Outline: Running a Court of Honor

A Boy Scout Court of Honor is typically a big deal because it's a time to recognize all the work each Scout and the Troop has done over the past few months, including merit badges, rank advancement, and trips--like camping or hikes--all in front of the Scout's families. Plus, there's usually a meal or snack. Unfortunately, a COH can easily become an overwhelming planning task, lose focus, run too long, and otherwise become less fun.

I've participated in a number of Court of Honor's during my Scouting career and would like to think I have some good ideas about how to run them. What follows is a rough outline of the process I like to follow to put one together.

Planning

Of course, the planning part is always the most work! The key is sharing responsibilities.

• Having a snack or meal at the Court of Honor is a good way to increase attendance and give everybody some opportunity to talk before all the awards are presented. Approach the Committee Chairmain to task a Committee Member(s) to coordinate the food stuff. It's not difficult: assign different patrols different items ("Bear brings main dishes, Antelope brings desserts," etc). Make sure to have drinks, napkins and utensils, too!
• Be sure to invite everyone. Obviously, the Scouts and parents, but also be sure to invite your Charter Representative. If you meet in a church, invite the Pastor/Father. Past Scoutmasters always like to be invited, too.
• Plan an opening, closing and entertainment. At a Patrol Leader's Council meeting, let the Scouts know that they need to help plan the Court of Honor. I like to assign one patrol the responsibility of coming up with an opening, another patrol the closing, and the remaining patrols entertainment.
  • The opening ceremony should be special; something more than what goes on at an ordinary Troop meeting. This can be as simple as the Scouts walking in from the back with the flags, to something more elaborate like an actual flag-raising ceremony complete with a bugler in the background (which went over very well, by the way).
    • For the flag raising we built a flagpole. It was simple: a long (14 foot?) hardwood dowel--typically used in closets to hang clothes on--was purchased, along with a pulley and a little rope. The pulley was screwed into the end of the dowel, which fit into our normal flag stands.
    • When planning the opening, be sure the Scouts include the Pledge of Allegiance, Scout Oath, and Scout Law. The Outdoor Code would also be a good thing to include. There should be someone to lead everybody through this--probably the Senior Patrol Leader--but the Patrol that plans this should choose: maybe their entire patrol wants to lead it. Make sure they invite everyone to stand for the Pledge, and thank everyone for coming.
  • The closing ceremony is done much the same as the opening. If you're doing a flag raising at the opening, lowering the flag at the closing would make the most sense. An easy option is something like Scout Vespers. Again, the planning Patrol gets to choose, including who leads it.
    • Scout Vespers (sing to tune of "Oh Christmas Tree")
      Softly falls the light of day,
      As our campfire fades away.
      Silently each Scout should ask,
      "Have I done my daily task?
      Have I kept my honor bright?
      Can I guiltless sleep tonight?
      Have I done and have I dared,
      Everything to be Prepared?"
  • I think it's important to plan some entertainment for during the meal. It gives everyone a way to be involved and helps to keep the focus on the idea that this is a Scout event and a big deal, not just some dinner. The patrol responsible will probably immediately come up with two ideas: songs and skits. I would also suggest stories (something from Scouting Stories, perhaps) and jokes.
• Lastly, I think a rank advancement ceremony is important, as it lets you specifically recognize the Scouts who have advanced and their parents--after all, it really is the focus of what the whole night is about. I've created some rank advancement ceremonies you can use. I like to try and involve the other adults who have helped the Scouts reach a new rank.

Of course, there are other things that need to be taken care of: getting the necessary patches being the most important of them!

Execution

• Opening ceremony
• Eat!
  • Be sure to say a prayer before starting. Philmont Grace is an excellent choice.
    • Philmont Grace
      For food, for raiment
      For life, for opportunity
      For friendship and fellowship
      We thank thee, O Lord.
  • Don't forget the entertainment.
• Recognition and Awards--this is where the Scoutmaster steps in to get things rolling
  • Be sure to thank the Committee Member(s) for organizing the food, and everyone else for coming.
  • Briefly, explain that the Troop has done a lot and Scouts have worked hard, and everyone is here to recognize them. Judiciously use your Assistant Scoutmasters to make this move along as fast as possible. You've probably got a lot of stuff to hand out, and it gets boring quickly for the Scout/parent/sibling who has to sit there and wait for his one patch.
    • Start with event and participation patches and recognition. For example, you probably received patches from the Fall Camporee--hand them out now. If someone other than the Scoutmaster ran these events, have them come up to read the names of the Scouts who went and mention when it was (but they really don't have to detail the trip at all). Another Assistant Scoutmaster should be handing the patches out. Give Patrol participation ribbons to the Patrol Leaders and Troop participation ribbons to the Senior Patrol Leader.
    • Next, move on to merit badges. The Scoutmaster should briefly explain that these are required to advance at the higher ranks, and that the silver border is for required ones. Also briefly talk about how the Scouts get to do them: sign up at Troop meetings, contact the counselor, etc. Basically, you want the parents to know how their son can do these if he isn't.
      • Before the meeting, sort all the merit badges into piles of who gets what and put them in a ziplock bag along with a little paper naming the badges. That way, when you call a Scout up you can say "John earned Cycling, Camping, Pioneering and Family Living" and move on to the next Scout. Have an Assistant Scoutmaster there to hand the Scoutmaster the next bag of merit badges. This is much faster than calling Scouts up one at a time for one merit badge at a time.
        • Also be sure to sort the bags by the number of patches. Call the Scout who only earned one merit badge first, then work your way up to those who earned 3 or 5 or more.
    • Lastly, rank advancement. Again, briefly discuss rank advancement, when the Scouts work on it, and the amount of effort that goes into it. Be sure to start with the Scout rank and work up to Life. I think it's good to include the parents in this. Assistant Scoutmasters should be at the front to shake the Scout's hand, and perhaps play a part in the ceremony, too.
  • There's probably already been a lot of clapping, but be sure to mention that all the Scouts deserve a round of applause for all their hard work, and that even though some Scouts didn't advance rank they've still been working hard on it.
• Turn the meeting over to the patrol in charge of the closing ceremony. Be sure to thank everyone for coming, and the committee and adults for all the time they put into the Troop. Ask for help cleaning up, too.

In many ways this is a rather simplistic view of all the work that needs to go into a Court of Honor. This outline can still help you to organize and create a smoothly-run COH. You're welcome to pass along any tips you have, too--just leave a comment.