Earning an honor is one of the most memorable experiences in a Pathfinder's journey. More than winning an embroidered patch, it's about discovering abilities, exercising gifts, and learning something new about the natural, human, or spiritual world. According to the official Pathfinders website, honors are "a set of quick, exploratory, introductory courses on a subject," designed to help every young person grow "in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52). This guide organizes the process into clear steps, always pointing out what's official and what can vary from region to region.
1. Choose the Right Honor for You
The first step is choosing a topic that matches your interests. The official advice is to "explore your affinities": start with areas that spark your curiosity, because engagement comes more easily when the subject actually relates to you.
Honors are organized into broad areas, such as ADRA, Arts and Crafts, and Agricultural Activities, among others. Each area brings together several honors, identified by a background color on the patch. Knowing the areas helps you plan a journey with purpose, instead of picking honors at random.
There are also advanced honors. Per SAD guidance, the advanced honor is meant for Pathfinders over 16, and completing the basic version of the same topic is a prerequisite. So always start with the basic honor first.
2. Get the Manual and the Official Requirements
Here's the most important point to get right: the minimum requirements for every honor are described in the South American Division (SAD) Honors Manual. Only the Division has the authority to revise or replace requirements, and any question of interpretation should be directed to it.
In practice, this means: never trust random lists found online without checking them against the official manual. Outdated versions, blog adaptations, and materials from other countries may list requirements different from the ones that currently apply in your field.
Ask your director or counselor for access to the up-to-date manual. The club usually has the material, and the official Pathfinders website (adventistas.org) also lists the honors by area.
"All honors and the minimum requirements for earning them are described in the South American Division Honors Manual."Official Pathfinders website (SAD)
3. Find an Instructor
You don't have to complete an honor on your own. The official path is to seek the help of an instructor, and the SAD's guidance on this is very welcoming: "this person can be someone from the club itself or even from your own family."
The instructor guides your study, oversees your progress on the requirements, and confirms that everything was genuinely completed. When no one in the club is familiar with the subject, one option mentioned in the official tips is to turn to video lessons and good learning materials.
It's worth remembering the program's tradition: over time, the one who was instructed can become an instructor for others. Earning honors also prepares you to teach.
Read alsoWho Signs a Pathfinder Honor4. Complete and Document Each Requirement
With the manual in hand and your instructor by your side, it's time to complete the requirements one by one. They usually combine theoretical parts (answering, defining, explaining), practical parts (doing, assembling, demonstrating), and physical and spiritual components. Complete all of them, in order, without skipping any.
Documenting your work is just as important as completing it. Keep evidence: notes, photos, projects, attendance lists, and the classic handwritten record. The official tips include the example of a Pathfinder who completed dozens of honors with her mother, the club director, keeping documented handwritten records of every step.
The instructor validates completion. The exact way approval and recordkeeping work can vary by club and by field (conference or mission), so check with your leadership on how they track completed requirements.
5. Recording and Awarding the Patch
Once the requirements are completed and validated, recognition follows. The honor patch is awarded to the Pathfinder, usually during a club celebration, and is then sewn onto the honors sash.
About wearing the sash: under the uniform regulations, the sash is worn with the dress uniform by anyone who already holds at least one honor patch. Patches are grouped by area and background color, and each group can be topped by the master's award patch, according to the Manual's guidance.
A note of caution: the details on color, width, and exact placement of the sash, as well as how patches are acquired, follow the current uniform regulations, which may be updated. Selling patches is usually restricted to club, regional, or departmental leadership. Always check the current regulations with your leadership.
6. Do It as a Group and Aim for the Master's Award
Earning honors as a group is motivating and pays off far more. The official tips suggest involving other people in the challenge: friendship and healthy competition among peers with the same goal help keep up the pace. Having someone to look up to, an experienced leader covered in patches, is also inspiring.
As a group, a single instructor can guide several Pathfinders through the same honor at the same time, which streamlines meetings, materials, and costs. Just remember that each Pathfinder must complete and document the requirements individually.
Finally, aim for the master's award. By the official definition, "master's awards are granted when the Pathfinder completes a certain number of honors within the same area." Using a master's award as a goal gives direction to the journey: you complete the honors still missing from one area and earn a bigger recognition.
"Master's awards are granted when the Pathfinder completes a certain number of honors within the same area."Adventist News (SAD)