Rank graduation

[rjscout]

I am trying to plan ahead to our May Pack gathering as we graduation our remaining ranks (Tiger to Wolf, Wolf to Bear, Bear to Webelos 1, and Webelos 1 to Webelos 2). I have read a ceremony about Bear scouts getting a broken arrow, where their parent gets the point and the new Webelos scout gets the flight feathers. I was thinking that for the Wolf to Bear, we could give the scouts a necklace with bear claws. Has anybody had any ceremony similar to these for Tiger to Wolf and Webelos 1 to 2? Is Webelos 1 to 2 a transition that would have a ceremony? When I was a Webelos, it was only for a year, when you turned 11 and joined a troop. I want the move to the next level to be special to the boys.

 

 

[WarrenW]

Hi,

 

I do know our pack does not do this with the Webelos 1 to 2. I understand wanting to give them recognition for their hard work. Maybe after everyone does their rank advancement, you could do something special for Webelos 1. Maybe something to present them in front of everyone. I like giving boys badges for anything. They love it!

 

Warren

 

[Greg Nelson]

We don't do anything cool like that with symbols. We hold a ceremony with the pack leadership removing the old neckerchiefs, then presenting the boys with the neckerchiefs of their new rank.

 

For Webelos Is, they don't get a new neckerchief. What we do instead is present them with a coin (available through www.scoutstuff.org or your local Scout shop) with the Scout Oath on one side and the 12 points of the Scout Law on the other. It's intended to help them memorize these to satisfy their Arrow of Light requirements.

[rjscout]

I like the idea of the coin. I was trying to think of some symbol of leadership, since they will be the top scouts in our Pack. I was thinking of an Arrowhead slide or necklace to show the point for the quest for the Arrow of Light.

 

For Tiger to Wolf, I was thinking of carving a wolf paw and using it to stamp some clay to create a slide or necklace (is there a better term than necklace that would make it sound more rugged?).

 

Any other ideas out there? Still a lot of time until May.

[SctDad]

For the graduation ceremony, the changing of neckerchief is a good idea. If you are looking to make it a crossover type ceremony then try making a small bridge, (one the you can use for years to come.) (plans are in the How-To Book) Start with the tigers on one side of the bridge with thier den leader, have the wolf den leader on the other.

 

TDL Calls out to get the WDL (Wolf Den Leader)

 

WDL How may I help you this evening Tiger Leader

 

TDL I have X number of scouts that would like to cross into the Wolf Den. THis evening

 

WDL Have they met the requirements for thier Tiger badge and Do they meet their other requirements.

 

TDL Yes They do

 

WDL Do they wish to continue their journey as Cubs Scouts with the as Wolf Scouts

 

TDL Yes they do

 

WDL Remove the Tiger Neckerchief and Slide and have the Tiger Cross over to us with his parent/guardian

(Remove neckerchief, and have tiger cub and adult partner cross the bridge)

 

WDL (Cub Scouts Name), Welcome to the wolf Den of Pack 162. This year we will learn a whole new group of skills. THere is much for you to do and I look foward to helping you along the way.

 

(Assist the Scout with putting on the new Wolf Neckerchief and Slide.)

 

(To the Parent) Do you accept the responsibility of helping (Name) along the road to wolf.

 

Parent/Guardian: Yes I do

 

WDL: Then Join us by standing by our Den Flag over here.

 

(repeat as needed to get all TIger Cubs across the Bridge)

 

Might look best as an outdoor ceremony with a campfire. Also having both Tiger and Wolf Den Flags is best. This can also be altered for the other ranks along with the Webelos crossing over to the Boy Scouts.

 

One Suggestion, if you are on a budget, try it this way if the parents are willing to let the old neckerchiefs go. Start with the higher ranks, and then pass down the neckerchiefs to the next group. This will make it so that the Tigers are last, but they get the neckerchiefs from the wolves.

 

I think you can catch my drift(This message has been edited by SctDad)

[John-in-KC]

One year the Pack EagleSon came up from had an end-of-year Pack meeting at a local camp/conference center (non-BSA). His Troop and Venturing Crew pulled together all the Arrowmen and Tribesmen of Mic-o-Say it could, and gave the kids and their families a BIG ceremony.

 

Imagine adults and Scouts in native American attire, lighting the campfire, escorting these 7-10 year olds up to the fire for their recognition.

 

Win-win in many, many ways.

[Sephrina]

I'm not really sure how it works and I've not actually done it or seen it, but I was asking one of the ladies in our local scout shop about a display they have for her pack with clothes pins showing what rank each boy is (they first receive the clothes pin when they earn bobcat) and she mentioned having the boys receive piece of an arrow at each rank, working up to having the whole arrow when they receive arrow of light.

 

Karen

[SctDad]

The cloths pin rank display that you are refereing to is seen in the How-To book. If it is not in there then I also saw one like it in the Cub Scout Leaders Book. It gives a good description in picture on how to make it.

 

There are also some of the other design possibilities in there. We have been thinking about making one for our pack ourselves.

[BuffaloSR793]

Our Pack usually does "painted face" ceremonies for Tigers to Wolves and Wolves to Bears.

 

For the Bears to Webelos, we usually do the "Broken Arrow" ceremony. Where the arrow is broken over the boys shoulder, then the arrow is kept, repaired and presented as their career arrow when they obtain AOL and cross to a Troop.

 

For Webelos to Webelos II we usually get them some type of camping gear and offer recognition that this is their final year in Cub Scouts along with they will be assisting and providing leadership to the Webelos I's.

 

The Bears to Webelos and Webelos I and Webelos II, are usually done with the bridge, the fake campfire, a smoke machine and candles. We really try to add "pomp and circumstance" to the Webelos ceremonies.

[rjscout]

BuffaloSR793,

 

That is close to what I have been thinking about. Thanks for adding on to my thoughts. I'm looking forward to a GREAT graduation ceremony in May.

 

Thanks,

Rob

 

[fgoodwin]

We do a variation of what Greg Nelson described.

 

The adults call up the Web Is (our Web IIs have theoretically crossed over by now, so we start with the Web Is) -- since they already have their Webelos neckers, the adults provide them their Webelos "colors" for their activity pins.

 

The Webelos call up the Bears, remove the Bear neckers and present them with Webelos neckers (and book, belts, etc. as much as the Pack wants to pay for).

 

The Bears call up the Wolves, remove the Wolf neckers and place the Bear neckers, etc. on down to Tigers. There's usually no one for the Tigers to call up, unless new boys have joined in the spring prior to graduation -- we never had that, but if you did, you could have the current Tigers call up the new Tigers and present them with Tiger neckers, books, etc.

 

Its usually best for the Pack to buy new neckers, because the boy (or his parents) will want to keep the old ones.

 

We like to involve the boys at each stage of "passing along" the ranks at graduation instead of having the adults do it all. It helps builds esprit de corps.

[beaverlbc]

There are some great ideas here. I especially like the idea from fgoodwin where the Scouts give out the neckerchiefs etc to the advancing rank.

I plan to evaluate some of these ideas to use with my pack.

To answer the original question. Yes you need to do something for those moving from Webelos I to Webelos II. I like the idea of special symbolism and have been bothered by the fact that I have nothing to give these young men since they already have their neckerchief and book. This thread is going to push me to find some special way to recognize them at crossover.

We always do a crossover using a bridge of some sort (can be improvised). And always give the boy his Neckerchief and Handbook for his new rank. Something we do (to make sure everyone has a neckerchief and handbook to be given) is to purchase them and have the parent pay us for them. Those not bought (usually because someone did not attend the crossover) can be returned for credit at the Scout Shop. The Pack can't afford to buy them for everyone but that way we make sure everyone has them. And I have even had parents that could not pay right away and they use them and then return them.

One year one Scout threw his hat off while crossing the bridge. Since most of the boys had a Scout hat, everyone else followed suit. Those few that did not have the hat, borrowed someones before they crossed over. For several years, we continued that tradition.

We cross most of our Webelos IIs over at that end of the year crossover (mostly because we have so many Scouts start at the beginning of 5th grade). A couple of years ago we began having a Pack/Troop Campout, held close enough to our home area that no one has to travel long distances if they don't want to (or can't) camp. That way everyone in the pack can participate on that Sat evening in the crossover.

 

[ManyHats]

"The cloths pin rank display that you are refereing to is seen in the How-To book."

 

I'm not sure who in our Pack has our How-To book. Is there any pics or description online that anyone knows of?

[CassieLN]

I am also thinking about what to get for the Webelos 1 who will be moving up. Our Webelos II are already in BS. I was thinking of getting the BS handbook covers or a walking stick (telling them that they will need it!) or some other sort of camping gear.

 

We have a bridge and we give the boys the rank awards before they cross the bridge and get their new uniform items. The past few years we have had a campfire ceremony. I like the idea of having each boy "frock" the next level down.

[rjscout]

After giving this a lot of thought, I think I figured out what I am going to do. I don't think I am going to have the time to carve the paw prints for creating the clay medallion or slide, but I did just order some rubber stamps with a Tiger, Wolf and Bear Claw (three different stamps). I am going to cut some disks of wood from some branches (I have lots of trees in my yard) for making some slides. I am going to use paint with the stamps to put the paw prints on the wood disk and I'll glue them to some PVC rings (cut from pipes) to creat slides. For Bears, to Webelos, I want to use the broken arrow. For moving to 2nd year Webelos, I think an Arrowhead Slide would be fitting for the path to AOL. Since the new Webelos will not have a handmade slide, I may make a few Turks Head knots for slides for them. I am hoping to make this a great graduation for them. We are hoping to have some new Tigers (kindergartners) at our May graduation, from our spring recruiting, to start their new Cub Scout adventures.

 

I do like the walking sticks, too. I saw some nice sycamore branches on a newly dropped tree that I might cut for walking sticks, after talking to my neighbor. Does anyone have any suggestion on the best tree branch to use for making a walking stick? I think a real branch might add some character.