There are many special awards a cub scout can earn. They're a fun way to enrich the cub scout program and give boys goals to work toward if they've earned their rank advancement several months before their birthday.

BSA Family
Crime Prevention
Cub Scout Conservation Good Turn
Cub Scout Outdoor Activity Award
Cub Scout World Conservation Award
Emergency Preparedness
Interpreter Strip
Leave No Trace
Religious Emblem
Super Achiever
Whittling Chip

NOTE: The Arrow of Light award requirements is located on the Webelos page.

The BSA Family Award program offers activities to help strengthen all families—whether two-parent, single-parent, or nontraditional. This program helps families accomplish worthy goals while building and strengthening relationships among family members. All family members are encouraged to participate and may earn the award.

Some packs, through a volunteer family program chair, actively encourage and support families pursuing this award. If your pack does not promote and support the family program, your family may still participate on its own. The BSA Family Activity Book (available at your local council service center) gives all the requirements as well as step-by-step instructions for earning the BSA Family Award.

To earn the award, a family must complete 10 activities within a 12-month period. The family chooses one activity in two topics in each of the following categories:

1. Learning Through Fun and Adventure
2. Strengthening Family Relationships
3. Developing Personal Strengths
4. Teaching Responsibility
5. Handling Difficult Situations

The Boy Scouts of America's Crime Prevention Program assists neighborhoods and communities in their efforts to prevent crime by emphasizing youth, family, and community. There is also a boy scout version of this award.

PHASE I - YOUTH AND FAMILY
Complete activities from the program book in which your son is working, as indicated below, and discuss how they relate to crime prevention in your family.

Tiger Cubs:

• "Know Your Family" - Hold a family meeting and discuss ideas from the "Youth" section in the Crime Prevention Award Guidelines for Cub Scouts and Boys Scouts (see below). 
• "Know Your Community" - Discuss how your family can better understand community resources related to crime prevention.

Wolf Cub Scouts:

• Achievement 4, "Know Your Home and Community
• Achievement 12, "Making Choices" 

Bear Cub Scouts:

• Achievement 7, "Law Enforcement is a Big Job" 
• Achievement 24, "Be a Leader" 
• Relate three of the requirements to crime prevention.

Webelos:

• Citizen Activity Badge 
• Family Member Activity Badge
• Discuss items about drugs and crime, gangs and crime, graffiti and crime, and peers and crime.

PHASE II-YOUTH AND UNIT
Participate with your family, den, pack, or friends in a crime prevention project, either an original project or a project of a neighborhood- or community-based organization. (Before beginning the project, have the unit leader approve your choice.)

Youth
When working on crime prevention with youth, help them learn the importance of the following:

• Settle arguments with words, not fists or weapons. Do not stand around and watch while others are arguing; violence often spreads into groups of bystanders.
• Learn safe routes and good places to find help in the neighborhood. Trust your feelings; if you sense danger, get away fast. Report any crimes or suspicious actions or individuals to the police, school authorities, or parents.
• Do not open the door to anyone you do not know and trust. Never go anywhere with someone you do not know and trust.
• Whenever you leave home, tell parents, relatives, or other responsible adults where you are going, who you will be with, and when you expect to be home.
• Do not use alcohol or other drugs.
• Stick with friends who are not violent and who do not use alcohol or drugs. Avoid known 'trouble spots' and difficult situations.
• If someone tries to abuse you or touch you inappropriately, yell no, get away, and tell a trusted adult.
• Get involved in making your neighborhood safer. Join with your neighbors, neighborhood associations, and local schools in these efforts.
• Help teach younger children how to avoid being victims of crime. Set a good example for them, and explain why it's important to be safe.

Family
Addressing crime prevention through families is one of the most effective ways to combat the problem. Here are some important topics for family or one-on-one discussion:

• Children need to feel that someone cares enough to protect them. Adults need to set limits, rules, and standards for children. Discuss the reasons for and importance of these boundaries.
• Children need to talk about violent situations they might witness or be involved in. How might such violent situations be avoided? How can children prevent such situations from happening to themselves or their family and friends? What is a loving and supportive environment, and how is it created?
• Why is it important to be trustworthy? How does someone earn a reputation for trustworthiness? How does someone lose that reputation, and what does it feel like? Discuss how one small violation of trust can lead to larger ethical compromises.
• Is it right to 'narc on' someone you know? How does silence allow crime to flourish? Discuss ways to tell the truth about someone else's actions without suffering reprisals. Give examples.
• It can be difficult to develop a sense of respect and appreciation for one's family, community, and world. Discuss focusing on positive things-not just problems.

The following strategies and projects can involve individuals or whole families in preventing crime:

• Don't keep or temporarily place weapons where children have access to them. A parent's attitude and example can be extremely influential when it comes to weapons.
• Get to know neighbors and help your children develop trust with them. Increase the awareness of everyone in your neighborhood of situations that could attract crime - for example, empty houses, open garage doors, unaccompanied children.
• Stay in touch with your children and have them stay in touch with you. Teach them how to contact you and how to find another trusted adult any time they need help.
• Offer the use of your home as a refuge and a reliable source of help for children who are frightened or need assistance.
• Organize, join, or participate in your neighborhood's or community's crime watch efforts. Help educate others about crime prevention.

Neighborhood/Community
When you focus on community crime prevention, consider participating in the following programs:

• Neighborhood watch
• Child identification
• The McGruff program
• Safety for the elderly
• Local police or sheriff's department initiatives
• Church- or school-based anticrime initiatives

Consider these suggestions for crime prevention projects:

• Work with local schools and parks to establish drug-free, weapon-free zones. Build a partnership with police. Focus on solving problems instead of reacting to crises.
• Help develop community pride by cleaning up the neighborhood. Involve the whole community. Contact the departments of public works or parks and recreation for specific ideas, guidance, or suggestions.
• Build a phone list of local organizations that offer counseling, job training, guidance, and other services that provide positive options to at-risk youth and families. Distribute the list in your neighborhood using local libraries, recreation centers, and other facilities.

• The Scouting unit contacts a conservation agency and offers to carry out a Good Turn project.
• The agency identifies a worthwhile and needed project that the unit can accomplish.
• Working together in the local community, the unit and the agency plan the details and establish the date, time, and location for carrying out the project.

Many federal agencies are resources for the BSA's Conservation Good Turn. These agencies include

• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• Natural Resources Conservation Service
• Forest Service
• Cooperative State Research, Education, and Extension Service
• U.S. Department of the Interior
• Fish and Wildlife Service
• Bureau of Land Management
• National Park Service
• Geological Survey
• Bureau of Indian Affairs
• Bureau of Reclamation
• U.S. Department of Commerce
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

Conservation and environmental agencies typically have a backlog of needed projects that they have been unable to carry out for lack of funding or volunteers. The list of possible Good Turn projects is limited only by the needs of the agency and the willingness of the Scouting unit. In every community, whether urban, suburban, or rural, worthwhile projects await all Scouting units.

Cub Scouting conservation projects should involve the entire Cub Scout pack, each den, adult leaders, and family members. Hands-on projects help Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts realize that everyone can do things to care for the environment. Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts participating in the Conservation Good Turn can also meet some advancement requirements. Suggested projects include, but are not limited to

• Plant grasses, trees, shrubs, and ground cover to stop soil erosion.
• As a den or pack, adopt a park. Remove litter and garbage from a favorite neighborhood recreation area or park.
• Organize or participate in a recycling program in your neighborhood, or visit a recycling center.
• Arrange a natural resources awareness program. Invite natural resource professionals such as wildlife biologists, soil conservationists, foresters, or conservation officers to speak to your pack.
• Participate in a beach or waterfront cleanup. Record the items collected and determine the possible harmful effects to wildlife. With youth participation, develop a plan to educate the public about the dangers posed to wildlife.
• From a local, state, or national organization that is concerned about environmental protection, obtain suggestions for den and pack projects to improve the environment.
• As a den or pack, visit a public utility to learn about the wise use of resources, and become involved in programs offered by utilities to help consumers conserve resources.
• Contact the camp ranger or BSA local council property superintendent for information about camp needs and plans. Establish a nature trail, plant vegetation, or carry out other needed projects as requested by the camp ranger.

1. Participate in a nature hike in your local area. This can be on an organized, marked trail, or just a hike to observe nature in your area.
2. Participate in an outdoor activity such as a picnic or park fun day.
3. Explain the buddy system and tell what to do if lost. Explain the importance of cooperation.
4. Attend a pack overnighter. Be responsible by being prepared for the event.
5. Complete an outdoor service project in your community.
6. Complete a nature/conservation project in your area. This project should involve improving, beautifying, or supporting natural habitats. Discuss how this project helped you to respect nature.
7. Earn the Summertime Pack Award.
8. Participate in a nature observation activity. Describe or illustrate and display your observations at a den or pack meeting.
9. Participate in an outdoor aquatic activity. This can be an organized swim meet or just a den or pack swim.
10. Participate in an outdoor campfire program. Perform in a skit, sing a song, or take part in a ceremony.
11. Participate in an outdoor sporting event.
12. Participate in an outdoor Scout's Own or other worship service.
13. Explore a local city, county, state, or national park. Discuss with your den how a good citizen obeys the park rules.

Participate in a Den or Pack conservation project

AND

complete the following depending on your rank:

Wolf Cub Scouts
Requirement 7 - "Your living World"
and all of the elective projects in 2 of the following:

• Elective 13 - "Birds"
• Elective 15 - "Grow something"
• Elective 19 - "Fishing"

Requirement 5 - "Sharing your world with wild-life"
and all of the elective projects in 2 of the following:

• Elective 2 - "Weather"
• Elective 12 - "Nature crafts"
• Elective 15 - "Water and soil conservation"

back to top

Emergency Preparedness

When a member has fulfilled the requirements, a completed application is submitted to the council. Upon approval, an Emergency Preparedness pin is awarded. The pin may be worn on civilian clothing or on the uniform, centered on the left pocket flap. The award may be earned more than once; for instance, as a young person advances through the ranks and is capable of more complex preparedness activities, but only one pin may be worn.

There is also a boy scout version of this award.

Tiger Cub Requirements

1. Complete Tiger Cub Achievement 3—Keeping Myself Healthy and Safe. This achievement covers a family fire plan and drill and what to do if separated from the family.
2. Complete Tiger Cub Elective 27—Emergency! This elective helps a Tiger Cub be ready for emergencies and dangerous situations and has him discuss a family emergency plan with his family.
3. With your parent or guardian's help, complete one of these three activities.
4. Take the American Red Cross First Aid for Children Today (FACT) course.
5. Join a safe kids program such as McGruff Child Identification, Internet Safety, or Safety at Home.
6. Show and tell your family household what you have learned about preparing for emergencies.

Wolf Cub Scout Requirements

1. Complete Wolf Cub Scout Achievement 9*—Be Safe at Home and on the Street. This is a check of your home to keep it safe.
2. Complete Wolf Cub Scout Elective 16*—Family Alert. This elective is about designing a plan for your home and family in case an emergency takes place.
3. With your parent or guardian's help, complete one of the following activities that you have not already completed for this award as a Tiger Cub:
4. Take American Red Cross Basic Aid Training (BAT) to learn emergency skills and care for choking, wounds, nose bleeds, falls, and animal bites. This course includes responses for fire safety, poisoning, water accidents, substance abuse, and more.
5. Make a presentation to your family on what you have learned about preparing for emergencies.
6. Join a Safe Kids program such as McGruff Child Identification program. Put on a training program for your family or den on stranger awareness, Internet safety, or safety at home.

* Achievement and elective numbers could change; the achievement or elective title determines what the requirement is.

Bear Cub Scout Requirements

1. Complete Bear Cub Scout Achievement 11*—Be Ready. The focus of this achievement is the best way to handle emergencies.
2. Make a small display or give a presentation for your family or den on what you have learned about preparing for emergencies.
3. With your parent or guardian's help, complete one of the following activities that you have not already completed for this award as a Tiger Cub or Wolf Cub Scout:
4. Take American Red Cross Basic Aid Training (BAT) to learn emergency skills and care for choking, wounds, nose bleeds, falls, and animal bites. This course includes responses for fire safety, poisoning, water accidents, substance abuse, and more..
5. Put together a family emergency kit for use in the home.
6. Organize a safe kids program such as McGruff Child Identification program. Put on a training program for your family or den on stranger awareness, Internet safety, or safety at home.

* Achievement and elective numbers could change; the achievement or elective title determines what the requirement is.

Webelos Scout Requirements

1. Earn the Readyman activity badge from the community badge group.
2. Build a family emergency kit, with an adult family member participating in the project.
3. With your parent or guardian's help, complete one of the following that you have not already completed for this award as a Tiger Cub or Wolf or Bear Cub Scout:
4. Take a first aid course conducted by your local American Red Cross chapter.
5. Give a presentation to your den on preparing for emergencies.
6. Organize a training program for your Webelos den on stranger awareness, Internet safety, or safety at home.

back to top

Interpreter Strip  

Boys (cub scouts and boys scouts) and adults (i.e. leaders) may wear this strip if they show their knowledge of a foreign language or the sign language for the hearing impaired.

Earn the interpreter strip 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.

back to top




Leave No Trace (Cub Scouts)

There is also a boy scout version of the Leave No Trace award.

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).

We should practice Leave No Trace in our attitude and actions--wherever we go. Understanding nature strengthens our respect toward the environment. One person with thoughtless behavior or one shortcut on a trail can spoil the outdoor experience for others.

Help protect the environment by remembering that while you are there, you are a visitor. When you visit the outdoors, take special care of the area. Leave everything just as you find it.

Hiking and camping without a trace are signs of a considerate outdoorsman who cares for the environment. Travel lightly on the land.

Leave No Trace Pledge

1. Plan ahead
2. Stick to trails
3. Manage your pet
4. Leave what you find
5. Respect other visitors
6. Trash your trash

Requirements:

1. Discuss with your leader or parent/guardian the importance of the Leave No Trace frontcountry guidelines.
2. On three separate outings, practice the frontcountry guidelines of Leave No Trace.
3. Boys in a Tiger Cub den complete the activities for Achievement 5, Let's Go Outdoors; boys in a Wolf den complete Requirement 7, Your Living World; boys in a Bear den complete Requirement 12, Family Outdoor Adventures; boys in a Webelos den earn the Outdoorsman activity badge.
4. Participate in a Leave No Trace-related service project.
5. Promise to practice the Leave No Trace frontcountry guidelines by signing the Cub Scout Leave No Trace Pledge.
6. Draw a poster to illustrate the Leave No Trace frontcountry guidelines and display it at a pack meeting. 

back to top

Religious Emblem


A Scout is reverent. He is reverent toward God. He is faithful in his religious duties and respects the convictions of others in matters of custom and religion.

To encourage members to grow stronger in their faith, religious groups have developed the following religious emblems programs. The Boy Scouts of America has approved of these programs and allows the emblems to be worn on the official uniform. The various religious groups administer the programs. Check with your local council service center or contact the religious organization directly to obtain the curriculum booklets.

For a listing of resources for each of the religious faiths that participate in this program, see the P.R.A.Y. web site

For information about the LDS cub scout religious emblem requirements, click here. 



back to top


Super Achiever

The Super Achiever award is for Webelos who earn all 20 activity pins. This is not an official advancement award and not in use by all councils. Check with your pack leader or council to see if you can use it. Your local council or scout shop may stock the award, or it can be ordered here at the national scout shop.



back to top


Whittling Chip

Bear scouts and Webelos scouts may earn the privilege of carrying a pocketknife to Cub Scout functions. The objective of this award is to make scouts aware that:

'A Cub Scout knife is an important tool. You can do many things with its blades. The cutting blade is the one you will use most of the time. With it you can make shavings and chips and carve all kinds of things.

You must be very careful when you whittle or carve. Take good care of your knife. Always remember that a knife is a tool, not a toy. Use it with care so that you don't hurt yourself or ruin what you are carving.'


The requirements to earn the Whittling Chip card and patch are:

1. Complete Bear Achievement 19, Shavings and Chips
2. Demonstrate knowledge and skill in the use of a pocketknife.
   • Close the blade with the palm of your hand.
   • Never use a knife on something that will dull or break it.
   • Be careful that you do not cut yourself or any person nearby.
   • Never use a knife to strip the bark from a tree.
   • Do not carve your initials into anything that does not belong to you.
3. Take the Pocketknife Pledge:
   • I will treat my pocketknife with the respect due a useful tool.
   • I will always close my pocketknife and put it away when not in use.
   • I will not use my pocketknife when it might injure someone near me.
   • I promise never to throw my pocketknife for any reason.
   • I will use my pocketknife in a safe manner at all times.

The scout must sign and carry the Whittling Chip card whenever he has his pocketknife, otherwise leaders should confiscate the knife and return it to the parent. The Whittling Chip card may be withdrawn from a scout who does not follow the pocketknife pledge. Some units tear a corner off the card after an infraction, and take away the card after all four corners are gone. Use your judgment. Failing to close a pocketknife after use would not have the same consequences as throwing a knife, which may justify immediate withdrawal of the card (and confiscation of the knife).

back to top