Scouter's Key Award

Scouter's Key Award

Medal, knot and program devices
Owner Boy Scouts of America
Country United States
Created 1927
Awarded for Serving as a key leader while completing a set of training and performance goals, during a specified period of time.

The Scouter's Key Award is an adult recognition of the Boy Scouts of America. This award is available across several different program areas and can be earned more than once.

History

In 1927 the Boy Scouts of America began to recognize adult leaders who completed specific training and performance goals over a five-year period of service with the Scoutmaster's Key. In 1948, the award was renamed the Scouter's Key Award and the tenure requirement was changed from five years of service to three years. The award could now be earned by Cubmasters, Scoutmasters, Senior Scout Advisors and commissioners. The Skipper's Key, created in 1939, was discontinued in 1948 and replaced with the Scouter's Key. The medal emblem was changed from the First Class emblem to the universal emblem.[1] The Skipper's Key was reinstated as a separate award in 2001 using the original medal and knot designs.

Award

The medal is a pendant suspended from a green ribbon with a thick vertical stripe. The pendant is a Tenderfoot emblem on a keystone, all in a brass colored metal. The square knot insignia is an embroidered green and white square knot on a cloth khaki patch. Multiple awards are denoted by the wear of program devices, worn on the square knot award and the ribbon of the award medal.

Requirements

Requirements vary, depending on position, but all requirements basically amount to creation and/or maintenance of a quality Scouting program, while serving for a period of three years. The award may be earned as a Boy Scout Scoutmaster, Varsity Scout Coach, Venturing Advisor, roundtable commissioner, district commissioner, assistant district commissioner, unit commissioners, council commissioner, assistant council commissioner, district committee chairman, or district committee member.

Cubmaster's Key[2]
Scoutmaster's Key[3]
Varsity Scout Coach's Key[4]
Venturing Advisor's Key[5]
Unit Commissioner Key[6]
  1. Complete Basic Training
  2. Visit each assigned unit eight or more times throughout the year
  3. Fill in and follow up on unit commissioner work sheets or self-assessment forms for each assigned unit
  4. Conduct membership and leadership inventories in each assigned unit
  5. Attend six district commissioner staff meetings and provide the training topic for one meeting
  6. Participate in a charter renewal meeting that results in on-time unit reregistration
  7. Participate in a charter presentation
  8. Attend a council commissioner conference or planning conference, or actively participate in a major council event
  9. Help a unit resolve a specific problem or improve some aspect of their unit operation
Roundtable Commissioner Key[7]
  1. Review all material in the current Venturing Roundtable Guide, current Boy Scout Roundtable Planning Guide, current Cub Scout Roundtable Planning Guide, or the current Varsity Scout Roundtable Guide.
  2. Review all material in the Troop Program Features, Cub Scout Program Helps, Varsity Scout Game Plan or Venturing Leader Manual
  3. Recruit a roundtable staff
  4. Lead staff in preparing a one-year roundtable outline
  5. Supervise the staff in conducting these roundtables
  6. With the district commissioner and district executive, develop and use an attendance promotion plan
  7. Attend a council commissioner conference, roundtable, or planning conference
District Commissioner Key[8]
  1. Work with the district executive to evaluate all district commissioners
  2. Achieve a ratio of one unit commissioner for every three units in the district or service area
  3. Develop and put into action a suitable recruiting plan
  4. Chair or take part actively in six district commissioner staff meetings
  5. Attend six district committee meetings
  6. Attend a council commissioner conference or planning conference with a majority of the commissioner staff
  7. Provide personal coaching for the district commissioners
  8. Develop and implement a plan to track and hold unit commissioners accountable for monthly unit visits
Council Commissioner Key[9]
  1. Work with the Scout executive or other staff adviser and evaluate all district commissioners in the council
  2. Have an active, effective district commissioner in every district of the council
  3. Develop and put into action a suitable recruiting plan throughout the council
  4. Achieve a ratio in the council of one unit commissioner for every three units
  5. Chair or actively take part in six council commissioner meetings
  6. Give leadership to a council commissioner conference
  7. In consultation with the Scout executive, select and carry out a major project in the council

District Committee Key may still be earned under the old requirements if the scouter has already started working on it and will have requirements completed by December 31, 2014[10] These requirements are:[11]

New requirements are as follows:[12]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Crowl, George (2006). Training Award Varieties (PDF).
  2. ↑ "Cubmaster Progress Record for the Scouter's Key Award" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2012.
  3. ↑ "Scoutmaster Progress Record for the Scouter's Key Award" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2012.
  4. ↑ "Varsity Scout Leader Progress for the Scouter's Key Award" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2012.
  5. ↑ "Venturing Leader Progress Record for the Scouter's Key Award" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2012.
  6. ↑ "Unit Commissioner Progress Record for the Commissioner Key/Arrowhead Honor Award" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2006.
  7. ↑ "Roundtable Commissioner Progress Record for the Arrowhead Honor/Commissioner Key" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2006.
  8. ↑ "District and Assistant District Commissioner Progress Record for the Commissioner Key/Arrowhead Honor Award" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2006.
  9. ↑ "Council Commissioner's Key and Assistant Council Commissioner's Key and Arrowhead Honor" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2006.
  10. ↑ "The Training Times". Boy Scouts of America. p. 5.
  11. ↑ "District Committee Member Progress Record District Committee Key" (PDF). Boy Scouts of America. 2006.
  12. ↑ "District Committee Key Progress Record". Boy Scouts of America.