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Annual Council Nomination Awards
For all your BSA awards and recognition updates, head over to Awards Central on Scouting America’s website! Additionally, don’t forget to grab the Guide to Awards and Insignia, your one-stop resource for program awards, insignia, and patches, conveniently available at the Scoutshop.
Call for Nominations: Nominate Outstanding Volunteers for Recognition at Winter Homecoming!
Process and Important Dates
This is your chance to recognize the outstanding individuals who dedicate their time and effort to serve youth and Scouting in exceptional ways. Nominations will be accepted from May 1 until October 15 of each year. During this period, we encourage you to reflect on the remarkable contributions of those within our Scouting community and submit your nominations accordingly.
Deadline Extended! Nominate a Scouter for the 2024 Council Honor Awards by October 31!
The Grand Canyon Council takes great pride in honoring volunteer Scouters who demonstrate exceptional service and leadership qualities. Through their commitment, they inspire and empower the youth in our programs to reach their fullest potential. Remember, the impact of your nominations is profound, but we kindly request that you refrain from notifying a nominee of their nomination. This precaution ensures that disappointment is avoided should the award not be granted. Volunteer recognition is honored at Winter Homecoming in February annually.
Discover Council Honors awards such as The Silver Beaver, The Award of Merit, The North Star, the Unit Leader Award of Merit, and others listed below for details and nomination information.
2024 Annual Council Nomination Awards Flyer
Please send your completed Leadership and Training award applications directly to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org for easy processing!
The North Star Award
A National Court of Honor award is given to non-Scouters (not currently registered as Scouter) to recognize individuals for significant service or contributions to the Council. Examples include contributing land for a new service center, for the CPA who has served the council for years, or an attorney who contributes their legal services and expertise. The candidate’s standing in the community is considered (business, professional, civic, religious, educational, fraternal, veteran, rural, and other fields, exclusive of Scouting.) Outstanding service of exceptional character to youth within the territory under the council’s jurisdiction is considered. (No limit)
The North Star Award Nomination Form
Send your completed application to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org
The Silver Beaver Award
A National Court of Honor Award of the Boy Scouts of America. Recipients of this award are registered Scouters who have impacted the lives of youth through service at the council level. This includes council leadership and committee engagement and leadership of council events or leadership elevating youth at the statewide level. Training Courses completed or staffed and Scouting Recognition/Honors are fundamental to receiving consideration. Outstanding service of exceptional character to youth outside of Scouting and detailed information on the nominee’s standing in the community is required and evaluated. Letters of recommendation are requested. (1/60 units)
To submit your nomination, please complete the form linked below:
The Silver Beaver Award Nomination Form
The Award of Merit
Awarded 1/25 units + fraction to each of our 24 Communities
The Award of Merit in Grand Canyon Council is a council award given to a registered Scouter who has demonstrated outstanding service within the council. Eligible candidates in their community (previously, districts) include volunteers in council leadership and/or committee member positions (For example; Advancement, Leadership & Development, Program, Membership, etc.) in addition to Unit Service positions which includes Community Commissioners and Unit Coaches.
Youth service may consist of a single plan or decision that contributed vitally to the lives of a large number of youths. For example, planning and leading a series of Camporees or Pinewood derby) or given to a smaller group over an extended period. For example, long term service on the district Eagle Board or as a unit leader who also supported council wide activities.
Consideration is given to the nominee’s Scouting position. The corresponding opportunity to render outstanding service beyond the expectations of that Scouting position is reviewed. Scouting training awards are considered. Service to youth in Scouting and the community is essential. For example, the President of the Rotary Club, the Lay Minister at Church, the Red Cross Campaign leader, the PTA, etc. This is often the first council honor a Scouter receives. (1/25 units)
Award of Merit Nomination Form
Send your completed application to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org
2024 Award of Merit Annual Council Nomination Flyer
BSA Alumnus of the Year
The Council Alumnus of the Year Award is given for exceptional service to the alumni movement on a council-wide basis. Each council may select one nominee for this award annually.
Eligibility: Primary consideration (80%) is given to those that:
Remind Scouting alumni to maintain a lifetime relationship with Scouting, which enables Scouting to remain healthy for future generations.
Scouting promotion, contributing significantly to the promotion and/or advancement of the BSA alumni program and activities at a Council level over a sustained period of time through word and/or deed.
Bring Scouting Alumni back to the Campfire.
Secondary consideration (20%) is given for:
Career and/or advocation, such as achieving high honor or distinction in their chosen profession.
Community service, including contributions to Scouting or other community efforts or organizations.
Nominees must be a BSA alumnus which means he or she has been positively and personally impacted by the BSA in some way. A maximum of one recipient may be awarded per council per year. The nomination is not to be submitted posthumously. Nominations are submitted to the individual Council BSA Alumni Committee for their selection process. Approved nominations are forwarded to the BSA Alumni Association Committee for consideration. Those approved will be returned with a personalized certificate and added to the Council Alumnus of the Year recipients.
Procedure The completed nomination form will be submitted to the Council Honors Selection Committee for evaluation and approval.
BSA Alumnus of the Year Nomination Form
Send your completed application to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org
Unit Leader Award of Merit
Quality unit leadership is the key to a quality unit program—and it leads to better Scout retention. Statistics show that if young people stay engaged in the program for at least five years, the BSA’s influence likely will stay with them for the rest of their lives. A quality Scouting experience will help keep Scouts in the program, and the Boy Scouts of America created the Unit Leader Award of Merit to recognize the quality unit leaders who make that happen. The nominee must be a currently registered Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Advisor, or Skipper who has served in that position at least 18 continuous months.
Unit Leader Award of Merit Nomination Form
Please send your completed application directly to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org for easy processing! Remember to attach a statement by the unit committee chair on behalf of the unit committee attesting to the nominee’s performance as unit leader. For Scoutmaster nominations, also attach a statement by the troop’s senior patrol leader. For crew Advisor nominations, also attach a statement by the crew president. For Skipper nominations, also attach a statement by the ship’s boatswain.
2024 Unit Leader Award of Merit Annual Council Nomination Flyer
Commissioner/Coach Award of Excellence in Unit Service
The Commissioner/Coach Award of Excellence in Unit Service is awarded to a Community Commissioner or Unit Coach who provides exemplary unit service to a unit which has been assigned by the Community Commissioner, and by developing a Unit Service plan through the use of the current Boy Scouts of America Commissioner Tools.
Focus areas of Excellence include General Requirements, Unit Service Criteria and Personal Growth and Development listed as part of the nomination form. The nomination form is to be initiated and completed by the Unit Coach then submitted to Community Commissioner for approval before it is submitted to the Council Honors Committee for final approval. Community Commissioners also complete and submit the nomination form to the Council Honors Selection Committee for final evaluation and final approval.
Procedure The completed nomination form will be submitted to the Council Honors Selection Committee for evaluation and approval.
Commissioner/Coach Award of Excellence in Unit Service Nomination Form
Send your completed application to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org
Distinguished Commissioner/Coach
The Distinguished Commissioner Service Award is the highest recognition that can be given to a Community Commissioner or Unit Coach. It recognizes an individual who has consistently engaged in distinguished and exceptional commissioner service resulting in significant, positive impact on youth, units and/or council. In determining the value of such service, consideration must be given to the candidate recipient’s commissioner position and the corresponding opportunity to render outstanding and exceptional service beyond the expectations for that commissioner position.
- In order to be considered for the Distinguished Commissioner Service Award, a candidate recipient must be nominated by a currently registered adult member of the Boy Scouts of America. Commissioners/coaches may not nominate themselves.
- The Distinguished Commissioner Service Award may be awarded once to a commissioner/coach.
- There is no restriction on the number of Distinguished Commissioner Service Awards that may be awarded by a local council during a calendar year.
Prerequisites: In order to be considered for the Distinguished Commissioner Service Award, a candidate recipient shall:
- Be currently registered as a commissioner or have served as a commissioner within the last five years. When nominating a former commissioner, the nomination must be based on the nominee’s performance while a registered commissioner/coach.
- Possess the Commissioner Key (possession of the Commissioner Key automatically includes possession of the Arrowhead Honor).
Procedure: The completed nomination form will be submitted to the Council Honors Selection Committee for evaluation and approval.
Send your completed application to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org
Contact Judy Walden, Council Recognition Chair, via email for any inquiries.
Frequently Asked Questions
When are nominations for council awards due?
By October 15th of each year. We recommend starting the nomination process earlier so that you have time to gather any required information. Please contact Lisa Knight, Customer Service Specialist, if you need a Scouter’s training and service record to complete a nomination form.
Who makes the final decisions for the nomination awards?
For council honors, the decision is made by the council Key 3 based upon recommendations of a volunteer honors and awards committee, which scores nominations objectively. Other awards have specific processes that are usually described in Awards Central.
When are the council-level awards presented?
Council honors and selected awards are presented at the annual Winter Homecoming event, which is held in February of each year. Other awards may be presented at special events, round tables, or at the unit as is most appropriate.
How to Apply for Training and Tenure Awards
Please send your completed Leadership and Training award applications directly to awards@grandcanyonbsa.org for easy processing!
Past Honorees for All National and Council Awards
- Past Honorees for All National and Council Awards
- 2020 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
- 2021 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
- 2022 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
- 2023 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
For additional questions, please email awards@grandcanyonbsa.org or Recognition Chair listed above.