Recognition

Additionally, there are awards for Venturers who wish to develop a specific set of skills related to a focus area.  These awards are separate from the Venturing, Discovery, Pathfinder, and Summit awards.

Other special interest awards include the Quest Award, which is earned by setting and meeting challenging goals related to sports and lifetime fitness, and the TRUST Award, which is earned by developing a deep understanding about the role of faith in one’s life, the cultures and faiths of officers in a diverse society, and the principles of conflict resolution.

Venturing’s adventure program is structured around the Ranger Award, which is earned by mastering outdoor skills.  The Ranger Award challenges Venturers to achieve a high level of outdoor skills proficiency that can be used to serve other Scouts.

Venturers who have achieved First Class rank as a scout in a troop may continue working toward Star, Life, and Eagle Scout ranks as a Venturer until their 18th birthday.  Any work done while a Venturer can count toward both Scouts BSA advancement and Venturing recognition at the same time.  For instance, a conservation project required in Scouts BSA can also count in Venturing.

For Scouts BSA advancement, the Venturer must meet the requirements in the Scouts BSA Handbook and the current Scouts BSA Requirements.  Scouts BSA leadership requirements may be met by serving in certain Venturing positions of responsibility.

The Messengers of Peace Award recognizes Venturers who participate in qualifying Messengers of Peace service projects.  Messengers of Peace is a global initiative of the World Organization of the Scout Movement to encourage all Scouts everywhere to work toward peace.

The Scouts of the World Award challenges Scouts to “think globally” and “act locally” by gaining the knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to help solve global issues at local level.  Venturers who complete the award become part of a network that provides inspiration to others to take action.

Venturers interested in broadening their knowledge of international Scouting and increasing their appreciation and awareness of different cultures and countries can earn the International Spirit Award.

Conservation and Scouting have been partners for a long time.  Camping, hiking, and respect for the outdoors are part of the Scouting heritage.  Many Venturing alumni have become leaders in conserving the environment and protecting it from abuse.  Venturers interested in conservation, sustainability, and ecology can earn the Outdoor Ethics Awareness Award, the Outdoor Ethics Action Award, the Outdoor Ethics Service Recognition Award, the World Conservation Award, and the William T. Hornaday awards.  Crew 4 can collectively earn the Conservation Good Turn Award, a unit-level conservation award.

Venturers interested in outdoor recreation can earn the National Outdoor Award and badges and National Medal for Outdoor Achievement, the highest recognition for exemplary achievement, experience, and skill in multiple areas of outdoor endeavor.  Similarly, Venturers interested in shooting sports can earn the Shooting Sports Outstanding Achievement Award.

Venturers can earn the Historic Trails Award by hiking a trail designated a Nationally Approved Historic Trail and completing a project related to the trail.

Venturers as a group can earn the 50-Miler Award by covering a route of not less than 50 consecutive miles on foot or by canoe/boat (without the aid of motors) and, during the time on the trail or waterway, completing a minimum of 10 hours each of work to improve the trail or waterway.

Venturers with an affinity for water sports may earn the Boardsailing BSA, Kayaking BSA, Mile Swim BSA,  Scuba BSA, and Snorkeling BSA awards.  Venturers may earn the BSA Lifeguard award by successfully completing the BSA Lifeguard course and demonstrating their ability to perform each of the skills taught in the course.

The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award is an international award launched in 1956 by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, to encourage achievement in community service, physical fitness, special skills, and adventurous journey by young people ages 14 to 25.

A new national partnership between the Boy Scouts of America and the Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA brings the opportunity to the United States.

To date millions of young people from more than 130 countries have participated in the award program. With the U.S. now involved, the goal is to send that number even higher. The BSA and The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award USA team want to reach 500,000 young Americans — 1 percent of the population of young people in the U.S. — by the year 2026.

The Triple Crown of National High Adventure award was created in 1995 and later the Grand Slam of National High Adventure award was created in 2014 by the Charles L. Sommers Alumni Association, Inc. to both promote the Boy Scouts of America’s National High Adventure programs and help identify those Scouts with a thirst for high adventure who may be interested in serving on the staff of Northern Tier High Adventure Bases and other National High Adventure Bases. 

Venturers can earn an interpreter strip by carrying on a conversation in a foreign language or in sign language, writing a letter in the foreign language (not required for signing), and translating orally and in writing from one language to another.  Similarly, Venturers who are licensed amateur radio operators may wear the Amateur Radio Operator rating strip on their Venturing uniform.