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Annual Council Nomination Awards
Please visit Awards Central, the Boy Scouts of America’s repository, for information about official awards and recognition. This is where the most up to date information about BSA-related awards may be found. View the Guide to Awards and Insignia. This resource is also a helpful guide for all program awards, insignia and patches and can be purchased at the Scoutshop.
Council Honors awards, such as the Meritorious Service Star, Distinguished Service Star, Silver Beaver, North Star and District Award of Merit are listed with further information below.
Eric Hiser | Council Recognition Chair
Please email Eric with any questions.
Annual Council Honor Nomination Due Dates and Process
The Grand Canyon Council Honors volunteer Scouters who provide exceptional service and leadership to youth and Scouting. The District Award of Merit is awarded for service to youth at the district level. The Meritorious Service Star is awarded for service to Scouting at the district or council level. The Silver Beaver, a National honor, is awarded for exceptional service to youth at the council level. The Distinguished Service Star is awarded for distinguished service to Scouting, typically to individuals who had previously received their Silver Beaver. The North Star is awarded to non-Scouters for outstanding service to youth at the council level.
Nominations for these council honors are open April 1 through October 15 of each year.
Additional information for these 5 Council Honors awards is listed below with the online nomination process. Please do not notify a nominee of a nomination to avoid disappointment should the award not be granted.
Council Honors Tri-fold Pamphlet
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
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)
The Silver Beaver Nomination Form
The Distinguished Service Star
A Council award is given to a registered Scouter with unusually outstanding service to Scouting at the unit, district, or council level over at least 20 years. This award looks at the lifetime of service provided by the individual at the team, community, or council level (or all of the above) and the impact of that service on Scouting’s ability to deliver character, leadership, fun, and growth to youth within the council. Nominee must be a registered Scouter and render outstanding service beyond the expectation of their Scouting position. Training, prior honors received, and dedication to Scouting is ideally required. Letters of recommendation are required. (1/250 units)
The Distinguished Service Star Nomination Form
The Meritorious Service Star
A Council award is given to a registered Scouter with outstanding service to Scouting at the unit, district, or council level over at least five years. Service may consist of a single plan or decision that contributed vitally to the lives of a large number of youth (for example, leading camporees, service on camp staff, service as an Order of the Arrow adviser) or given to a smaller group over an extended period (for example, unit leadership or exceptional merit badge counseling and mentoring.) Nominee must be a registered Scouter and render outstanding service beyond the expectation of their Scouting position. This is often the second honor a Scouter may receive. (1/40 units)
The Meritorious Service Star Nomination Form
The District Award of Merit
A Council award is given to a registered Scouter with outstanding service at the district level. Youth service may consist of a single plan or decision that contributed vitally to the lives of a large number of youth (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 district activities) Consideration is given to the nominee’s Scouting position. The corresponding opportunity to render outstanding service beyond the expectations of that Scouting position. Scouting Training Awards are considered. Service to youth in Scouting and the community are 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 honor a Scouter receives. (1/25 units)
The District Award of Merit Nomination Form
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 Kathy Coleman, the registrar, 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. The districts follow a similar procedure for district awards. Other awards have specific processes that are usually described in Awards Central.
When are the council-level awards presented?
Council and district honors and selected awards are presented at the annual recognition 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
- 2020 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
- 2021 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
- 2022 Grand Canyon Council Honorees
For additional questions, please email awards@grandcanyonbsa.org or Recognition Chair listed above.