Congratulations! Reaching First Class is an important milestone in a scout's career.
From here, you take on an active role helping others in the troop - instead of just learning the scout skills, you're teaching them. You serve the troop in a position of responsibility, your community through service projects, and incorporate the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life.
In Troop 162, being active in the troop for four (six) months means:
This requirement is signed off by the Scoutmaster or patrol mentor after reviewing the scout's attendance record.
There's more about this in the Troop Policies and Procedures and the Guide to Advancement, section 4.
"Scout spirit" means following the Scout Oath and Law in your daily life. The Scoutmaster reviews and approves this requirement, usually at your Scoutmaster Conference. The Board of Review will also review your Scout Spirit.
Star/Life:
| Rank | Eagle-required Merit Badges* | Total Merit Badges** |
|---|---|---|
| Star | 4 | 6 |
| Life | 7 | 11 |
*Earn any Eagle-required badges, even ones that are in the same category
**Extra Eagle-required badges count toward the total
Eagle: Earn at least one Merit Badge from each of the 14 Eagle-required merit badge slots, and at least 21 merit badges total.
Service hours can be on any project approved by the Scoutmaster. You do not have to plan or lead a service project for this requirement.
For Life rank, at least three service hours have to be "Conservation Related". The Scoutmaster determines which projects meet this requirement.
Covered in Life to Eagle
See Positions of Responsibility for requirements. There are requirements for attendance, participation, and communication.
Assistant Patrol Leader does not count for rank advancement.
Similar to the requirement for Scout rank, refresh your knowledge of preventing abuse and staying safe. Report completion to the Scoutmaster or your patrol mentor.
Put the EDGE method into action by teaching another scout. You must pick one of the skill category options and teach all of the skills in the category. An ASM must witness your use of the EDGE method, and that ASM will later test the scout you taught to ensure the skills were learned. The ASM can then sign you off.
Talk to your patrol mentor - they will verify your participation, merit badges, position of responsibility, service hours, and other requirements, record completions in Troopmaster, and recommend you to the Scoutmaster for a conference.
Expect this conference to go deeper into your understanding of the Scout Oath and Law and how you follow it in your daily life. You cannot technically fail, but the Scoutmaster has to determine whether you are putting the Oath and Law into practice.
Members of the Troop Committee will interview you about what you did to complete the rank requirements and about your understanding of the Scout Oath and Law and how you practice it in your daily life.