The Emoji Scout Law

By Bryan Wursten

The word “emoji” means “picture letter” in Japanese, and emoji have become a popular way to communicate in texting or social media. These small images or icons are often used to quickly express an idea or emotion.

Here at Scout Life, we’re all about communicating, so we searched through all the standard emoji and nominated icons that we thought could illustrate each point of the Scout Law. Then we asked our readers to vote.

Here are the results of the voting for the emoji Scout Law:

A Scout is 🔐

Trustworthy: Tell the truth and keep promises. People can depend on you.

Emoji Nominations: 🔐 ⌚️ 🐘

Emoji Winner: 🔐 with 75% of the vote

Your Comments: “As much as I like how elephants remember n’ stuff, I think that the lock and key means that you are trusting someone with something important.”

“As an Eagle Scout, I think of trustworthy as keeping something secure, like money being locked away in a bank vault. I know that it is safe and secure and can trust that it is.”

“If you are trustworthy, you keep your word just like a lock keeps things safe.”

A Scout is 🐶

Loyal: Show that you care about your family, friends, Scout leaders, school and country.

Emoji Nominations: 🐶 👑 🙊

Emoji Winner: 🐶 with 82% of the vote

Your Comments: “I chose this emoji because dogs are extremely loyal! Have you ever had a pet dog? If you did, then you know that they are loyal to the very end!”

“Dogs are a well-known symbol of loyalty. A crown is royalty, not loyalty. I don’t even know what’s with the monkey.”

“Because dogs will always be by your side!”

A Scout is 🔨

Helpful: Volunteer to help others without expecting a reward.

Emoji Nominations: 🔧 🔨 🐴

Emoji Winner: 🔨 with 58% of the vote

Your Comments: “You fix quite a lot of things with a hammer.”

“Scouts use hammers a lot … to put up tents, to repair stuff, etc.”

“The ‘Hammer’ implies hard work. A scout ought to be willing to help a neighbor, family member or friend when need be.”

A Scout is 👋

Friendly: Be a friend to everyone, even people who are very different from you.

Emoji Nominations: 🎈 🐬 👋

Emoji Winner: 👋 with 69% of the vote

Your Comments: “A waving hand clearly shows friendliness. Dolphins are friendly, but did you know killer whales are related to dolphins? And they aren’t trustworthy at all. I went to Sea World once, and I was scared. Those killer whales are scary. And what the heck is with the balloon?!?”

“Waving your hand is an easy gesture and a nice one.”

“Befriending someone is often started by the wave of a hand.”

A Scout is 🚸

Courteous: Be polite to everyone and always use good manners.

Emoji Nominations: 🚮 🚸 🍴

Emoji Winner: 🚸 with 55% of the vote

Your Comments: “Courtesy extends beyond helping old ladies across the street, it should encompass a lifestyle of looking for the little things that need to be handled and put where they belong. Whether that is a piece of trash on the street or helping that little old lady to the other side of the street.”

“One of the things Scouts are known for.”

“Courtesy to allow another to cross safely shows respect and concern, traits of courteous people.”

A Scout is 💐

Kind: Treat others as you want to be treated. Never harm or kill any living thing without good reason.

Emoji Nominations: 👵 ☔️ 💐

Emoji Winner: 💐 with 62% of the vote

Your Comments: “Giving flowers is kind.”

“People bring others flowers to show they care when someone is hurt, sick, or just likes the other person.”

“Grandma is always kind, but the flowers are also a very nice way of being kind as well.”

A Scout is 🐕

Obedient: Follow the rules of your family, school and pack. Obey the laws of your community and country.

Emoji Nominations: 🐕 🎯 🚦

Emoji Winner: 🐕 with 53% of the vote

Your Comments: “Dogs listen to their owners and obey.”

“A well-trained dog is obedient, as is a well-trained Scout.”

“Dogs can be very obedient.”

A Scout is 😀

Cheerful: Look for the bright side of life. Cheerfully do tasks that come your way. Try to help others be happy.

Emoji Nominations: 😀 🍀 😸

Emoji Winner: 😀 with 84% of the vote

Your Comments: “When u smile, you are happy and cheerful.”

“Because a Scout should keep a positive attitude, even when times are tough.”

“Put a smile on your face and it will rub off on others. Look around at what others are going through and you may not have it so bad.”

A Scout is 💵

Thrifty: Work to pay your own way. Try not to be wasteful. Use time, food, supplies and natural resources wisely.

Emoji Nominations: 💵 ♻️ 🐝

Emoji Winner: 💵 with 47% of the vote

Your Comments: “Save money!”

“Thrifty can bee much more than money.”

“Thrifty is all about saving money, and if you recycle/reuse things, you will save money and that is being thrifty.”

A Scout is 👮

Brave: Face difficult situations even when you feel afraid. Do what you think is right despite what others might be doing or saying.

Emoji Nominations: 🎢 🚒 👮

Emoji Winner: 👮 with 43% of the vote in the emoji Scout Law poll

Your Comments: “Risks his life to help others.”

“Police officers leave their families every day, not knowing if they will return. Running toward the gunfire is bravery itself.”

“Being brave is often ignored as just part of people’s jobs. Some of the bravest risk life daily to keep others safe.”

A Scout is 🚿

Clean: Keep your body and mind fit. Help keep your home and community clean.

Emoji Nominations: 🚿 🛀 🐈

Emoji Winner: 🚿 with 68% of the vote

Your Comments: “After a day of working outside and camping, a shower is the greatest feeling of being clean.”

“Because ‘A Scout is Clean’ refers to both inward and outward purity and cleanliness.”

“Nothing says clean like a shower.”

A Scout is 🙏

Reverent: Be reverent toward God. Be faithful in your religious duties. Respect the beliefs of others.

Emoji Nominations: ⛪️ 🙏 🔯

Emoji Winner: 🙏 with 69% of the vote

Your Comments: “Because Scouting welcomes all religions, praying hands are a pretty universal symbol for worship, prayer, and thanksgiving.”

“Because it represents being reverent to more than just religion, it represents being reverent to ALL things.”

“Praying is the most powerful thing you can do.”

What would be your picks for the emoji Scout Law? Tells us in the comments! Then try building this cool Scout Law Ladder.