able to write an excellent eagle scout letter of recommendation, it is imperative for you to prepare for the document development activity. Use a checklist that you can use as a guide when it comes to the key points of discussion that you would like to incorporate in the document’s content. Make sure that the details of the letter are relevant and informative. More so, consider the alignment of your discussion with the things and other requirements that are needed for a candidate to be an eagle scout. Putting a lot of thought in your eagle scout letter of recommendation can help you have a document that is of quality which can be very useful and beneficial for an individual’s eagle scout candidacy.

Use our templates and samples to your advantage. Writing an eagle scout letter of recommendation can sometimes be challenging which is why we would like to be of help. Utilize your time and efforts accordingly by having amazing references on hand. Download any of our eagle scout letter of recommendation letter document development guides so you can already start making the best letter of recommendation for an eagle scout candidate.