Boy Scouts of America

Nova Award

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) is part of an initiative the Boy Scouts of America has taken on to encourage the natural curiosity of youth members and their sense of wonder about these fields through existing programs. From archery to welding, Scouts can’t help but enjoy the wide range of STEM-related activities. To support this initiative, the BSA developed the Nova Awards program so that youth members have fun and receive recognition for their efforts.

The Boy Scouts of America developed the Nova Awards program to excite and expand a sense of wonder in our Scouts. By working with an adult counselor or mentor, the various modules allow them to explore the basic principles of STEM and discover how fun and fascinating STEM can be.

The Supernova awards are offered for those who enjoy a super challenge.

There are four Nova Awards for Venturers. Each award covers one component of STEM—science, technology, engineering, or mathematics.

  • Launch!
  • Power Up
  • Hang On!
  • Numbers Don’t Lie

For their first Nova Award, Venturers earn the distinctive Nova Award patch. After that, a Scout can earn three more Nova Awards, each one recognized with a separate pi (π) pin-on device that attaches to the patch.

The Supernova Awards have more rigorous requirements than the Nova Awards. The requirements and activities were designed to motivate youth and recognize more in-depth, advanced achievement in STEM-related activities. There are multiple recognition levels:

  • Dr. Sally Ride Supernova Bronze Award
  • Wright Brothers Supernova Silver Award
  • Dr. Albert Einstein Supernova Gold Award

All requirements may be found in the Nova awards guidebooks, available through local Scout shops. The requirements can be completed with a parent or an adult leader as the counselor (for the Nova Awards) or mentor (for the Supernova Awards). Each guidebook includes a section for the counselor and mentor.

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.