Awards

• Full Award List
• Veterans Awards 
• See Past Honorees (Silver Beaver, Henry Crown, & District Award of Merit)
• To request a copy of your Scouting record or someone else's, please contact us. 

The Silver Beaver Award should be emailed to the Scout Executives Assistant, Tanya Zivin, (tanya.zivin@scouting.org) District awards should be submitted to the district's award chair. Awards that are specific to a certain district can only be earned by members of that district.   

The Silver Beaver Award recognizes registered Scouters of exceptional character who have provided distinguished service within a council. Anyone may nominate any deserving registered Scouter to the council, which selects recipients for the following year. The deadline for Silver Beaver Nominations is November 15.

• Silver Beaver Nomination Form

Unit Leader Award of Merit - this award recognizes top unit leaders (Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Venture Crew Advisors, and Sea Scout Skippers) who have gone above and beyond to make their unit healthy by attaining certain benchmarks characteristic of strong units. Seven requirements must be met along with a nomination by the top youth leader.

Training Awards - there are many awards available to leaders who go beyond their required training and immerse themselves in Scouting knowledge to better serve their unit. The training awards and keys are designed to recognize unit Scouters for tenure, training, and performance in their leadership roles. Click the links for fillable award applications. 

Trained Strip - complete required training for leadership position.

Scouter's Training Awards

Cub Scout Den Leaders
Cub Scout Leaders
Scouts BSA Leaders
Venturing Leaders
Sea Scouting Leaders
District Committee Members

Scouter's Key Awards
Cubmaster's Key
Scoutmaster's Key
Advisor's Key (Venturing)
Skipper's Key (Sea Scouts)
District Committee Key

District Award of Merit

This award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the District level. The number of awards available per district per year is determined by the number of registered units in that district.

Download ApplicationSee Past Honorees

• Scouting Spirit Award
  Recognizes individuals who have given of themselves on behalf of the Scouting Movement at the unit level. It is for currently registered leaders who have rendered noteworthy and significant support at the unit level. This award can only be earned once.
• Silent Service Award Nomination Form
  Recognizes individuals who have given of themselves on behalf of the Scouting Movement at the unit level. It is for non-registered individuals who have done noteworthy and significant support that required some personal sacrifice. This could include a spouse or parent associated with the unit or an individual from the local community. This award can only be earned once.
• Square Knot Award Nomination Form
  This award recognizes outstanding new unit leaders who are trained in their position. This award is intended for registered unit Scouters and can only be earned once.
• District Chairman’s Award
  Given in recognition of noteworthy service to Scouting by direct unit leaders, unit committee members, and other key registered adults. The award recognizes continuing service from active adult volunteers of a unit. Excluded are Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Crew Advisors, and Committee Chairs. The purpose of this award is to recognize noteworthy service from volunteers who continue to put forth great effort regarding unit programming, activities, fundraising, recruitment, and unit events.

• Key Scouter Award 
  Units may nominate their adult volunteers to receive this award for their key contributions to unit-level success.
• Silver Acorn Award 
  An award presented by units similar in function to the District Award of Merit, recognizing one outstanding adult volunteer within a unit for exemplary leadership and service. Units may only select one of its most outstanding adult volunteers to receive this award each year.
• Leader of the Year Award
  Recognizes exceptional top leaders in the categories of Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Crew Advisor, and Committee Chair. Exceptional Scouting programs take a great deal of vision and commitment, and recipients of this award exemplify the highest level of achievement to those ends.

• Direct Leader Service Award 
  Given in recognition of noteworthy service to Scouting by unit leaders, registered in units belonging to the Potawatomi District of the Northeast Illinois Council, BSA. The award recognizes leaders of a Cub Scout Pack, Boy Scout Troop, Varsity Team, or Venturing Crew.
• Committee Service Award 
  Given in recognition of noteworthy service to Scouting by unit committee members, registered in units belonging to the Potawatomi District of the Northeast Illinois Council, BSA. The award recognizes committee members of a Cub Scout Pack, Boy Scout Troop, or Venturing Crew. The purpose of the award is to encourage, initiative, interest, responsibility, and cooperation from committee members in assisting unit leaders in promoting and carrying out good Scouting programs and to recognize them for their efforts in this respect.

Colonel Henry Crown Leadership and Service
Recognizes front-line Scouters (unit leaders, den leaders, assistant leaders) in the Northeast Illinois Council who have made a significant difference in the lives of youth members of BSA. Recipients of this award must be registered as a front-line leader with BSA. The nomination needs to include at least three written references from individuals, preferably youth, that support the nomination.