Boy Scouts of America recently announced the 2024 recipients of the Silver Buffalo Award for distinguished service to youth. According to Scouting Magazine, the Silver Buffalo, instituted in 1925, is Scouting’s highest honor. Past recipients of the award include 15 Presidents of the United States of America, The Unknown Soldier, Norman Rockwell, Walt Disney, John Glenn, Vince Lombardi, Neil Armstrong, Hank Aaron, JW Marriott, Jr., H. Ross Perot, and Bill Gates. Among this year’s class was Caddo Area Council Executive Board Member and Texarkana Independent School District Trustee Fred Norton, Jr.
Area Council Executive Board Member;
Fred Norton, Jr.; William Norton, son of
Martha and Fred Norton; L.J. Henson,
Caddo Area Council CEO
A tax attorney with the Norton + Wood law firm and an assistant professor of accounting at Texas A&M University-Texarkana, Norton currently serves as the Boy Scouts of America Chair of the National Membership and Relationship Committee. In addition to serving as Den Leader, Cubmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, Wood Badge Course Director and two terms as Council President, Norton served on the national committees for Membership Support and National Program Support and the Wood Badge Update Task Force. He volunteered as Scoutmaster at the World Scout Jamboree in 2015, Assistant Scoutmaster in 2011, Scoutmaster at two National Jamborees, Subcamp Chief in 2017 and Base Camp Chief at the 2023 Jamboree.
Norton, a Scout himself, achieved the rank of Eagle, an accomplishment he also shares with his three sons. Reflecting on these shared experiences, Norton told Scouting Magazine, “There has been no greater joy in my life than re-experiencing the scouting of my youth with my three sons.”
Ben Norton, Fred Norton, Jr., William
Norton, and John Norton
Norton was previously honored for his commitment to Scouting with the District Award of Merit, Silver Beaver, Unit Leader Award of Merit and Silver Antelope.
All Silver Buffalo awardees were recognized at a banquet during the National Annual Meeting in early May.
Norton is a proud 1976 graduate of Texas High School. He served on the TISD Board of Trustees from 1997 to 2003 and again from 2013 to the present.
