Scouts BSA Nova Awards

There are numerous adventures one can experience while earning the medals that are awarded in the Scouts BSA program.

Science

Let It Grow! - Explore where your food comes from and how agriculture affects your life each day.
Mendel's Minions - Explore how genetic information affects your life every day.
Shoot! - Explore how science affects your life each day.
Splash! - Explore how water affects your life every day.

Technology

Hello, World - Explore the world of coding or computer programming.
Start Your Engines! - Explore how technology affects your life each day.

Engineering

Next Big Thing - Explores the world of product design, which involves balancing time, cost, and quality to create something new
Up and Away - Explores the world of fluid dynamics, and how it affects your everyday life.
Whoosh! - Explore how engineering affects your life each day.

Math

Designed to Crunch - Explore how math affects your life each day.

Supernova Awards

Dr. Bernard Harris Supernova Award
Bronze Medal

Thomas Alva Edison Supernova Award
Silver Medal

Dr. Albert Einstein Supernova Award
Gold Medal

Related Merit Badges

Nova awards for Scouts BSA require merit badges. If you are already going to complete a merit badge or have one in the list below, you could leverage that merit badge to earn a Nova award.

American Business – Designed to Crunch, Next Big Thing
Animal Science – Let It Grow!, Mendel's Minions
Animation – Designed to Crunch, Hello, World
Archery – Shoot!, Up and Away, Whoosh!
Architecture – Next Big Thing
Astronomy – Shoot!
Automotive Maintenance – Start Your Engines!
Aviation – Shoot!, Start Your Engines!, Up and Away, Whoosh!
Bird Study – Mendel's Minions
Canoeing – Start Your Engines!, Up and Away
Chemistry – Splash!, Up and Away
Chess – Designed to Crunch
Composite Materials – Next Big Thing, Whoosh!
Cooking – Let It Grow!
Cycling – Start Your Engines!
Digital Technology – Designed to Crunch, Hello, World, Next Big Thing, Shoot!
Drafting – Designed to Crunch, Next Big Thing, Start Your Engines!, Whoosh!
Electricity – Start Your Engines!
Electronics – Next Big Thing, Whoosh!
Energy – Splash!, Start Your Engines!
Engineering – Next Big Thing, Splash!, Whoosh!
Entrepreneurship – Designed to Crunch
Environmental Science – Splash!
Farm Mechanics – Let It Grow!, Start Your Engines!
Fish and Wildlife Management – Let It Grow!, Splash!
Fishing – Let It Grow!, Splash!
Fly Fishing – Splash!
Forestry – Let It Grow!, Mendel's Minions, Splash!
Game Design – Shoot!
Gardening – Let It Grow!, Mendel's Minions
Geology – Splash!
Health Care Professions – Mendel's Minions
Insect Study – Let It Grow!, Mendel's Minions
Inventing – Next Big Thing, Whoosh!
Kayaking – Start Your Engines!, Up and Away
Mammal Study – Let It Grow!, Mendel's Minions
Mining in Society – Whoosh!
Model Design and Building – Next Big Thing, Whoosh!
Motorboating – Start Your Engines!
Nature – Let It Grow!, Mendel's Minions, Splash!
Nuclear Science – Start Your Engines!
Oceanography – Splash!, Up and Away
Orienteering – Designed to Crunch
Personal Management – Designed to Crunch
Plant Science – Let It Grow!
Plumbing – Up and Away
Programming – Hello, World
Public Health – Mendel's Minions, Splash!
Radio – Designed to Crunch
Railroading – Start Your Engines!, Whoosh!
Reptile and Amphibian Study – Mendel's Minions
Rifle Shooting – Shoot!, Up and Away, Whoosh!
Robotics – Hello, World, Shoot!, Whoosh!
Rowing – Up and Away
Scuba Diving – Up and Away
Shotgun Shooting – Shoot!, Up and Away, Whoosh!
Signs, Signals, and Codes – Designed to Crunch
Small-Boat Sailing – Start Your Engines!
Soil and Water Conservation – Let It Grow!, Splash!
Space Exploration – Shoot!, Start Your Engines!, Up and Away
Surveying – Designed to Crunch
Sustainability – Splash!
Swimming – Up and Away
Truck Transportation – Start Your Engines!
Veterinary Medicine – Mendel's Minions
Weather – Designed to Crunch, Shoot!, Splash!