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Initial project write-up
Before you start your project, even before you begin planning your project, get a notebook. Record events in your notebook when they happen and keep as accurate a set of notes as possible. When you call or visit some one to discuss your project, write that in your notebook. Make a separate section to record what you buy, what is donated, any moneys that you receive. In a separate section, record when you do the various parts of your project, who helped, how much time each of the volunteers spent on the project. Make a section to list tools and equipment.
After you have talked over possible project ideas with your troop leaders and chosen the right one for you, it is now time to begin the detail planning and initial write-up which will be submitted to the District for approval. Remember, you cannot begin actual work on the project until it is approved by the district, but there is a lot of planning to be done before you get that far.
Get a current copy of the Life to Eagle Packet, which includes the Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook, from the council office or from one of the troop leaders to use in preparing your plan. This is the official booklet which is submitted to the district for approval. Read everything in it before beginning to write up your plan.
The project plan may be typed on a typewriter or computer, or may be hand written, but it must be very neat and written using your best grammar. The plan should tell someone else everything they would need to know to carryout your project without you.
Your initial write-up in the workbook you should include all the information on the page Documenting your Eagle project - the beginning.
Documenting during the project
You can never keep too much information while you are doing your project. Use a notebook or folder to collect papers so they will be available to you. It's better to have more than you need at the end. That's why we have recycling. You can dispose of everything you don't need/want after you have compiled all your information at the end of your journey.
While the project is underway, especially keep information you'll need for your final report like:
Also, try to remember to keep complete notes of your progress. You'd be amazed at how much you'll forget.
Final write-up
After the actual work on the project is completed, you are ready for the last phase of your project - the final report. This is the section where you describe what actually happened as you carried out the plan. This information is entered in the last section of the Eagle Service Project Workbook, following the Initial Planning section which was approved by the District.
As with any project, it is important to review what was done and see what lessons were learned as well as providing a historic record. In this case, you also need to write a final report because your project is not complete without it! You should use the project plan as guide for preparing the final report. In the 'Carrying Out the Plan' workbook section, briefly describe what was done and how you deviated from the plan. Go through each section of the plan and write a summary of the results versus the plan. For example, discuss if you had all of the materials you needed or if you had a lot left over. Summarize the actual costs, tools used (and tools needed that you did not have), or anything else of interest.
Provide a record of all the time worked by your volunteers. This can be done in a list or table showing names, dates, hours worked, tasks performed by each volunteer. Discuss how you were able to lead the volunteers. Did you have any problem with getting them to come to work or to stay focused on the assigned tasks? Leading people is a difficult skill and you most likely learned something about this. The final reviewers want to read about what you learned about leading people.
Hopefully, you took many photographs during each phase of the project. Include a section in you report for representative photographs. A photo of you presenting the finished product to the organization for whom you did the work help show off the value of the project. Of course, the photographs should be labeled.
You will most likely require some advice from your project advisor before you are ready to turn the project in for final signatures. Consult with him often as you are completing the report. Once you and your advisor are happy with the result, it is time to get the final approval signatures.
Read the material on the Eagle project report for more information.