Frequently Asked Questions

Eagle Camp is an intensive one-week merit badge advancement camp that guarantees the necessary safeguards and facilities to allow scouts responsibility, resourcefulness, self-reliance, and a sense of loyalty to the principles as set forth in the Scout Oath and Law.  Eagle Camp is a rigorous program for goal-oriented achievers, for Scouts who are sincerely interested in earning Eagle. Undecideds, fence sitters, couch potatoes, etc. need not apply!  This is a full blown, aggressive merit badge program.  Eagle Camp will offer extensive sports, nature, and outdoors package.  This is an upscale program with tremendous challenges and rewards.

This is definitely NOT summer camp.  No tents, no boring one-hour classes taught by 16 year olds, no first year scouts asking lame questions, no adults treating you like little kids.  This is not Philmont, or Hi-Adventure, Jamboree, JLT, NJLT, NOAC or any other type of camp you’ve ever attended, but it is a little like all of these.

The FFA, (Future Farmers of America), Camp in Covington, Georgia is located approximately 1 mile south of Bert Adams Scout Reservation on Hwy 36.  Situated on over 500 acres with frontage on Jackson Lake, the Camp offers full residential facilities, which is ideal for our program.  We use the full service-dining hall, meeting rooms, auditorium, and lodges.  Each scout will be part of a provisional patrol and stay in a lodge.  Each lodge has full facilities, modern baths including showers, bunk beds with mattresses.  Each lodge will house between 12-24 scouts. The camp has full athletic facilities for baseball, basketball, swimming, volleyball and others.  Within 20 minutes of the FFA Camp is the Charlie Elliott Wildlife Management Area with 6400 acres, an educational center, rifle range, backpacking and mountain bike trails plus many other features.

We will offer all required merit badges (Core Merit Badges) except cycling and lifesaving, and numerous optional (Elective) merit badges.  We fully expect to offer over 50 different merit badges to be taught through the week.  We look at what Merit Badges the Scout already earned in the Core and Elective categories, and then we ask what merit badges he would like to earn.  We do not always give the scout the classes they request, we give them the classes that they need.  Every year offer a wide variety of merit badges; however, don’t expect Citizenship in the Universe, Taxidermy or Nuclear Medicine.  If there is a demand, we will make every effort to meet the need.

As always, this depends on your scout.  If he is PREPARED, if he has studied his merit badge books PRIOR to camp, if he has started the … 30, 60 or 90 day requirements ahead of time, then he will be able to complete the merit badge at camp.  If NOT, then we will issue a partial merit badge report. As you can see, it’s entirely up to the scout.

Why not?!  Eagle Camp is low-tech old-fashioned scouting.  There’s nothing exotic, or new wave about Eagle Camp.  There’s no trickery, misrepresentation or smoke and mirrors, we offer just plain old scouting traditions and values.  Competition for our Scouts attention is now greater than ever.  Boys still want to be Scouts.  Scouts still want to be Eagle Scouts.  Parents still want their sons to be Eagle Scouts.  None of this has changed since 1910 when the Scouts of America were founded.  What has changed is the competition.  Today, boys have a broad array of opportunities to draw their time and attention, and that’s just the good influences!  Scouting is a good influence and we look to Eagle Camp as a means to expand the Scout’s horizons and opportunities.  Yes, when your scout returns from Eagle Camp he will have earned more merit badges, yes, he will advance more quickly, and yes, you should utilize your scouts experience and knowledge to improve your Troops and Patrols.

Yes, there are openings for staff, and yes, we would like to hear from you.  Each provisional troop will need at least two youth staff and there will be opportunities for youth staff to attend the program as well.  Youth staff should complete the normal application and indicate “STAFF” in the upper right corner on all forms, including the letter of recommendation by the Scoutmaster.  Every year, we have more applications than we have available slots; therefore, only EAGLE SCOUTS are considered for youth staff.  We aid the Eagle Scout staff to earn their palms by earning additional merit badges. 

Adult staff (Scouters) is also necessary and we will gratefully accept whatever time you have to offer.  Options are one week, three days, two days, one day, they all work and here’s why.  We will not be offering your typical one-hour merit badge class over the week.  Normally when we will offer a course of study, each course will be approximately 4 hours. We will have AM, PM, and some evening courses.  Most of these courses will cover all the requirements of a particular subject.  We utilize numerous community resources to provide course instruction as well as scouters.  A merit badge counselor will be able to attend, teach, participate or learn as desired.  An adult will be able to attend a course and probably become qualified to offer the merit badge for their troop. All adults are required to have Youth Protection Training (YPT) available on line.  All adults will be registered as official merit badge counselors.  The Scouters lodging facilities will mirror the scouts.  Scouters will stay overnight in lodges with bunk beds and mattresses full bath facilities with separate showers. 

There is no fee for the staff.  We look forward to your assistance to help us conduct a superior program.