BSA Unit Awards
The National Catholic Committee on Scouting offers the Pope Paul VI National Catholic Unit Excellence Award, a unit award similar to the Scouting America’s Journey to Excellence award. To be eligible, a Scouting America unit must be chartered by a Catholic institute and meet the criteria on the application, including:
- Service: The unit performs at least one (1) service project benefiting the unit's chartered partner.
- Diocesan Committee Participation: The COR or designee attends at least one DCCS meeting per year or meets with the Diocesan Committee Chair at least once per year.
- Parish Relations: The unit invites the pastor, canonical administrator, school chaplain, or other similar individual to at least one unit meeting, Court of Honor, or unit committee meeting.
- Religious Emblems: At least once a year the unit makes a presentation to members about the religious emblems that are available for them to earn.
- NCCS COR Training: At least one of the unit's Key 3 has completed the NCCS Chartered Organization Representative training on my.Scouting.
- Unit Planning: Unit has a program plan that includes Catholic activities and is supported by the unit's committee.
- Growth: Unit has a plan for membership growth which includes recruiting from the local Catholic parish or school.
Each year, Diocesan/Eparchial Catholic Committees on Scouting and individual Scout units plan and provide activities that further the “Duty to God” tenet of Scouting. The activities can be general activities where Scouts of all ages are involved, or targeted activities such as an Ad Altare Dei retreat or activities designed for Cub Scouts.
NCCS established the Activity Award of Excellence to recognize these outstanding activities and to share information about these activities with other Diocesan/Eparchial Catholic Committees on Scouting and unit leaders, so that they can use the information to plan and organize their own events.
Activities submitted for award consideration may include but are not limited to sample prayers, songs, skits and crafts, games, retreats, or a combination of any or all these activities.
NCCS makes the award determination. Award recipients are eligible for a patch and a certificate, which can be ordered from the online store.
Applications can be submitted at any time of year.