Newly Recruited 5th Grade Webelos

[SeattlePioneer]

Suppose you recruit some 5th graders at your fall recruiting night. They are 2nd year Webelos and they go in your 2nd year Webelos den.

 

So what kind of program would you ask them to complete? If the 2nd year Webelos den crosses over into Boy Scouts in February, what happens to these boys?

[perdidochas]

Tough issue. The ones that are 11 and older on the crossover date can crossover with the AOL scouts. I think the others will just need to go to the Webelos I den when I crossover with the other group.

[The Blancmange]

I've dealt with this a couple of times. I have them work with the W1's to complete the basic Webelos badge requirements. Our pack is small and the 2 grades work together outside of these basic requirements, so that makes it a little easier. Since 6 months pass between early September and our B&G, usually in March, I explain to them that they technically could earn AOL if they want to do the extra work it would take, but I do not push this. So far, no one has taken me up on it. I have not yet had one who was not yet 11 by crossover time, but I suspect such a scout would just stay with the W1's until his birthday.

[bbender]

It all depends on the length of time between when they sign up and when they cross over.

 

If you have six months, they can cross with the others.

 

Yeah, they'll have what we call "Webelos Tutorial" (Fitness, Citizen), and if your Web II Den camps, knocking out Outdoorsman is a snap. Plus if your Web II Den does Readyman in the 5th Grade Year (something that we like because it makes it easier for those 5th Grade signups, and they can learn that important stuff better later in their Webelos careers), getting to the necessary number of activity badges is very possible for even a moderately diligent Webelos Scout and family.

 

Now, if there is less than 6 months and/or they don't get the necessary activity badges, yeah, they'll need to stay back to wrap up the time/badges, but . . . consider having them continue to "visit" with the Troop to stay connected with the (now crossed over) new Boy Scouts.

[SeattlePioneer]

Ummm. Somehow I don't think watching the buddies you've made cross into Boy Scouts and being dropped into the Webelos I den would be real attractive to most boys.

 

And frankly, it is the boy I'm mainly interested in rather than Scout rules.

 

 

I propose this ---- those new boys collect the Bocat award, which should be done in a couple of weeks by boys that age.

 

Then they work on whatever the Webelos II den is working on. Since most aren't going to qualify for the AOL, they obviously don't win that award. But if the Webelos II den does a formal crossover into Boy Scouts, I'd cross that boy over with the rest of the denm, and he'd remain a Webelos II until his 11th birthday. I'd make a point of reaching an agreement on that with the Scoutmaster.

 

I would suppose that a boy would understand the need for that, and he can catch up with any rank or awards he's earned when he turns eleven.

 

I welcome anyone who wants to explain how I'm outraging BSA rules and regulations! There might be a little bending, such as taking a Webelos camping without a parent (the parent can certainly be invited) but that kind of things happens anyway often enough, and strikes me as a venial sin for a Webelos II scout.

[Twocubdad]

The first thing is to sit down with the young man and his parents and make sure he understands the program and what is involved.

 

The have two options -- one is to kick back, makes some new friends in the den, work on a few activity pin, have some fun and get ready to move up into Boy Scouts in February.

 

Option two is to develop a plan and schedule to try and complete his AOL in six month. It's tough, but I've seen it done (once). It took a good deal of organization (the kid and his folks put together a notebook to help manage working on multiple activity pins) and commitment on the part of the boy and his den leader.

 

Either way, you really need to have the DL on board. If the kid wants to earn the AOL, the DL's going to put in a lot of time working with the boy. On the other hand, if the boy goes with the first option, the DL needs to make sure the boy is engage, having fun and doesn't feel left out when the den is working on AOL stuff.

 

[Pack212Scouter]

We do one of three things....

 

If they are a transfer from another Webelos program, then into a Webelos 2 Den.

 

If we get at least 4 or 5, then we create a new Webelos 2 Den that works towards the same goals.

 

If we just get 1 or 2, then they go into a Webelos 1 Den, since they are all working towards Webelos Badge. We then have them work on the extra AOL requirements with the Webelos 2's when they do them. About a month before bridgeover, if they are eligible, we move them in with the Webelos 2 Den to become familiar with those boys before bridging.

[Mrw1]

Many years ago, when I still had Cubs, I had a new boy join at the beginning of fifth grade.

 

I explained to him and his parents about what he needed to earn both the Webelos badge and the AOL. He wanted the AOL.

 

So each week he did all the regular activities with my Webelos 2 den and they in turn each week helped him with the other pins they had earned the year before, doing the fitness activities and Bobcat badges and such. He coasted right through and the others got some experience teaching and leading - win/win!!!

 

Not only did he earn the Webelos badge and AOL for the B&G and crossover, I think he probably finished 12 activity pins.

 

As a den over the year and a half of Webelos, we had opportunity for all the boys to earn all the pins if their attendance was good and they worked at it. I had 2 of 7 boys in each of the Webelos dens I led earn all 20.

[AZOwl]

One of the many hats I wore last year was as a Webelos Den Leader...We had a boy join in Sep, and another one that transferred from another unit in Nov/Dec, plus my own son that had been in since Tigers...And I had no Webelos I's at all...

 

So in talking to the parents, we decided to fasttrack both of the newer boys so that they could earn their AOL along with my son and crossover at the same time. With parents that are engaged, and with the focus on the program, a boy can easily earn his Webelos and AOL in six months.

 

In the end, its up to the parents to decide how they want to handle things. In my instance, it was a no-brainer, because I didn't really want to have a den with 1 boy in it...It just means my troop will not have any new boys from the Pack until next year, unless parents want to fasttrack the boys on their own...