The National Court of Honor Committee has announced the Silver Antelope Class of 2026, recognizing Scouters from across the country whose service has made a lasting impact on youth.
Created in 1942, the Silver Antelope Award is the Council Service Territory (CST) level distinguished service award presented by the Boy Scouts of America through the National Court of Honor. It recognizes registered Scouters of exceptional character who have provided distinguished service to youth across their territory.
Scouting Arizona proudly congratulates Tom Curzon and Ray Warren, who have both been selected to receive the Silver Antelope Award for distinguished service to Scouting.
Tom Curzon
“The confidence I gained after completing that mile swim has been a through line of my life… Watching young people grow and change for the good is the greatest reward of Scouting.”
Tom Curzon’s Scouting journey began with a simple encouragement from his father. His dad had been a Scout and believed the program would be a positive experience for Tom and his brother. It sounded like fun—and it quickly became much more than that.
One of Tom’s most impactful memories dates back to when he was a 12-year-old attending his first summer camp at Camp Cherokee in Oklahoma. A leader encouraged him to attempt the mile swim in Grand Lake of the Cherokees, something he had never imagined doing. With a rowboat escorting him, Tom completed the challenge. The confidence he gained from that experience, he says, became a defining thread throughout his life.
For Tom, receiving the Silver Antelope Award is both humbling and gratifying. Yet he says the recognition itself is not the greatest reward. The true joy comes from watching young people grow through Scouting and seeing how the program positively changes their lives. He also treasures the opportunity to work alongside the many dedicated volunteers and professionals who support the mission of Scouting.
Ray Warren
“Many of my fondest memories growing up were from Scouting experiences.… I don’t spend my time in Scouting for recognition—I do it because I believe in the organization.”
Ray Warren is an Eagle Scout and longtime Scouting leader whose service has spanned decades and multiple states, including Arizona, Oklahoma, Illinois, and Texas. A father of two sons—one an Eagle Scout and one a Life Scout—Ray has served in roles ranging from Tiger Cub Coach to District Chairman to Council President.
His leadership has extended well beyond the unit and council level. Ray has served as Area Training Chair in the former Central Region and Area Advancement Chair in the former Southern Region, staffed six National Jamborees and two World Jamborees, and currently serves as Past President and Board Member of Blackhawk Area Council and as a member of the Operations and Support Cabinet for Grand Canyon Council. Ray is also deeply involved in training and leadership development, having completed Boy Scout Wood Badge (1998) and Cub Scout Trainer Wood Badge (1999), and now serves as the National Wood Badge Coordinator.
Ray’s inspiration for Scouting comes from the powerful memories he experienced as a youth. Activities like Scout-O-Rama events with NASA astronauts in Arizona, hiking the Grand Canyon, starting a campfire with a single match, camping in a buffalo preserve in Oklahoma, completing the mile swim at Camp Geronimo, and participating in his Order of the Arrow ordeal left a lasting impression and inspired him to give his own sons—and countless other youth—the same opportunities.
One defining moment in Ray’s adult Scouting career came shortly after he registered his son for Tiger Cubs in 1992. Hoping to stay involved despite a busy work schedule, he volunteered as Assistant Cubmaster, expecting the role to require only a few hours a month. The following summer, he received a brief phone call from the Cubmaster informing him he would now be the Cubmaster himself—“Congratulations, click.” That unexpected moment launched a lifetime of leadership and service in Scouting.
Ray says receiving the Silver Antelope Award is difficult to put into words because recognition has never been his motivation. His service comes from a deep belief in Scouting and the value it brings to society. He is grateful to those who nominated him and honored to be recognized among the many volunteers who work to help shape future leaders through the values of the Scout Oath and Law.
The Scouting Arizona, Grand Canyon Council community proudly celebrate Tom Curzon and Ray Warren for their extraordinary service and lasting contributions to the Scouting movement. Their leadership and dedication continue to inspire the next generation of Scouts and volunteers.
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