Everglades District Awards
Everglades District appreciates the time and effort put in by our adult volunteers. Our Awards Committee has established several awards to recognize various degrees of contributions to make Scouting the best youth program available to families in our communities.
Nominations for the Everglades District awards listed below are due annually by December Roundtable.
Award nominations for service rendered in 2024 are due by December 18, 2024!
District Award of Merit
The District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts in the same manner that the Silver Beaver is a national award presented by councils. The award is available to Scouters who render service of an outstanding nature at the district level.
The award is made available annually on the basis of 1 for each 25 traditional units or fraction thereof. The district need not present all the awards to which it is entitled each year. It is not appropriate to nominate a Scouter who has already received this award. Nominees must have previously been awarded the Extra Miler, Valuable Scouter, and Spark Plug award.
A professional Scouter or other council employee may not receive this award based on employment service. However, a professional Scouter or employee who also serves as a volunteer Scouter may be eligible, based on volunteer service.
Extra Miler Award
The Extra Miler Award is a district award presented by Everglades District in the same manner that the District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts. This is the second-highest award presented by the Everglades District.
The award is presented for noteworthy service to Scouting at the Unit-level and/or the District-level. Qualifying service must exceed training and performance expectations for the registered position, and must include performance in support of Council/District operations or events. Consideration is made for those registered in a District-level position (District Committee, Commissioner Service, Merit Badge Counselor, Nova Counselor or Supernova Mentor). Nominees must have previously been awarded the Valuable Scouter and Spark Plug award.
This award is available to registered Scout leaders. There is no limit to the number of nominations. A maximum of one (1) award per unit may be presented each year. Unused awards may not be carried over into subsequent years.
Valuable Scouter Award
The Valuable Scouter Award is a district award presented by units in the same manner that the District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts. This is the third-highest award presented by the Everglades District.
The award is presented for noteworthy service to Scouting at the Unit-level. Qualifying service must exceed training and performance expectations for the registered position, and may include performance in support of Council/District operations or events. Nominees must have previously been awarded the Spark Plug award.
This award is available to registered Scout leaders. There is no limit to the number of nominations. A maximum of two (2) awards per unit may be presented each year. Unused awards may not be carried over into subsequent years.
Spark Plug Award
The Spark Plug Award is a district award presented by units in the same manner that the District Award of Merit is a council award presented by districts. This is the fourth-highest award presented by the Everglades District.
The award is presented for noteworthy service to Scouting at the Unit-level. Qualifying service must exceed training and performance expectations for the registered position, if the nominee is currently registered.
This award is available to registered Scout leaders and/or unregistered parents/guardians of a currently registered Scout. There is no limit to the number of nominations. A maximum of four (4) awards per unit may be presented each year. Unused awards may not be carried over into subsequent years.
Michael Tessler Roundtable Award
Mike Tessler was a distinguished Scouter in Gulf Stream Council and served for many years as the Assistant District Commissioner of Roundtables in Everglades District. He was a friend to Scouters new and old, always greeting Roundtable attendees with a smile and kind words and annually recognizing those who frequently attended; this award is an incredibly fitting tribute to him.
This award is unique to the Everglades District and may be presented annually in May to recognize Scouters who have attended a minimum of four Roundtables during a program year and exemplifies the legacy of Mike Tessler.
Recipients may cite this award (and year awarded) when applying for the Scouter's Key, Scouter's Training Award, Den Leader Training Award, or any other award requiring Roundtable attendance.
Award Recipients & Individual History Lists
Everglades District is working to maintain accurate records of awards recipients for the District Award of Merit, Extra Miler, Valuable Scouter, Spark Plug, and Michael Tessler Roundtable Awards. These lists aid the Awards Committee when reviewing nominations. If you have received any of these awards and you are not represented on the lists, or if you find an inaccuracy, please contact Steve Slaman, District Chair at smslaman@hotmail.com.