Overview of the NOVA Awards Program

The NOVA awards program began in 2012 with 4 awards for each scouting age level - one for each letter of the STEM acronym. Since then, BSA has expanded the number of NOVA awards available to 9 for Cubs, 9 for Scouts BSA, and 9 for Venturers, and will continue to add and improve upon the STEM awards in future.

The Awards program is broken down into two different sections: NOVA and SUPERNOVA.

NOVA Awards
- Can usually complete most requirements within 2 to 6 hours
- Designed be taught in a group setting at Pack level, or youth-led group at Troop and Crew
- Completed and awarded at the unit level
- NOVA patch and pins may be purchased at the Scout Shop with an advancement report
- NOVA Counselor may be any adult current with YPT and who has and interest in STEM. Fill out a adult leader application with position code 58 and turn it in to council.
- There are 9 NOVAs available for Cub Scouts (Wolf, Bear, Webelos, and Arrow of Light), 9 NOVAs available for Scouts BSA, and 9 NOVAs available for Venturers.

Cub Scout NOVA Awards
- Science Everywhere
- Down and Dirty
- NOVA Wild
- Out of this World
- Tech Talk
- Swing
- 1-2-3-GO!
- Fearful Summetry
- Uncovering the Past

Scouts BSA NOVA Awards
- Shoot!
- Let It Grow!
- Splash!
- Mendel's Minions
- Start your Engines!
- Hello World
- Whoosh!
- Up and Away
- Next Big Thing
- Designed to Crunch

Venturing NOVA Awards
- Launch!
- Wade!
- What a Life
- Power Up
- Execute
- Something from Nothing
- Hang On!
- Up and Away
- Numbers Don't Lie

Scroll down from more information.

Science Everywhere

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Complete an experiment using the Scientific method
Visiting a location where science is done and talking to a scientist
Discussing how Science affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Down and Dirty

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Earth Science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Complete experiments/demonstrations about an earth science subject, such as volcanoes, weather, rocks, or habitats
Visiting a location where Earth Science is done or learn about careers in Earth Science
Discussing how Earth Science affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

NOVA Wild

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Natural Science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Learn about the basics of wildlife and food webs
Complete experiments/demonstrations about an earth science subject, such as endangered species, invasive species, a local species or a habitat near you
Earn the Cub Scout Conservation Award
Visit a place were you can observe animals
Discussing how Natural Science affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Out of this World

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Space Science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Learn about and complete an activity about two of the following: stars, orbits, Mars, a Moon base, asteroids, or eclipses.
Visit a place where Space Science is being done and talk to a Space Scientist
Discussing how Space Science affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here.

Tech Talk

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Technology (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Complete research about how technology is present in many aspects of your daily life, such as in communication, sports, business, entertainment and buildings.
Visiting a location where Technology is use or made and talk to someone who works with Technology
Discussing how Technology affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Swing

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Engineering (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Learn about and complete experiments/activities using Levers
Visiting a location where Engineering is being done and talk to someone who works with Engineering
Discussing how Engineering affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here.

1-2-3-Go!

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Math (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Complete how to complete different kinds of calculations
Develop and share messages with cryptography
Discussing how Math affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Fearful Symmetry

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Symmetry (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Learn about and create two examples of symmetry in international artforms
Visit a place where symmetry is important
Discussing how Symmetry affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Uncovering the Past

Short Review of Requirements

1 hour of learning about Archeology (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of Cub Adventure or alternate activity
Learn about what is archeology and what are artifacts
Create your own archeological dig to either complete or share with others
Discussing how Archeology affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here.

SCOUTs BSA NOVA Awards

Shoot

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about Science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Visit a flight or space museum or learn about the how satellites above know where you are.
Design equipment where you can test velocity and movement
Discussing how Science affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here.

Let it Grow!

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about Agriculture or food science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Learn about or experiment with different forms of Agriscience
Visit a place that either produces or processes farm products
Discussing how Agriculture affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Splash

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about Water science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Learn about the different features of water through either research or experimentation
Visit a place where water is processed by humans or nature
Discussing how Water affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Mendel's Minions

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about genetic science (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Learn about the different features of DNA or inheritance through either research or experimentation
Present a report of at least 800 words or 10 minutes with visual aids on a selected topic
Visit a place where genomic and genetic information is being used
Discussing how Water affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Start Your Engines

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about Technology (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Discuss energy sources used in various aspects of life
Design and build a working vehicle model
Discussing how Technology affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Hello World

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about coding or computer programming (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Explore concepts in computer programming
Write a program that performs a specified task
Write another program that performs a different specified task
Explain to your counselor your approach for the programs you created
Visit a place where computers are being developed
Discuss how coding affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Whoosh!

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about Engineering (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Learn about simple machines and motion
Visit a place kids play and study the simple machines at work there
Design your own play equipment or amusement park ride
Discussing how Engineering affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Up and Away

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about fluid dynamics (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Conduct an investigation from the selected activities
Visit a place that highlights human flight, tour a wind tunnel, or visit iFLY
Discussing how fluid dynamics affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

Next Big Thing

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about product design/creation of new products (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Complete four exercises in the design process
Design and create a model of a new product
Visit a place where new products are being developed
Reflect on experiences from these requirements

A full list of requirements can be found here

Designed to Crunch

Short Review of Requirements

3 hours of learning about Math (via reading, watching or attending)
Completion of one of the listed Merit Badges
Use different calculations to learn about speed, power, probability and estimating numbers
Learn about all the processes different types of calculators and programs can help us do
Discussing how Math affects your life

A full list of requirements can be found here

STEM NOVA - STEM in Scouting

Capitol Area Council, BSA

Overview of the NOVA Awards Program

Cub Scout NOVA Awards

Science Everywhere

Down and Dirty

NOVA Wild

Out of this World

Tech Talk

Swing

1-2-3-Go!

Fearful Symmetry

Uncovering the Past

SCOUTs BSA NOVA Awards

Shoot

Let it Grow!

Splash

Mendel's Minions

Start Your Engines

Hello World

Whoosh!

Up and Away

Next Big Thing

Designed to Crunch