Lion Tiger Wolf Bear Webelos AoL
Scout Tenderfoot 2nd Class 1st Class Star Life Eagle

Cub Scout Nova Award

This Award is meant for Wolf scouts, Bear scouts, Webelos scouts.

RETIRED 2024 as part of complete Cub Scout program redesign. Many awards were redone as elective adventures.

(the National BSA office has told me that Lion and Tiger scouts may not earn any Nova awards)

There are currently eleven Nova award topics for Cub Scouts, with various new ones being added occasionally. The Nova patch is earned for the first award and then a pi (ℼ) pin-on device that attaches to the patch is earned for each subsequent topic. The topics represent each of the four STEM areas -
science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Purchase a Nova awards guidebook, available through local Scout shops. The requirements can be completed with a parent or an adult leader as the counselor. Each guidebook includes a section for the counselor and mentor.

The award patch is a 'temporary' patch with a hangloop and should be displayed centered on the right pocket, hanging from the pocket button.

Scouts should also consider earning the Cub Scout Supernova award and Webelos Supernova award.

Each of the topics listed here are links to PDF files of requirements and counselor notes:

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Comments:

Oct 06, 2013 - Parick

Who is the counselor that the requirements keep referring to? Is this Akela, or do we need to find subject matter experts for the boys to talk to?

Oct 06, 2013 - Yukon Jack

@ Parick. The NOVA Awards require the scout to have a counselor. This person can be a parent, other scout leader, or trusted adult. The SUPERNOVA Awards require a mentor, which must have expertise in the S.T.E.M. fields and submit a registration form to the local council as a registered adult. A parent may only be the counselor/mentor for his son if other boys are involved. In other words, a parent may not sign off requirements for his son alone. Good luck.

Oct 17, 2013 - Dolores

Can a cub scout work on the supernova award for two years as both a wolf and a bear or do all of the requirements have to completed in the same year to earn the award?

Oct 18, 2013 - Scouter Paul

@Dolores - There are no year-specific requirements, so I see no reason why the scout can't work on his Nova award all the way through his Webelos years. There is a specific SuperNova award for Webelos, but the one Cub Scout Nova award is for Wolfs, Bears, and Webelos. Also, there is no time limit (except turning 18) for the Boy Scout Nova award, so it follows there would be none for Cub Scouts.

Feb 03, 2014 - Jolie

Are there any statistics on how many Scouts earn this award annually?

Mar 11, 2014 - Robert

@Jolie: This is a brand new program. There are no statistics yet and there have been quite a few hiccups getting it started in our Pack. Specifically, no mentors listings and not a lot of help from Council.

Mar 16, 2014 - jodi

Dear Sirs, I am reading the post of Oct 6, 2013 - please clarify the following: Can a parent act as his/her son's conselor for a singe Nova award if it is only his son participating in the requirements? And is that an outside or seperate mentor/counselor is required for the SuperNova award (and/or can a parent act as the SuperNova counselor only if a group of boys participate - not just his son?) I too am having difficulty in finding assistance with these requirements both on the official web page and local council pages.

Mar 17, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@jodi - A parent can be a NOVA counselor for just his/her son. A parent can NOT be a SuperNOVA mentor for just his/her son. See NOVA FAQ page.

Mar 18, 2014 - Maria Dowling

What can we do when there is no Supernova counselor/mentor available. I have contacted the council in my area and nearby areas and no luck. Any suggestions. I have already worked with him (as a parent) on the Nova but we are interested in working toward the Supernova (he is a Webelos 2)

Mar 18, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Maria - If there are no mentors available, then scouts can not earn the awards. Suggestions: Contact your council's advancement chair to find out how this program will be supported. Contact your district advancement chair. Contact your troop advancement chair. Contact STEM-oriented people in your community about becoming mentors - professionals and educators in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Mar 19, 2014 - Maria Dowling

Thanks Scouter Paul, Did all of that no luck. I've pretty much spoken with everyone at the council who would be able to help as well as outside people in the community about becoming mentors including the volunteer who is helping with this program. They do not have mentors available in the area. It is unfortunate because they are advertising this wonderful program and not be able to support it. I'm quite disappointed.

Mar 21, 2014 - Debra

A little confused about the Nova award. I see the full set up of each sections. I am interpreting the process as the child completes 1leg of the Nova, gets the patch then continues thru the other 3 areas in which they receive a pi ppin for each of the remaining STEM section ? Do they need to file paperwork with pack or council with their intention to go thru the nova process? I see there is actually an application process for superNOVA. Also, my son is a BEAR, we r just starting on NOVA, if he just shoots for The NOVA award completion of all STEMS can he continue thru his webelo years ( primarily thru the summer prior to his webelo 1 year) or is there no reason to start at this point. I was told that once they hit webelos that they need the " BSA mentore" to go any further towards NOVA. I realize supernova requires that regardless. We have no official mentore in our council and funny thing, my son has accomplished most belt loops required in each STEM area already...help

Mar 25, 2014 - Richard Meiners

Debra: The Nova awards can be worked on by the boy with either his Den or Pack leadership, or parents, teachers or any other adult. The Supernova award is a stand alone award that the scout has to work with a registered Supernova Mentor, which you council should have a list of. These folks have particular qualifications to be a mentor and to assist the Scout in exploring this award. Now as far as working on Nova, he can do as many as he likes all through his Cub Scout/Webelos years, however the Supernova awards are scheduled based on being a Wolf/Bear for the Cub Louis Alvarez Award, and Webelo for the Charles Townes award. Good luck.

Mar 26, 2014 - Kelly

My son is a Webelos I. He has earned his Nova patch, and he is now getting his Compass Points Emblem. Where are these patches worn? They can't both be worn on the right pocket, can they?

Mar 26, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Kelly - They are "temporary" patches. Only one is to be displayed centered on the right pocket. The scout can choose which patch to display, often hanging from the pocket button rather than sewn on and changing often.

Apr 08, 2014 - Erin Hayden

Maria - I'm in the same boat. I got a contact from another council that is already implementing NOVA pretty strongly. I'd contact a big council and see if maybe they can do it via Skype or something session. Get creative!

May 11, 2014 - christine sulsona

The cub super nova award is only for wolf, and bear level of cubs. That super nova can be earned over 1 year of cubs or as an example from wolf to bear, but you need a super nova counselor (code 52)there is a super nova counselor application. I am training and trying to help as many counselors get Nova programs off the ground in their districts. The webelos have their own super nova award. As far as the new cub system coming out which will supposedly do away with belt loops we are waiting to see what national has in store for this nova program. If anyone has questions you can email me or call m, I'd be happy to help as many as I possibly can. I would love to have more districts have nova program chairs so we can get this program off the ground as many places as possible. Christine Sulsona OCBSA Saddleback district Nova program chair. (949) 701-2875 Christine.sulsona@gmail.com

Oct 06, 2014 - Euan Ramsay

I'm looking at these awards and seeing references to doing belt loops and pins for the Nova and Supernova awards. Given these will be discontinued in the summer, is there a plan to redo the Nova program to avoid these?

Oct 07, 2014 - Scouter Paul

@Euan - Yes, the BSA has a team addressing new requirements now that the new Cub Scout program has been defined.

Dec 09, 2014 - Julia Chennault

Regarding the Supernova mentor, we also have a lack of a list in this area so I requested permission to have the mentor be an Uncle who is in a STEM career and also registered with the BSA. We will be conducting experiments and reporting via skype. Our council said as long as they are registered it will be fine. I hope that helps! It's a fun addition to cubbing :) (I also had a friend who is an Engineer volunteer to be the mentor and register with the BSA, you can also choose someone who has a STEM related hobby)

Dec 13, 2014 - Scouter Allison

Disappointed Tigers can't do this. I applied to be a counselor because I thought it was only Supernova they couldn't do. I'd like to start some STEM activities at den meetings and work in NOVA belt loops to get them stoked up for summer. When they can work on this. Any suggestions? Why was this not opened up to the youngest Cubbies?

Dec 13, 2014 - Joe

@ Allison, even though there is not a specific award for Tigers they still can start to work on it. Though with the updated to the Cub Scout Program there will be updates to the Nova Award as well, especially since the Belt Loops as we know them are going away.

Mar 02, 2018 - Jon

Is there an application process to just be a NOVA Counselor?

Mar 02, 2018 - Jane

@Jon - Yes, in order to be a Nova counselor you must:

-be age 21 or older
-register using a BSA adult application (use position code 58 and Scouting position Nova Counselor) [note: this is a council/district position, but there is no fee]
-have current BSA Youth Protection training

www.scouting.org/stem-nova-awards/council/volunteer-support/
www.scouting.org/stem-nova-awards/stem-faq/
www.scouting.org/training/adult/#_stemorient

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