Palmetto Council eagle SCout SCHOLARSHIPS

The Palmetto Council is proud to support the educational goals of our Eagle Scouts through four annual scholarships: the Bob Justice Eagle Scholarship, the Norm Schaefer Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Scholarship, and the Ethan Rubenzer Spirit of the Eagle Scholarship. These scholarships are designed to provide financial assistance for any type of higher education beyond high school.

Eligibility for these scholarships is limited to Palmetto Council Eagle Scouts. Scouts may apply for or be nominated for these scholarships during the year they earn their Eagle Scout rank. Each scholarship has specific criteria, and all applications or nominations must be submitted by the deadlines listed for the year the Scout earns their Eagle rank.

Learn more about each of these scholarship opportunities by exploring the information below. Your support helps ensure that our Eagle Scouts have access to the educational resources they need to achieve their dreams.

BOB JUSTICE SCHOLARSHIP

During the 2016 Palmetto Council Volunteer Recognition Banquet Mr. Bob Justice was awarded the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award for his dedicated service to Scouting. During his almost 85 years of Scouting, until his death at the age of 97 in September of 2023, Mr. Justice served in various professional Scouting roles, including over 20 years as the Palmetto Council Scout Executive. After retiring, he was an active volunteer in the Council serving as Charter Organization Representative for VFW Post 9539, the sponsor of Pack 9539 at the South Carolina School for the Death and Blind (SCSDB). In his honor, the Council established the Bob Justice Scholarship. Two Scholarships are awarded annualy, one for $500 and one for $250.

NORM SCHAEFER EAGLE SCOUT SERVICE PROJECT OF THE year

Mr. Norman F. Schaefer passed away August 10, 2018 at the age of 82 after devoting most of his life to the Boy Scouts of America. Not only was Mr. Schaefer presented the Eagle Scout Award in 1955 before Eagle Scout projects were required, but he was also awarded the NESA Outstanding Eagle Scout Award for his service beyond the Eagle Scout rank. He was professionally employed by the Boy Scouts of America for forty years and held many titles during his employment. Mr. Schaefer also served as the curator for the Palmetto Council Scouting Museum in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Involved with Scouting for over 72 years, Mr. Schaefer actively volunteered with Eagle Scout Boards of Review and as a member of our NESA Committee.

Although Mr. Schaefer joined Scouts to have fun and hang out with his buddies, it became a vital part of his life. His proudest Scouting moments were when his mother was awarded a Silver Fawn, the predecessor to the Silver Beaver for female Scouters, and when his son, Kevin, earned the rank of Eagle Scout. The Schaefer Family established this scholarship after Mr. Schaefer’s death in 2018 and it is awarded in his memory for the outstanding Eagle Scout Service project of the year.

This scholarship recipient’s project is designated as the Palmetto Council’s nominee for the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award and will compete for additional scholarships on regional and national levels.

To apply for this scholarship, an Eagle Scout must have earned their Eagle rank in 2024.

THE ETHAN RUBENZER SPIRIT OF THE EAGLE SCHOLARSHIP

Ethan Rubenzer was a vibrant eleven year old Scout whose life tragically ended in an automobile accident in February 2019. Born in February of 2007, Mr. Rubenzer was an active Scout with Troop 413 in Boiling Springs, South Carolina. Ethan loved Scouting. Ethan received the Spirit of the Eagle Honor posthumously to recognize the joy, happiness, and life-fulfilling experiences the Scouting program made in his life and to recognize him for understanding the importance of organ donation. In 2019, Ethan’s parents, Patti and Trevor Rubenzer, established the Ethan Rubenzer Spirit of the Eagle Scholarship for the Eagle Scout who possesses all Eagle Scout qualities, but goes above and beyond. This scholarship is awarded to the Eagle Scout who is recommended by a fellow Scout, Scouter, or member of the community. The nomination form may be accessed blow. Please do not notify the Eagle Scout of this nomination. One Scout will be awarded The Ethan Rubenzer Spirit of the Eagle Scholarship is awarded annually. This scholarship may be used for higher education of any type beyond high school.

To be recommended for this scholarship, an Eagle Scout must have earned their Eagle rank in 2024.