Memorable Cub Scout Promotions?

[featherbear]

It's that time of year for Cub Scout Packs. Units either just have or are just about to promote the Dens and in many cases wind down for the summer.

 

I was wondering what you folks have found to improve the graduations for your Packs and make them more fun and memorable for the Scouts? I made a whole mess of changes to our unit's program this year, and it really seemed to make a big difference for the kids and for their families. They were quite honestly very bored at the way it had always been been done in the past and I wanted to change that.

 

What have you seen or done that worked well for your unit's promotions?

 

 

[moxieman]

Back when I was a scoutmaster, our feeder pack had a really exciting crossing ceremony down to Fort Halifax Park in Winslow, Maine. This is at the confluence of two rivers, the Kennebec and the Sebasticook (Sah-bast-eh-cook). Fort Halifax was built as a combination protection outpost and trading post in the mid-1700's. Prior to that it was the site of a Native American village. Benedict Arnold and his men spent a night here on their (failed) expedition to ccapture Quebec City during the American Revolution.

 

The pack obtained permission from the town to build a temporary fire pit near the shore of the river. The adults in the pack spent some time preparing the site prior to the ceremony.

 

Due to the histroy of the site, the ceremony took on a Native American theme. A member of the "Rainbow Nation" (those who believe or know they have Native blood, but can't trace it to a specific tribe) performed a smudging ceremony at the campfire before the fire was lit. The Cubs were then welcome to sit around the fire with each group at a compass point. I don't recall which group was where now, this was close to ten years back. There were two rows of benches/logs for the Webelos with the first year group in front and the 2nd year group in back.

 

The member of the "Rainbow Nation" then lit an arrow in the fire, took aim down stream and shot the arrow up and into the river crying, "I call forth the spirit of Akela!"

 

Round the point comes a canoe being paddled by two warriors and Akela (also in regalia) sitting in the center*. Canoe is beached and Akela steps forward and starts the actual crossing ceremonies. I don't recall the full details of the ceremonies. I was too impressed observing and quietly taking pictures at the request of Akela, my brother (we're part Micmac), with his camera.

 

What I do recall. The second year webelos left their bench and joined the Boy Scouts outside of the circle to indicate they were crossing from Cubbing to Scouting. The first year webelos then were welcome to move to the back set of benches.

 

Bears then moved over the the benches just vacated by the first year webelos. Wolves then moved over as did the Tigers in turn. This left the Tiger bench empty.

 

Akela then turned to the crowd behind all the compass points and called out to those who would be entering First Grade in the fall and invited them to join the circle of Cub Scouting and the Tiger bench was filled.

 

Some words were said to close the ceremony and then a drum was played and all were invited to dance around the fire.

 

There were a lot of impressed youth and parents that night.

 

*--Yes, semi-following BSA regulations, they had lifejackets, but were sitting/kneeling on them.

[DanKroh]

featherbear,

 

We just had our graduation ceremony Friday night.

 

We do it as an outdoor campfire ceremony. We invite the two Boy Scout troops that our pack feeds to come and build/maintain the campfire, do the ingathering activity (this year, it was building paper airplanes) and lead the songs/cheers/skits throughout the meeting.

 

It is nice to involve the older scouts, since they are pretty much idolized by the cubs, and it gives the older scouts some good leadership experience.

 

The cubs like the campfire, but the centerpiece of the ceremony is the "Cub-o-matic". We have an enclosed pavilion that the cubs enter, and inside adults switch their scarves to their new rank, and present them with their new handbooks (the pack provides scarves, slides and handbooks), and they are then introduced to the pack with their new ranks. While the cubs are inside, the boy scouts stand behind with noisemakers and provide "machine noises" and other sound effects. This year, they also used confetti poppers to throw confetti and streamers over the top. It was great. The incoming Tigers were especially wide-eyed as they entered the cub-o-matic.

[MaScout]

we've done plenty of native American themed crossings -- OA supervised or otherwise. These go over really well. We've done a "bridging" for Wolf to Bear, Bear to Webelos, etc., too, similar to OA -- used lanterns & had den chiefs escort over those worthy. We've also done "Zulu warrior" graduations -- all rest of pack stand and sing zulu warrior song while stamping feet & clapping. We have painted rocks yellow & orange, then lit them with a black light & had those brave enough cross them. If they are worthy, they will not be burned. Our DE experienced this one. He said he about lost it when one of the little guys sat down & said he could feel how hot those rocks were! His shoes were even smokin'!

 

Subdued lighting always adds to effect. Lanterns or tiki torches are awe-inspiring.

[ScoutNut]

Just about any of the rank ceremonies can be tweaked into a graduation ceremony.

 

The changing colored water one is nice, though a bit hard for everyone to see. Face painting is a good one. The boys love to have the different symbols painted on their face. Any kind of Indian ceremony goes over big. We have used a tepee where the boys go in & come out with their new books & scarves accompanied by tom-toms & chanting (kind of like an Indian version of the Cub-O-Matic).

 

I know some folks who swear by the flaming neckerchief ceremony, but I have not tried that one yet. It is one that I think would be best done outside.