Contest Page | Enter Now! | Rules and Regulations
Eagle Scout Competition
Frequently Asked Questions
Am I eligible to participate?
The contest is open to current high school students who are Boy Scouts with a CURRENT RANK of Life Scout or Eagle Scout. You must have either completed your Eagle Scout project or be in the planning or implementing stages of your Eagle Scout project.
You must also ensure that you meet all of our eligibility requirements. If you meet these criteria, you can submit your entry!
Do I have to have my Eagle Scout project completed to apply?
No! You are still eligible to apply if you are planning your Eagle Scout project, or if you are currently implementing your project. We do not require that you have final approval of your project to apply, but we do expect you to have a firm understanding of what you’re planning, pending approval. You should NOT apply if you are NOT planning to complete an Eagle Scout project within the next year.
How many times can I enter?
An individual may only submit one entry to the contest.
Do I have to answer both questions?
Yes. To be eligible to win you must fully answer all questions, including sub-parts. This means that you must upload 4 documents and indicate whether your Eagle Scout project is completed or in the planning or implementation stage.
What file types are accepted?
You may upload Word (.doc or .docx) or PDF (.pdf) documents.
Are there examples of past winning entries that I can look at?
No. This is the first year we have run a contest in this form, so we are unable to provide examples from previous years.
If I didn’t win a prize, can I still find out how well I did in the Contest?
Because we receive so many entries, it is not possible to give individual feedback on entries. We realize that feedback is a vital part of becoming a better thinker and writer. For this reason, we encourage students to seek comments and feedback from parents, unit leaders, and other advisers before submitting their entry.
Is a title required for my entry?
No. Titles are not required for entries and will not be part of the evaluation process.
Should I include my name on my uploaded files?
No! In order to help us ensure that essays are judged blindly, please DO NOT include your name on any of your uploaded documents. We ONLY need your name where we ask for it on the form.
Will my entry be disqualified if I go over the word limits?
Unfortunately, yes. This is required to help ensure no entry has an unfair advantage over another due to length. Please adhere to ALL word limits as given. Please note, you are not required to maximize your word count – if you can adequately answer the question in fewer words, you will not be penalized.
Do I need a Works Cited section/page with my entry?
We do not expect or require a Works Cited page or section for Contest entries. If you use quotes from individuals or research, simple citations will suffice. For example:
An example of what I am referring to comes from James Madison when he said in Federalist #51, “If men were angels, no government would be necessary.”
or
“If men were angels, no government would be necessary.” (James Madison, 1788)
Either format for citing sources used in your entry will suffice.
What are the prizes?
There is ONE prize available, for $1,000 cash. This can be awarded either entirely as a scholarship or as a combination of Eagle Scout project funding and a scholarship. The entrant must specify which he would prefer in the application. No preference will be given based on the option chosen.
An additional prize of $500 will be given to the unit of the winning entrant.
What are the judges looking for?
Eagle Scout Competition submissions will focus on the importance and characteristics of good citizenship and the role of the Founding documents in shaping America today. A good entry will completely adhere to the topic and fully answer all parts of the question. Judges are looking for the following:
- adherence to the Essay Guidelines (as stated in Section III of the Rules and Regulations)
- depth of understanding of the question
- strength of personal response
- originality
- organization
- writing style
How long does my essay have to be?
There is no minimum required length for an entry; however, you cannot exceed the stated word limits for each question with your entry. For more information on what constitutes a complete submission, please review the contest questions here.
When will the winners be announced?
Winners for the Bill of Rights Institute’s Eagle Scout Competition will be announced on this website in March of 2013.
If I need help and can’t find the answer online, what do I do?
You can contact us via email at bbyrd@BillofRightsInstitute.org or you can call us at (703) 894-1776, ext. 31.