How often should your troop have Eagle Scout courts of honor?

Troop 98 of Whitpain Township, Pa., has a strong membership of more than 80 Scouts with several achieving the Eagle Scout rank every year. Scoutmaster Bob Trejo says it’s been a little bit of a conundrum concerning how often the troop should have Eagle Scout courts of honor. On one hand, the troop can host them regularly or on an individual basis, highlighting a sole Scout’s achievement. Some parents prefer this way, Trejo says.

However, the troop opted for its Scouts’ preference, which is to have large ceremonies where multiple Eagle Scouts are honored. This way, it’s easier on the unit’s calendar and budget, Trejo says. It can also add a more fraternal feel to the court of honor, as was the case in another unit recently, Troop 29 of Long Beach, Calif., where four Scouts were honored, and their older brothers (also Eagle Scouts) served as emcees and presenters.

What do you prefer?

There are many ways you can host an Eagle Scout court of honor. It can be informal and fun or serious and regimented. Keep in mind that this ceremony caps off many months, often years, of a Scout’s journey through the Scouts BSA program. It by no means is the end to the Scouting journey, but it is a time to reflect on the Scout’s (or Scouts’) accomplishment in an event that can be fondly remembered.

Here are some ideas for making the ceremony one to remember:

We want to hear from you, too. How does your troop like to host these ceremonies? Individually or in a group? Are they planned quarterly? Once a year? Soon after each Eagle earns the award? What advantages have you seen in the way your unit hosts a court of honor?

You can share in the comments below or if you have a cool decorations, food, ceremony ideas, etc. from a recent court of honor, you can send them to us here for possible publication in our Scouting Show and Tell feature.