Links: Scouting-related Awards

Most of these patches are NOT an official award or emblem of the BSA. The patch may be worn by Scouts and Scouters as a temporary emblem to signify their education about the role of the Internet and the World Wide Web in particular as it relates to Scouting. It may also be worn on patch vests or jackets at the personal option of the Scout or Scouter.

Heavy Shoulder Award This patch is presented to the Webelos Scout who has earned every activity pin that there is to earn! We call it the Heavy Shoulder Award, because with all those pins on their colors, their shoulders sag from all that metal!
Leave No Trace Awareness Award As more people use parks and recreation facilities, LEAVE NO TRACE® guidelines become even more important for outdoor visitors. Leave No Trace is a plan that helps people to be more concerned about their environment and to help them protect it for future generations. Leave No Trace applies in a backyard or local park (frontcountry) as much as it does in the wilderness (backcountry).
Donor Awareness Patch BSA has promoted Donor Awareness to Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts with the Donor Awareness Patch. There are NO formal requirements for these patches. Each Unit establishes the procedure for awarding the strip. Usually, a Donor Awareness Patch is awarded to a Cub Scout or Boy Scout the first time he is successful in getting an adult family member, friend, relative, or other acquaintance to agree to become an organ donor, and to fill out and carry an Organ Donor Card.
Recruiter Strip Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts may be awarded, and wear, below the right pocket on their uniforms, the Recruiter Strip. There are NO formal requirements for these strips. Each Unit establishes the procedure for awarding the strip. Usually, a Recruiter Strip is awarded to a Cub Scout or Boy Scout the first time he is successful in getting a friend, relative, classmate, or other acquaintance to join his unit.
Crime Prevention Award The Crime Prevention Award is available to Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers, Explorers, and participants in Learning for Life, as well as adults. . Phase I is basically an individual, or Youth and Family phase, and Phase II is designed to be a group, or Youth and Unit phase.
Religious Awards "A Scout is reverent." All Scouts show this by being faithful in their duty to God. Some go further and give special service. This can qualify them for a religious emblem. Such an emblem is not a Scouting award. It is conferred on a Scout by his religious leader. Each faith has its own requirements for earning its emblem. Most of the awards consist of bar pins, ribbons, and pendants, and are worn on the uniform above the left pocket on formal occasions. In addition, the Religious Emblem Square knot, shown at the top of this page, may be worn on the uniform over the left pocket by youth or adults who earned any of the religious awards. One or more miniature devices are affixed to the knot to indicate which level(s) of the award was earned.
Internet Scout Patch The U.S. Scouting Service Project encourages Scouts and Scouters from around the world to learn about the Internet and how to use the Internet safely. Scouts and Scouters that have earned our Internet Scout Patch may wear it proudly as a temporary patch on the Scout Uniform. We are leaving it up to the Scout Leaders to insure that the requirements have been met.
US Heritage Award The United States Heritage Award was designed by scouts and adults to give youth recognition for learning about the heritage of the United States of America, and being involved. A medal and a patch can be awarded to all that successfully complete the award requirements. All requirements can be done with a unit, group, family, or individually. The United States Heritage Award has two different award levels: Silver award is for youth ages 6-10 http://www.nationstrails.com/awards/awards_USHSilver.htmll Gold award is for youth aged 11-18. http://www.nationstrails.com/awards/awards_USHGold.html Adults can also earn the gold award if they complete the requirements and assist a youth in earning the United States Heritage Award.
President's Student Service Challenge Americans of all ages - individual, families and groups - are answering the President's Call to Service by making a difference in their communities. The President's Volunteer Service Award, an initiative of the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, honors America's volunteers and encourages even more Americans to get involved.
Congressional Award for Youth Congress established The Congressional Award in 1979 to recognize initiative, achievement and service in young people. Through The Congressional Award the U.S. Congress challenges young Americans to challenge themselves, and recognizes young people who set and achieve goals in four program areas: Volunteer Public Service Physical Fitness Personal Development Expedition/Exploration
Conservation Good Turn The Conservation Good Turn is an opportunity for Cub Scout packs, Boy Scout troops, Varsity Scout teams, and Explorer posts to join with conservation or environmental organizations (federal, state, local, or private) to carry out a conservation Good Turn in their home communities. The World Conservation Award provides another opportunity for individual Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Explorers to "think globally" and "act locally" to preserve and improve our environment. This program is designed to make Scouts and Explorers aware that all nations are closely related through natural resources and that we are interdependent with our world environment. Applications for this award are available at the council service center.
BSA Family Program The BSA Family Book has two major goals: to strengthen families and to encourage family involvement in Scouting. It is written for all parents to use, regardless of their circumstances. The material will help a single father or mother, a two parent family, and grandparents or other adults to teach children in the home. A family may earn the "BSA Family Award." (consisting of: the Award Patch, the Award Pin, and the Award Certificate) The experiences family members share as they complete the requirements for, the family award will enrich family living and strengthen family relationships. The family will complete, within a 12 month period, five requirements to earn the award. Two of the requirements are mandatory and three may be the family's choice.
World Friendship Fund Patch The World Friendship Fund was developed by the Boy Scouts of America during the closing days of World War II. At the time, there was a great need to rebuild Scouting in nations that had been wracked by war and were just emerging from the shadows of totalitarianism. In the years that have elapsed, virtually every nation in the free world that has Scouting has been aided by the fund. Both those nations that have had Scouting before and those newly emerging nations that desire the Scouting program for their youth have been helped.
BSA Physical Fitness Award Two important challenges in preparing youth for the 21st century particularly in today's increasingly automated and sedentary culture are physical fitness and good health. Every adult leader should set the example and contribute directly to the health and fitness of today's Scouts by completing requirements for the BSA Physical Fitness Award. This award is a national program of emphasis designed to heighten fitness awareness and to help change the lifestyles of American youth and adults regarding exercise and a healthy diet to improve the quality of their lives.
Emergency Preparedness Award An Emergency Preparedness pin may be worn on the uniform, centered on the left pocket flap. All emergency activities carried out by Scouting units must be appropriate for the ages and abilities of the young people involved. Units should participate only under the supervision of their own leaders, and plans for unit help must be coordinated with community agencies responsible for disaster preparedness. Requirements: http://www.scouting.org/pubs/emergency/award.html Application form: http://www.scouting.org/pubs/emergency/19-602.pdf
Whittlin Chip Whittlin Chip is a pocketknife safety program available to Cub Scouts and required for the Bear badge. In return for the privilege of carrying a pocketknife to designated Cub Scout functions, Scouts agree to a code of knife safety.
World Conservation Award The World Conservation Award provides an opportunity for individual Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, and Venturers to "think globally" and "act locally" to preserve and improve our environment. This program is designed to make youth members aware that all nations are closely related through natural resources and that we are interdependent with our world environment. The Cub Scout version of the World Conservation Award can be earned by Wolf or Bear Cub Scouts, and by Webelos Scouts. This award can be earned only once while you are in Cub Scouting (i.e. as either a Wolf Cub Scout, a Bear Cub Scout, or as a Webelos Scout).
International Activity Badge The International Activity badge is worn as a TEMPORARY EMBLEM on the right pocket of the Scout or Scouter to recognize participation in unit, council, and world scouting international activities. Each local Council has the authority to determine requirements for the patch. There is no time restriction for earning the International activity patch.
Interpreter's Strips Youth and Adult members (Cub and Webelos Scouts, Boy and Varsity Scouts, and Venturers and Sea Scouts, plus Scouters in all programs) may wear this strip if they show their knowledge of a foreign language or the sign language for the hearing impaired by: Carrying on a 5-minute conversation in this language. Translating a 2-minute speech or address. Writing a letter in the language (Does not apply for sign language) Translating 200 words or more from the written word.