Volunteer Recognition

As a movement whose leadership is overwhelmingly volunteer, the Boy Scouts of America recognizes the importance of acknowledging the invaluable services that men and women render to youth. Of the hundreds of awards that the BSA presents each year to those on the local council, regional, and national levels, the Silver Buffalo, Silver Antelope, Silver Beaver, and Silver World awards are the most prestigious. Although the criteria are different for each of these awards, there is one common thread: The recognitions are granted by one's own peers in Scouting for distinguished service to youth. Other BSA awards, by comparison, are granted only to those who have completed a prescribed course of study or have participated in special training sessions.

Silver Beaver

Established in 1931, the Silver Beaver Award is presented for distinguished service to young people within a BSA local council. More than 50,000 recognitions have been conferred to date. As with the Silver Antelope, a recipient must be a registered adult member of the BSA. Click here for BSA guidance on selecting recipients. The awards are bestowed at appropriate local functions. Silver Beaver Awards are presented on the basis of the number of units in a council. Click here for a listing of Council Silver Beaver recipients.

Click here to download a nomination form.

District Award of Merit

This is the highest honor that a Council may bestow on a District Scouter. Leaders involved at any level of scouting or in a program are eligible for nomination. Recommendations are reviewed by a District Committee to determine who should be granted the award. Click here to download a nomination form.

Venturing Leadership Award

Distinguished Commissioner Service Award

This award is presented to unit, Assistant District, District, Assistant Council, and Council Commissioners whom have served activily as a registered commissioner for at least five years, have completed the Commissioner training courses, received the Arrowhead Honor Award, and whose units/District/Council has achieved a level of quality through the BSA's Quality Unit/District/Council program. Click here to download a nomination form.

William T. Hornaday Awards

International Scouter Award

The International Scouter's Award encourages Scouters to broaden their involvement in Scouting through participation in world Scouting activities and recognizes Scouters for their contributions to world Scouting. Applicants must be currently registered adult Scouters of the Boy Scouts of America. All applicants must receive the approval of their local council's international committee chairperson or international representative and their council Scout executive. Click here to download an application.

William D. Boyce New Unit Organizer Award

The William D. Boyce New-Unit Organizer Award is presented to recognize volunteers who organize one or more traditional Scouting units. The award may be worn on the adult uniform. The award is a square knot placed over the three colors representing the three phases of our program—Cub Scouting, Boy Scouting, and Venturing. A volunteer can earn the knot by organizing one traditional unit, and a program device can be earned for up to three additional units organized. Click here for more information.

Community Organization Award

In recent years representatives of several national chartered organizations have inquired about the development of a recognition which could be given to registered adult leaders in units chartered to community organizations; similar to the adult religious awards presented by the various denominations and faith groups. After study and evaluation, the BSA National Court of Honor approved the concept of a Community Organization Award square knot. This square knot would be available to be worn by uniformed Scouters who have been recognized for their service to Scouting youth in the community. The following awards qualify for the square knot (click here to learn more about these awards):

• The Marvin M. Lewis Award of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks (BPOE)
• Daniel Carter Beard Masonic Scouter Award
• Veterans of Foreign Wars Scouter's Achievement Award
• American Legion Scouting Square Knot Award
• United States Military Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal
• Herbert G. Horton Alpha Phi Omega Youth Service Award
• Cliff Dochterman Award of Rotary International (and HERE)
• Ruritan Scout Leader Community Service Award & Nomination Form
• Finley Sea Scout Service Award of United States Power Squadron
• Robert E. Burt Boy Scout Volunteer Award of the Sons of the American Revolution
• Lions Clubs Scouting Service Award

James E. West Fellowship

The James E. West Fellowship award is available for gifts of $1,000 or more in cash or marketable securities to a council endowment fund. The gift must be in addition to and not replace or diminish the donor’s annual Friends of Scouting support. Many individuals and corporation make these gifts either on behalf of someone else such as in honor of an Eagle Scout, Silver Beaver recipient, a retirement, a special accomplishment, or anniversary or in memory of a special individual.

Those who are recognized by the James E. West Fellowship Award will cast their own legendary shadow as they help ensure the Scouting legacy for future generations for young people and create the financial stability of the program for the twenty-first century of the Council.

BSA Speakers Bank

The BSA Speakers Bank is a national resource for volunteers and executives that provides BSA speakers with a centralized resource of speech templates, topics, and other presentation tools for use at the local, regional, and national levels. This asset will serve as a critical component as we re-introduce Scouting to communities across America. After conducting a minimum of 20 speeches and providing feed back via the Speakers Bank Web site, the speaker will be recognized by the presentation of a square knot.

Eagle Scout

This knot may be worn by Adult Scouters who earned the Eagle Scout Award as a youth. Eagle Scout is the highest youth rank in the Boy Scout program. After earning the Rank of Eagle Scout, a Scout can continue to advance by earning palms. A palm may be earned by meeting a three month tenure requirement, a leadership requirement, and earning five additional merit badges. A bronze palm is awarded for the first five merit badges after Eagle. A gold palm for the next five and silver for an additional five. If a Scout continues to advance, combinations of palms may be earned with bronze and silver representing 20 merit badges beyond Eagle (and 12 months tenure). These palms may be worn on the Eagle Scout knot as illustrated below:

 

Distinguished Eagle Scout

Created in 1969, the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award is the only distinguished service recognition that depends on one's association with Scouting as a youth. The recipient must have attained the Eagle Scout rank a minimum of 25 years before his nomination, and over those years he must have rendered outstanding service to others. Award recipients have included 38th President Gerald R. Ford; former astronaut Neil Armstrong; cartoonist Milton Caniff; late actor Ozzie Nelson; H. Ross Perot, founder of Electronic Data Systems and The Perot Group; United States Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld; retired General William C. Westmoreland; retired Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr.; Senator Richard G. Lugar; film director Steven Spielberg; former FBI Director William S. Sessions; former United States Representative J. J. Pickle; Donald F. Wright, senior vice president of the Times Mirror Co.; and former Secretary of Education Lamar Alexander.

NESA Life Member

Eagle Scouts who are Life Members of the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) may wear a specially designed Eagle Scout Square Knot with a silver mylar border. An Eagle Scout may choose to wear either the NESA Square Knot or Eagle Scout Square Knot, but not both.

Scoutreach Service Awards

Spirit of Scouting Award

The Spirit of Scouting Award is designed for presentation to a noteworthy individual who has performed exceptional and unusual service to young people in hard-to-reach communities over a long period of time. Download Nomination Form (PDF).

Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award

The purpose of the Whitney M. Young Jr. Service Award is to recognize outstanding services by an adult individual or an organization for demonstrated involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth from rural or low-income urban backgrounds—this is in fulfillment of Dr. Young's dream of justice and equality for all. Download Nomination Form (PDF).

¡Scouting ... Vale la Pena! Service Award

The purpose of the ¡Scouting ... Vale la Pena! Service Award is to recognize outstanding services by an adult individual or an organization for demonstrated involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for Hispanic American/Latino youth. Download Nomination Form (PDF).

Asian American Spirit of Scouting Service Award

The purpose of the Asian American Spirit of Scouting Service Award is to recognize outstanding services by an adult individual or an organization for demonstrated involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for Asian American youth. Download Nomination Form (PDF).

Other Adult Leader Awards   

Woods Services Award is presented for exceptional service and leadership in the field of Scouts with disabilities. Download Nomination Form (PDF)

Adult Training Awards

Click here to learn more about training awards (Knots) that may be earned by Scouters.

How to Wear Your Knots

Is there a right way (and a wrong way) to wear knots? Yes there is.

• Click on this link for the explanation from the BSA Insignia Guide.
• Another explanation can be found here.

Learn More About Knots

There are many knots that recognize other aspects of Scouting, including Eagle Scout, bravery, outstanding service, and support of Scouting:

• And yet another resource on Knots
• This link has a good history of Knots (listed under "Publications")
• Reprint of Scouting Magazine Article, "Know Your Knots"