Do Varsity Scouts Earn Eagle?

Sunday I ran into a funny situation.

As I was removing trash from the Church with my young men and Scouts, I walking into the closed kitchen at the Church to find a set of parents and one of my future boys talking about Varsity Scouting.  The mother was asking the boy "Do Varsity Scouts earn Eagle?  Is that when you normally earn Eagle?"  I starred at them quickly and moved on (mostly because I had Dr Pepper Pulled Pork cooking at home and I was STARVING plus instead of their kid helping clean the Church, the family were sitting around talking).  I thought it was funny that instead of asking the "Varsity Coach" they questioned their son.  (This caused me to wonder on the way home "How the heck long do I have to serve as the Varsity Coach before members of the Ward will know that I am the Varsity Coach?"  Apparently about 6 years isn't long enough......)

The Dad is an Assistant Scoutmaster who I got into a heated back-and-forth conversation about how he and his son camping at a family reunion this summer in Idaho doesn't fit the requirements of the 20 days and nights of camping.  He justified it by saying anything he does, he does it as the Assistant Scoutmaster.  This is an absolute ridiculous thought especially since he doesn't................well whatever.  He also has signed off on all of his son's advancement without the use of merit badge counselors.

On a related note, 3 of my Varsity Scouts have decided to work on their Eagle Scout Projects with no motivation from me.  I don't push projects and I don't push Scouting.  I push Varsity Scouting and fun.  If the boy wants his Eagle, I gladly meet with them, give them the paperwork, give them some ideas, explain the process to them and talk to them about the signatures they need.  I also discuss the fact that leadership is the primary key to success with their project.

So yes, Varsity Scouts earn their Eagle but they have to be the one to want it.