Of the hundreds of awards that are presented each year, the Silver Beaver is the highest and most prestigious honor awarded to a volunteer by a local council. As a movement whose leadership is overwhelmingly volunteer, the Boy Scouts of America recognizes the need to acknowledge those individuals who truly go above and beyond to guarantee the availability of a quality Scouting program. Selectees are individuals who have demonstrated outstanding and continued service to youth and community in and out of Scouting.
The council is limited to 1 Silver Beaver award per 50 units or a fraction thereof.
Recognition granted by the local council’s NOESA committee to Eagle Scouts who have demonstrated outstanding achievement at the local, state, or regional level; unlike the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, which is a national award, the NOESA recognizes Eagle Scouts whose efforts have been made closer to home. Who Can Earn This Award? Presented by council NESA committees to deserving Eagle Scouts. How to Get the Award Each council NESA committee may present two NOESA honors per year, with the option of awarding an additional NOESA for every 100 Eagle Scout Awards or fraction thereof over 100 awards certified the previous year. Unused quotas will be forfeited in the following year. For example, a council with 101 Eagle Scouts would be able to award three NOESA honors, 201 Eagle Scouts would be able to award 4 NOESA honors, etc.
Details for this award can be found at
https://nesa.org/awards-and-recognition/outstanding-eagle-scout-award
The award recognizes registered Scouters who help unregistered alumni rejoin the program. This task breaks down into four categories of requirements:
Alumni identification and promotion, such as contacting former members, planning alumni activities, and/or presenting to non-Scout groups.
If you’re an Eagle Scout, you’ll also need to become a registered member of NESA, the National Eagle Scout Association.
The requirements are tough for this award, and that’s by design. We expect folks to work just as hard as alumni as they did as Scouts.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/alumi-award/
In order to recognize Venturers and Venturing Advisors who have made exceptional contributions to Venturing and who exemplify the Scout Oath and Law, councils, territories, and the BSA National Council may present individuals with the Venturing Leadership Award. The council, territory, and national awards are selected by a task force of youth and adults from the respective tier and are processed by a committee that is formed by the respective level.
Awards can be purchased through Scouting Supply and certificates can be made with the template below for presentation to the awardees.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/programs/venturing/venturing-awards-and-advancement/leadership/venturing-leadership-award/
is presented by councils, territories, and the BSA National Council to Sea Scouts and Sea Scouters who have made exceptional contributions to Sea Scouting and who exemplify the Scout Oath, the Scout Law, and the Sea Scout Promise. To be eligible for the SSLA, one must:
Details for this award can be found at:
https://seascout.org/news/sea-scout-leadership-award-2/
The Council Duty to God Award was created to recognize registered Scouters who have demonstrated an exemplary history of transformational leadership in supporting and promoting the spiritual foundation of Scouting at the local Council level. It acknowledges the unswerving dedication to faith, fellowship, and service of those whose character embodies the moral principles and shared ideals of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). The award distinguishes Scouters who selflessly work to prepare youth for life by perpetuating the merit and legacy of a Scout’s duty to their Creator. Nominations are open to candidates from all faiths and religious groups.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/council-duty-to-god-award/
The Boy Scouts of America Council Alumnus of the Year Award is the Scouting Alumni Association’s highest council recognition. The award was established to recognize alumni of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA) who, over a sustained period of time, have used the skills and values they learned through their association with Scouting to make significant and long- lasting contributions to their local communities through their careers, avocations, and Scouting. A BSA alumnus includes anyone positively and personally impacted by the BSA—former Scouts, family members of Scouts past and present, community leaders, and the millions of Americans who benefit from Scouting in their communities everyday
Details for this award can be found at
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/council-alumnus-of-the- year-award/
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 youths.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/asian%20american/
This award was established to provide clear and visible recognition to adults, volunteer and
professional, who serve the community of members with disabilities/special needs of the
Scouting movement. This award is earned by direct action on behalf of members with
disabilities/special needs and by spreading the ideals of inclusiveness, diversity, and
disability awareness in Scouting. The award is intended to create enhanced visibility of the
resources available to serve these members and to ensure their success in Scouting.
This award provides multiple venues for serving that community. It will create a pool of
potential recipients for the council level Torch of Gold Award and the national level Woods
Services Award by identifying individuals who have given exemplary service to the Scouting
program for members with disabilities/special needs.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/special-needs
Recognizes outstanding service by an adult individual or by an organization for demonstrated
involvement in the development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for youth from rural or
low-income urban backgrounds.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/whitney-young-award/
To recognize outstanding service by an adult or an organization for demonstrated involvement in the
development and implementation of Scouting opportunities for Hispanic/Latino youth.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/scouting-valela-pena/
High-level award presented by councils on the behalf of the National Court of Honor
for nonregistered volunteers who have made a significant contribution to Scouting;
on same level as the Silver Beaver Award, which is for registered volunteers.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://www.scouting.org/awards/awards-central/north-star/
The Fretwell Award is not exclusively for classroom teachers. Any school employee who is equipping students to make moral and ethical choices is eligible for this award. This could be a teacher, administrator, custodian, cafeteria worker, attendance clerk, resource officer, teacher’s aide, or any number of others. For clarification, this award recognizes what a person does for students in their professional role within education and not for what the person does directly for Scouting. While a Scouting volunteer who works in education is eligible for the Fretwell Award, there are many awards to recognize the service of volunteers to Scouting.
Details for this award can be found at:
https://scoutingwire.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/522-05918_EKFretwell_Guide.pdf
