Courts of Honor

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Sample Court of Honor script

There are many sample scripts that are specificly for Eagle Courts of Honor but few for regular Courts of Honor. Here is one sample of a basic Court of Honor script. It is designed to be simple with an expected time of 40 minutes. By adding in the optional candle-lighting portions, the time is extended about 10 minutes. It also has an option for a guest speaker that adds however much time alloted to the guest.

• Sample Court of Honor Script
• Court of Honor Script - Simple DOC file script you can edit to recognize your Scout, leaders, ranks, and merit badges in under 20 minutes.

Advancement Policies

(Quoted from: Advancement Policies #33088, p. 30)

Each time a Scout advances in rank, he should be recognized on two occasions. The first should occur as soon as possible after a Scout has been approved by a board of review and an Advancement Report has been filed with the council office - preferably at the next unit meeting. This ceremony should be dignified but simple, involving not much more than presenting the Scout with his new badge of rank.

The second occasion is a court of honor, a public ceremony to recognize Scouts for successful achievement and to describe the importance of the program. The main purposes of the court of honor are to furnish formal recognition for achievement and to provide incentive for other Scouts to advance.

Formal courts of honor should be conducted at least four times a year. All Scouts who have advanced since the previous court of honor are honored. Their parents and friends should be invited to attend the ceremony.

When a Scout has earned the Eagle Scout rank, he deserves a special recognition. The Eagle Scout ceremony may not be conducted until the action of the board of review has been approved by the national Eagle Scout Service.

Procedures for conducting courts of honor and special First Class and Eagle Scout courts of honor are described in Troop Program Resources, No 33588A.

Troop Advancement Goals

Quarterly Courts of Honor
Monlthy Boards of Review
First Class-First Year

(Quoted from: Advancement Policies #33088, p. 25)

"It is important that the troop committee and the Scoutmaster set an advancement goal for the year. A basic goal should be for each Scout to advance a rank during the year. New Scouts should earn their First Class rank during their first year in the troop. By doing so, these new Scouts become net contributors to the troop and are able to care for themselves and others. When reviewed monthly by the troop committee, Scouts will recognize the importance of Scout advancement. Troops should conduct boards of review for Scouts who are not advancing. A minimum of four formal courts of honor a year (one every three months) should be held to formally recognize the Scouts in the troop."

"Presentation of merit badges and rank badges should not await these courts of honor; awards and badges should be presented at the next meeting after they have been earned. Scouts are recognized again at a formal court of honor."

Related awards

• Communications #8. Plan a troop court of honor or campfire program.
• Cinematography #2d. Videotape a Court of Honor.
• Computers #6c. Write a letter to the parents of your troop's Scouts inviting them to a court of honor.
• Computers #6f. FInd materials for a Court of Honor.

See also

• Sample Court of Honor Script
• Court of Honor Script - Simple DOC file script you can edit to recognize your Scout, leaders, ranks, and merit badges in under 20 minutes.
• Flag Ceremonies
• Troop Program Resources includes many ceremonies and court of honor ideas.
• Eagle Scout Courts of Honor
• More Eagle Scout Courts of Honor
• Boy Scout Ceremonies
• USScouts.org Ceremonies