Web1 wanting to cross over with AOL - in 6 months????

[JeffD]

I have a W1 scout who is the same age as the W2 scouts. his mother (who is also the DL) said that he was going to get his webelos and AOL by 3/08 to cross over with the other boys his age.

 

since theres a 3 month req. for them to earn rank, and an additional 6 month req. to earn AOL. their timeline is impossible - at least with my math, since our first den meeting of the year is 9/26/07.

 

i let the mother know that it is not a requirement to earn webelos or AOL to enter BSA - but just feel like this is going to be a problem somehow.

 

anyone else ever run into this situation?

[infoscouter]

Actually, what the Mom/Den Leader is proposing is doable - it's not a cumulative nine months time frame. Yes, he has to be in the den for three months to earn the Webelos badge, but the clock doesn't start over again at that point for the "6 months since completing 4th grade or grade or becoming 10 years old." The time frames for these requirements can be concurrent for a boy of the right age.

 

The boy needs to earn all the right activity badges, and make the troop visits and outdoor activities, but it can be done.

[insanescouter]

Depending on the age of the Webelos he may need to have the AOL... if he is younger then 10.5 he has to have AOL to join a Troop, after 10.5 (at least here) we are allowed to take them no matter.

 

As a side note I am not a believer in the 2 year Webelos program for many reasons I think it is a bad idea, however that is not my point... this is ... as a Webelos DL (in the past) I ran my den in about a 13 month cycle ... in those 13 months they could earn all 20 Activity Pins, Webelos and AOL. At that point they would be generally be eligible to go into a Troop. I should also note over those 13 months I had pre-arranged with the Troop to attend roughly 4 campouts, a few day trips, and even a court of honor, etc... Here is the impressive part that webelos den I ran grew in a few months to being two dens (ran as one - if you want to know I will explain how we did this) of over 20 kids, with 4 adult leaders and 2 den chiefs plus more parents then we could use waiting to help. Of those 20+ Webelos in the den something like 85% of them joined one of two troops. The rest either were moving (and said they would join a troop) or did drop out for one reason or another.

 

Eeeeekkkk sorry didnt mean to brag or start a thread about 2 year webelos... I know there was point in there some where... anyway ... me will end my babbling here and remind all just my wacky 2 cents...

 

Scott Robertson

http://insanescouter.org

[insanescouter]

Duh my point was ... if a whole den can do it in 13 months, with all activity pins ... a single scout can certainly do it in 6 months ... if they are willing to put in the effort and don't take short cuts on the requirements I say you should support them in their attempt.

 

 

[JeffD]

hey - i brag about my scout whenever possible - so dont worry about that... sometimes parents dont brag enough about the good things their kids do

 

thanks for the responses. i see that about at least being 10.5. and since it is doable - i would have no problems making sure the scout earns all he can.

 

like some others - i dont want to see the program cheapened and requirements relaxed just so a boy can move with his friends. but thats just my opinion to be argued in another thread

[insanescouter]

Offers JeffD a for his desire to uphold Scouting standards

[scottteng]

Officially they are a Webelos as of the last pack meeting of the previous school year they go to day camp as a webelos earn various stuff there some of which goes to their rank advancement. They can also work all summer on rank advancements and belt loops. The bar for AOL is just not that high. Extreme kudo's to the all 20 activity pins in 13 months that is a high bar. My son crossed over after only one year as a Webelos of course he was turning 11 in September and I was told that he would be forced to cross when he turned 11. One minor correction national has changed the rule it is now 10 with AOL reference the quote & link below.

 

"Boy Scouting, one of the traditional membership divisions of the BSA, is available to boys who have earned the Arrow of Light Award and are at least 10 years old or have completed the fifth grade and are at least 10, or who are 11, but not yet 18 years old. The program achieves the BSA's objectives of developing character, citizenship, and personal fitness. http://www.scouting.org/nav/enter.jsp?s=by

[ScoutNut]

In order to join a Troop WITHOUT earning AOL the boy must be 10 years old AND have finished 5th grade OR be 11 years old.

 

Since he is in 4th grade, he must be 11 by the time he wants to cross over to a Troop (03/2008).

 

 

In order to join a Troop WITH earning AOL he must be 10 years old.

 

However -

 

The time requirement for AOL is - "Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge."

 

Since he has not completed 4th grade, in order to cross over to a Boy Scout Troop in March of 2008 he must turn 10 years old in September, 2007, or earlier.

 

If the ages fit, earning Webelos and AOL by 03/2008 is certainly doable. He will have to work very hard however. Since his mother is his DL, I am sure she will push him and make sure everything gets done.

 

My only misgivings are, if mom is going to be spending all of her time working with her son to get him ready to cross in March, how will that affect the rest of her den? Will they suffer because all of her time, energy, and effort is going to her son only? The rest of the den deserves a good Webelos program too.

 

Also, what happens when she crosses her son in March? Is she planning on going with him? Will her 4th grade Webelos den be left high and dry without a leader?

 

If she is planning on going on to the Troop in March, or even in June, perhaps it might be better for the rest of her Den if a new 4th grade Webelos Den Leader were found ASAP. She could then step back to being a parent and would have plenty of time to work with her son. The Den would have a Leader who could take them thru both 4th and 5th grade, and not have to suffer from lack of leadership.

[JeffD]

"Also, what happens when she crosses her son in March? Is she planning on going with him? Will her 4th grade Webelos den be left high and dry without a leader? "

 

agreed... one of my first goals is going to be finding another leader for the W1 group. even though we havent had others recharter - i dont see her son being the only W1 in the den. and theres no reason the others should suffer because of it.

 

or - if they all get on the 'fast track' and finish up more quickly with her son - that might have other impacts down the road.

 

mind you - i dont know the scouts exact age - was just told by his mother that he was the same age as the older kids.. so i need to find this out.