Honors & Awards

Honors Awards

Active DeMolay Honors and Awards


One of the most prestigious awards in all of DeMolay, the Past Master Councilor's Meritorious Service Award, was designed by our founder, "Dad" Frank S. Land. The award itself is an attractive gold-colored medal and is granted without charge. Qualifying for the PMC-MSA is an exercise in good program planning.

The Representative DeMolay Award is the highest self-achievement award Active DeMolays can earn. It's a self-assessment program where you progress toward goals you set for yourself. You complete a detailed survey of your interests, achievements, general knowledge and habits.

"Dad" Land said it was his dream that every DeMolay should be a Representative DeMolay. The Representative DeMolay program was first established in 1924, and for many years was a competition to select outstanding DeMolays. In 1935, the program was redesigned to fill a growing need for self-evaluation by every DeMolay.

Merit Bars primarily are awards that recognize DeMolays for achievement in some phase of Chapter activity. Religion and scholastics are the two exceptions. Merit Bars are awarded to individual members on the recommendation of the Awards Advisor. The Advisory Council makes the final decision about whether an individual has met the requirements for each bar.

For information about each Merit Bar click here to go to the Merit Bars webpage.

Membership awards are given for securing new DeMolay initiates. DeMolay International grants these awards automatically. First-line signers may claim the same new members

to earn the Membership Merit Bar, Founder's Membership Award and Blue Honor Key.

#1 Lapel Pin: It's exciting to sign up your first new member. The #1 lapel pin recognizes
this important achievement.
Merit Bar: The Membership Merit Bar is granted for being the first-line signer on his first
five membership applications of three initiates.
Founders Membership Award: This award is granted to a DeMolay who is the
first-line signer on his first five membership applications.
Blue Honor Key:The Blue Honor Key is awarded to an Active or Senior DeMolay for
being the first-line signer for 10 new members initiated by the Chapter.
These 10 membership applications do not have to be secured for any one class or
n any one year. An active member who secures fewer than 10 applications before
he reaches his majority may complete the requirements list after he reaches
majority. Additional Blue Honor Keys, with stars to designate each multiple of
10 new members secured, are also granted.


DeMolay who serves efficiently as a Chapter officer may, upon recommendation of the Chapter Advisor, obtain a Service Certificate. This award is signed by the Grand Secretary and the Grand Master and is suitable for framing. It designates the office held, the term, the year and the name of the Chapter.


This life saving medal, which was approved at the 1969 DeMolay International Session, may be granted in cases where a DeMolay has performed an act that resulted in the saving of a human life. Recommendations are made by the Advisory Council and must be forwarded to the Executive Officer for his approval. The recommendation is acted on by DeMolay International or its Board of Directors.

The Advisory Council may nominate a DeMolay who has performed an act of heroism for this honor. Nominations for his medal are made through the Executive Officer of a jurisdiction. Nomination forms are available from the Executive Officer or the Service and Leadership Center. Newspaper clippings and other subtantiating material should be included according to the instructions on the form. In considering this nomination, DeMolay International requires that the act of heroism be one in which the nominee was in danger of losing his own life. Many nominations have been submitted for this coveted award, but fewer than 150 have been granted since the Medal of Heroism was created in 1925.

The Degree of Chevalier is the highest honor that an active DeMolay can receive. The Degree is a citation for outstanding and marked DeMolay activity and labor. The nominee must be a minimum of 16 years of age, with Executive Officer approval, on January 15th of the year nominated, and have been a member in good standing for at least two years as of that date.

The degree cannot be applied for, and the nominationis made without the knowledge of the DeMolay to be honored. The unanimous vote of DeMolay International at its regular Session is required to elect a nominee.

Recommendations are made by Advisory Councils to the Executive Officer of the jurisdiction. Nomination forms are available from the Executive Officer. The nominations must be received by the Executive Officer's deadline. Each year a nomination fee is established by the Grand Secretary. The fee covers processing and regalia. Submit fee with completed nomination form to the Executive Officer. The investiture ceremony must take place within one year from the date of election.

The York Rite DeMolay Award has grown to become one of the most prestigious awards that a DeMolay may be honored with. Over the years, it has been presented to a very select group of special DeMolay’s across New York State. To be considered for this award the Candidate cannot be a Current or Past State Master Councilor. The Executive Officer has the final word on who receives the award. The Candidate must clearly demonstrate that he lives by the virtues taught by DeMolay and should be an example and mentor in his chapter and in his community. The award itself is an attractive medal and is presented with a certificate and a sword with the Candidates name engraved on the blade.

Senior DeMolay Honors and Awards

This award encourages establishing new Chapters or reinstating forfeited Chapters. The individual cheifly responsible for organizing a new or reinstated Chapter may be recommended for the Zerubbabel Key. Only one key is granted for each new or reinstated Chapter.

Every nomination for the Zerubbabel Key must be approved by the Executive Officer of the jurisdiction in which the Chapter is located. The key should be awarded within one year of the institution of the Chapter. The Service and Leadership Center will send the recommendation form for the granting of the Zerubbabel Key.

The Legion of Honor is the highest honor conferred by DeMolay International. It's conferred on a Senior DeMolay for outstanding leadership in some field of endeavor or for success in fraternal life, including adult service to DeMolay. Nominees must be over 25 years of age before January 15th of the nominating year.

No one may apply for this distinction, and a nominee, or the membership of a Chapter, must have no knowledge of the recommendation by the Advisory Council. Failure to observe secrecy in making this nomination subjects the nominee to penalty of not being considered.

Nomination forms are available from the Executive Officer. The nominations must be received by the Executive Officer's deadline. Each year a nomination fee is established by the Grand Secretary. The fee covers processing and regalia, but does not include the ring available from the DeMolay and More Store. The fee is submitted with the completed nomination form to the Executive Officer.

If approved by the Executive Officer, the nomination will be referred to DeMolay International, whose unanimous vote is required to receive this honor.

DeMolay International may confer this honor on a Mason over 30 years of age who has performed unusual and meritorious service on behalf of DeMolay, or who has evidenced a spirit of cooperation and appreciation for the Order of DeMolay. He does not have to be a Senior DeMolay. No one may apply for this distinction. Nominations for the Honorary Legion of Honor are handled in the same manner as Legion of Honor nominations. A ring is also available.

The Degree of Chevalier can also be awarded to a Senior DeMolay. The Degree is a citation for outstanding and marked DeMolay activity and labor. The nominee must be a minimum of 16 years of age, with Executive Officer approval, on January 15th of the year nominated, and have been a member in good standing for at least two years as of that date.

The Representative DeMolay Award is the highest self-achievement award Senior DeMolays can earn. It's a self-assessment program where you progress toward goals you set for yourself. You complete a detailed survey of your interests, achievements, general knowledge and habits.

Advisors Honors and Awards

An Advisor's Honor Key is an award granted to the Chapter Advisor or another member of the Advisory Council on the following conditions:
Form 10's, Advisory Council Registrations, the Annual Financial Report and other required reports are submitted by established deadlines during the calendar year.
The net membership must exceed the previous calendar year's net membership. Initiates must exceed majorities for the calendar year.
After yearly reports have been processed, the Service & Leadership Center sends nomination forms to Advisory Council Chairmen of Chapters fulfilling the first three conditions. The form must be completed and returned to the Service & Leadership Center.
If the same individual receives more than one key, a star is added to the background of each successive key. Only one key can be awarded to a Chapter in each DeMolay year.

An Advisor who wears the Cross of Honor has received a distinctive honor that can only be given by DeMolay International to a member of an Advisory Council or a personal representative of an Executive Officer. It denotes three or more years of conspicuous meritorious service to a Chapter or jurisdiction, and exceptionally outstanding efforts on behalf of DeMolay.

Recommendations are made by the Advisory Council to the Executive Officer, who nominates individuals for this honor. Nomination forms are available from the Executive Officer, who must receive them by his deadline. Each year a nomination fee is established by the Grand Secretary. The fee covers processing and regalia. The fee is submitted with the completed nomination form to the Exeuctive Officer. He forwards the nomination to DeMolay Interntaional, whose unanimous vote at the annual Session is required to grant the honor.

The Advisor of the Year honor is designated to give singular recognition to a DeMolay Advisor who in the past year has made outstanding contributions to the growth and success of the Order. The Advisor is one who should exemplify the ideals and precepts of the Order of DeMolay in his daily life as well as in his work with the young men in DeMolay. Selection of the Advisor of the Year is at the discretion of the Executive Officer of each jurisdiction..

Other Honors and Awards

A Certificate of Appreciation may be given at any time during the year. These certificates are available from the DeMolay and More Store, which completes the certificate, attaches a seal and sends it to the Chapter for presentation. A formal presentation should be planned and all DeMolay parents and volunteers invited. Many other certificates are available. Check the DeMolay & More store for all the available certificates.

The Hats Off Award may be presented to anyone rendering outstanding service to a Chapter. It consists of a lapel pin, a card and a certificate. The set may be purchased through the DeMolay & More store. Many Chapters have a dinner in connection with the presentation, or the presentation may be made at an open ceremony such as an installation of officers. Chapters may give as many Hats Off Awards as they wish and are the sole judges of who receives them. Often the award is used to cite a community leader.

A Chapter may recommend any person over 21 years of age for the DeMolay Medal of Appreciation in recognition of outstanding service to DeMolay. The nominee can be a man or a woman and does not need any Masonic affiliation. Nominations may be made at any time. Forms may be secured from the Service & Leadership Center.

The nomination form must be forwarded to the Executive Officer and, if approved by him, will be forwarded to the Grand Secretary. The Chapter pays for the cost of the medal.