Call of the Eagle Award
all submissions due by February 19, 2023
GENERAL INFORMATION
Robert K. Greenleaf in The Servant as Leader, an essay that he first published in 1970, said:
“The servant-leader is servant first… It begins with the natural feeling that one wants to serve, to serve first. Then conscious choice brings one to aspire to lead. That person is sharply different from one who is leader first, perhaps because of the need to assuage an unusual power drive or to acquire material possessions…The leader-first and the servant-first are two extreme types. Between them there are shadings and blends that are part of the infinite variety of human nature.”
“The difference manifests itself in the care taken by the servant-first to make sure that other people’s highest priority needs are being served. The best test, and difficult to administer, is: Do those served grow as persons? Do they, while being served, become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, more likely themselves to become servants? And, what is the effect on the least privileged in society? Will they benefit or at least not be further deprived?“
“A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the “top of the pyramid,” servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.”
Source: https://www.greenleaf.org/what-is-servant-leadership/ Accessed Oct. 24, 2021.
The Call of the Eagle is a council award presented by districts.
The award is available to Scouts who render selfless service of an outstanding nature to those in their unit or those they are leading.
The award is made available annually on the basis of 1 for each 25 traditional units or fraction thereof. The district need not present all the awards to which it is entitled each year.
REQUIREMENTS
- A nominee must be a registered Scout.
- A nominee must have rendered noteworthy service in Scouting, outside Scouting, or both.
Note: The nature and value of “noteworthy service” may consist of a single plan or decisions that contributed vitally to the lives of large numbers of people or it may have been given to a small group over an extended period of time.
- Consideration must be given to the nominee’s Scouting position and the corresponding opportunity to render outstanding service beyond the expectations of that Scouting position.
- Nominations can be considered for posthumous awards.
PROCEDURE
- Annually, the Council Advancement Committee will consider all candidates and make recommendations of those to receive the award to the council through the Scout executive.
- The Scout executive will inform the district chairman of those nominations approved by the council committee.
- The following procedure is suggested for such presentation ceremonies:
- The recipient and parent(s)/ guardian(s) should be in attendance at the annual meeting or recognition dinner.
- A district and/or council officer should explain the award and its significance.
- Eagle Scouts or Silver Award Venturers should be asked to escort the recipients to a place of honor at the head table or on stage.
- A suitable citation for each recipient should be read indicating what each has done in Scouting.
- The award may be presented at this time with appropriate congratulations.
- A group picture may be taken for use in neighborhood or community newspapers (district responsibility).