Rochester Boy Scout Troop 31 wrapped up a successful season of accomplishments at its year-end Court of Honor ceremony on December 11.

Scouts, Scout leaders and family gathered for the occasion at the Rochester Grange Hall to honor and award eleven of the Scouts with rank advancements, merit badges and awards.

A Court of Honor is a ceremony held by all troops approximately every three months, to recognize the hard work and accomplishments that the scouts achieve throughout each year of their scouting experience. For each new rank advancement, the Scout is presented with a patch and a special pin which is gifted to a parent in a pinning ceremony.

“This was an exceptional Court of Honor,” explained Scoutmaster Kevin Thompson, who noted that “of the eleven boys, we had ten rank advancements, awarded twenty-one merit badges, and most were Eagle Merit Badges.”

An additional 20 awards were given out. They included "Cyber Chip" badges, part of an annual course requirement for the Boy Scouts of America. The course is intended to help keep volunteers, families and Scouts safe while online.

Some of the Scouts were also awarded solar eclipse patches, for those who took part in viewing and learning about the solar eclipse event that happened in August.

Boy Scout member Gabe Shriver also received commendation. “Troop 31 also anticipates Gabe Shriver to be its latest Eagle Scout recipient," Thompson added, noting that the ceremony would take place in the new year.

“We had a really great year. A very busy, productive year,” concluded Thompson, as he recapped the many camping trips, local projects, summer camp, activities and community service projects he and Troop 31 took part in.

As an added bonus, the year end-awards ceremony was Troop 31's last celebration of the holiday season—what better time for laser tag and pizza?