Troop awards

[st0ut717]

I have an idea kicking around in my head. Based on the National outdoor awards. Is it allowed that troops create awards based on a specific troop determined criteria? E.g. Red aiguillette for a scout that earns shotgun rifle and archery, blue for a scout that earns hiking swimming and cycling etc.

[SSScout]

If the Scout has earned a particular Merit Badge, and it seems appropriate, make him an "Instructor" (there's a patch for that) and assist the MBCounselor. Pioneering comes to mind....

Another added bit of "bling" may or may not be an enticement to learn a skill, but being an "Instructor" has a certain panache of it's own.

[ctbailey]

?..E.g. Red aiguillette for a scout that earns shotgun rifle and archery' date=' blue for a scout that earns hiking swimming and cycling etc.[/quote'] What's an aiguillette?

[King Ding Dong]

A shoulder cord. Use your GoogleFu.

[scoutergipper]

I'm sure there's some bureaucratic "not allowed on the uniform" item somewhere in all the BSA rules & regulations, but I like the idea. We give out Patrol awards that can be tied to their flag (as many here do) - I don't see why you shouldn't reward individual accomplishments, even if it's "beyond what BSA does."

[qwazse]

Temporary insignia may be placed on the right pocket, or the back of MB sashes. Encourage your boys to take advantage of those in their award design. An easy one would be ribbons with a button hole.

[SSScout]

His knowledge and skill earn him a Merit Badge. It is sewn on the sash. If he earns a "set" of MBs (camping, cooking, hiking.... dog care, bird study, reptile study, mammal study), he gets a "stripe" or "cord" to wear summars on the uni. Nice. Make him an Instructor, put him to work in a PoR.

 

Eagles can wear Palms , reflecting their MBs over the usual 21 required.....

[qwazse]

Here's a question for you to get beyond the "kicking around in my head" phase. Ask it of the SPL:

 

Do your boys have a desire to be specialists?

Do some take pride in being the troop marksman, others the athlete, others the mechanic, others the scientist, others the artist?

 

If the SPL says yes, then follow-up with this question:

 

Do you think the PLC would like to come up with a way for boys to prove they own such titles by earning a particular set of related non-required badges? Should it be something that can be put on the temporary insignia parts of the uniform?

 

If yes, then build from there. Your boys might decide against more bling on their uniforms. If so, maybe suggest a wall space where you would put pictures/avatars of the boys as they succeed under a given category. A poster like this would serve the dual purpose of outlining the MBs by categories your boys are proud of and then maybe at the bottom have a note, "If you've liked earning these MBs, you might want to look into the requirements for the National ___ Award."

 

Let us know what you come up with. (Links with pictures would be lovely.)

[Old_OX_Eagle83]

The short answer is absolutely!

 

However, make sure the recognition is either non-uniform, like something for a stave or pack, or goes on the temp pocket.

[Stosh]

Who's to say that a boy can't carry awards around on a hiking stick like the troop and patrols do on their flags?

 

Stosh

[LeCastor]

One of the coolest parts of the courts of honor when I was a young Scout was when our Scoutmaster and the Committee Chair would present funny "awards" based on stories from outings during the year. If something amusing happened and was the talk of the camping trip, our Scoutmaster and Committee Chair would make some kind of plaque or trophy to present and this was definitely a highlight. Sure, we all looked forward to our Scouting advancements, but it was neat to see how much the Scoutmaster paid attention to us individually throughout the year.

 

Others are on the right track when they suggest the temporary (right) pocket. One of the veteran ASMs in my Troop makes little monkey fist totems and various beading designs for Scouts and Scouters to hang from the left pocket button. I wouldn't advocate for anything else on the uniform, though, because it wouldn't be "uniform".

[Baseballfan]

LeCastor, we do that as trip leaders. Most trips have "awards" for silly things that are presented at CoH. The biggest laugh I can remember was when our SM put a whole campground on emergency hold, combing the lake etc., because he (a certified lifeguard) has forgotten his buddy tag at the waterfront. I made him a buddy tag he could never forget- out of posterboard. We also have several Troop-specific awards that receive a plaque or something similar at our Feb (big year-in-review) CoH.

[Stosh]

I have done a honors program in my troop. I went and got lanyard lacing from the trading post of a half dozen colors. Cut them into 4" lengths and starting with the "bottom" color they could work their way up the levels to the "top" color. I would larkhead tie them to the button holes on the temp pocket side. This was an adult led troop having problems with the discipline of the boys. When I saw them doing something positive, I would up the level and when they screwed around, they went a level or two down.

 

Some of the boys thought it was a stupid idea and made no effort to get the ribbons. Others buckled down and worked at it. When perk time came around, i.e. lights out, I would call out a color. Those boys who had that color or higher would gather around the campfire with me. The first time the SM was angry because the boys were supposed to be going to bed, but I said I would personally vouch for them because I had something to talk to them about. SM left, and we all sat around the fire and finally one of them asked, what it was I wanted to talk to them about. I said I'm still thinking about it and maybe have something in about a half hour. The boys quickly figured out that extra half-hour of sitting quietly around the fire before heading to bed was really kinda nice.

 

It took a while, but the majority of the boys eventually started working on the "program". Nothing guaranteed, nothing promised, just a few nice perks for them because I saw something nice they had done earlier.

 

Stosh

[IM_Kathy]

we have individual awards that are different slides

1 knot challenge - tying all the knots and lashings in ranks in one setting

2 shooting badges - earn all 3 of the merit badges

3 fire challenge - start with no more than 2 matches and start another using flint

4 most campouts attended in the calendar year

5 bike, hike, swim - earn those 3 mbs

 

we have patrol awards that are ribbons made of duct tape and attach to their patrol flags much like ribbons on troop flag

1 most avg fish caught on a campout

2 best skit/song

3 best cooking - based on food, working together, cleaning, etc

4 most avg attending campouts for year

5 first aid challenge (we make up challenges that they do every once in a while like staging a car accident)

 

 

I think there's more but I can't think of them right now. Boys love it and are always trying to see if they can have all the patrol awards at same time.

[st0ut717]

Sounds like this is somthing others are doing ... I think i'll try to implement somthing with the SPL and SM.

thanks for all the feedback and ideas.

 

I liked all of them paticualley the patches. and staff medallions