.jpg)
Celebrating Our 2026 Adult Award Recipients at the Conquistador Council!
Updated: Sep 1
The Conquistador Council is extremely proud to announce our 2026 Adult Award recipients! We are honoring dedicated volunteers whose service, leadership, and commitment have made a lasting impact on Scouting across our council and districts. These awards represent the highest levels of recognition for adult volunteers. They reflect countless hours spent mentoring youth, supporting units, and strengthening Scouting in our communities.
🏅 2026 Silver Beaver Award
Chris Lauderman
The Silver Beaver Award is the highest honor a local council can bestow upon a volunteer. Chris Lauderman’s exceptional service to youth and unwavering commitment to Scouting exemplify the ideals of this prestigious recognition. His dedication shines through in every project he undertakes!
🏅 2026 Council Alumnus of the Year
Katie Espinosa-Newton
The Council Alumnus of the Year Award honors individuals whose Scouting roots continue to influence their leadership and service. Katie Espinosa-Newton’s dedication and ongoing support of the Scouting movement make her a truly deserving recipient. Her passion for Scouting inspires everyone around her!
🏅 2026 District Awards of Merit
The District Award of Merit recognizes outstanding service at the district level. It honors volunteers whose efforts have directly strengthened Scouting locally. Here are our amazing recipients:
Rio Hondo District – Bobby Arnett
El Llano Grande District – Stacy Henrikson
Both recipients have demonstrated exceptional leadership and dedication in support of youth and volunteers within their districts. Their hard work is a testament to the spirit of Scouting!
🎉 Join Us in Celebrating These Outstanding Volunteers
We invite all members of the Scouting community to help us celebrate these achievements at the following recognition banquets:
Silver Beaver & Council Alumnus of the Year
Council Annual Banquet
📅 February 7, 2026
⏰ 5:00 PM
📍 VMV Hall, NMMI Campus
🔗 Register here: https://scoutingevent.com/413-2026councilbanquet
El Llano Grande District Award of Merit
El Llano Grande District Banquet
📅 January 22, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 Kingswood Methodist Church, Clovis, NM
📧 RSVP with Justin Hines: justin.hines@scouting.org
Rio Hondo District Award of Merit
Rio Hondo District Banquet
📅 January 30, 2026
⏰ 6:00 PM
📍 First United Methodist Church, Roswell, NM
🔗 Register here: https://scoutingevent.com/413-2026RioHondoBanquet
The Impact of Volunteerism in Scouting
Volunteering in Scouting is more than just a commitment; it’s a way of life! Each volunteer brings unique skills and experiences that enrich the lives of our youth. They help shape the future leaders of our communities. When we come together to support each other, we create a vibrant environment where everyone can thrive.
Building Character and Leadership Skills
Through their dedication, our volunteers teach essential life skills. They help young people develop character, leadership skills, and physical fitness. These qualities are vital for personal growth and success. As we celebrate our award recipients, let’s remember the impact they have on shaping the future.
Strengthening Community Bonds
Scouting is about building connections. Our volunteers foster relationships that last a lifetime. They create a sense of belonging and community spirit. This is especially important in Southeast New Mexico, where we strive to be the go-to organization for youth development in our seven-county region.
Inspiring Future Generations
Every award recipient has a story to tell. Their journeys inspire future generations to get involved. When young people see the dedication of our volunteers, they are motivated to follow in their footsteps. Together, we can continue to grow Scouting and make a difference!
Please join us in congratulating these adult volunteer leaders for their outstanding service to Scouting. Their dedication inspires us all and strengthens the mission of the Conquistador Council every day. Let’s celebrate together! 👏⚜️
I really valued how this article left room for readers to form their own follow-up questions quite naturally. The author didn't try to cover everything, wisely leaving space to read more online elsewhere later. That restraint is exactly what makes a piece feel like part of an ongoing, larger discussion overall. Thanks for such a thoughtfully restrained and genuinely engaging piece.
This was a genuinely thought-provoking piece that left me with new questions I now want to explore our blog to find answers to further. The author's ideas connected to bigger themes that I'd like to see addressed more directly in other, related coverage elsewhere on the site. That connection makes me want to explore our blog to find pieces that address these adjacent questions more directly and thoroughly. I appreciated that the piece didn't try to answer everything itself, trusting readers to pursue their own follow-up curiosity independently afterward. Thanks for such a thought-provoking and genuinely trust-building piece that respected the reader's own curiosity.
This piece did something I don't see often, which is explain a fairly dense topic thoroughly while still leaving enough unanswered curiosity to make me want to find out more elsewhere. The introduction set a clear direction early on, which made the rest of the piece easy to follow without feeling like it was wandering. I appreciated the writer's decision to include a few counterpoints rather than presenting only one side of the topic, since it made the whole piece feel more balanced and credible. A handful of details mentioned in the later sections were things I hadn't encountered in other similar content. By the time I finished, I had a much clearer sense of both the basics and some…