When do you advance your Webelos?

[K1986]

I am a Webelos leader and my parents and I are trying to make a decision when to cross over our 2nd year Webelos. Traditionally our pack has done a cross over as part of our Blue and Gold ceremony during the last week of February. I was at our district round-table this week though and I heard about 50/50 of those who either cross over in February or wait until the rest of the cubs switch rank June 1st. All of my current 2nd year Webelos will be on track to finish all 20 requirements (though they could be stretched out if we decided to wait) at the beginning of February and parents are fine with either date as long as their scout is getting 100% out of the Webelos program and is truely ready to switch to a scout troop.

 

So my question is, when does your pack advance your Webelos and why?

[fred8033]

February...

 

- Sounds like your Webelos could switch now if they really wanted. That's the common question: Switch now or wait for the whole den?

 

- Almost none wait until end of 5th grade. That's just not how it's done these days. 99% transition at the B&G. It's easier as that's when Webelos from other packs join a troop and it's nice to join together.

 

- February gives your Webelos a chance to get to know the troop before bigger summer camping events.

 

- Don't worry about getting all you can out of Cub Scouts. Boy Scouts is a new adventure. The Arrow of Light is the only lasting Cub Scout award.

 

...

...

 

It would be nice to learn more about this 50% B&G / 50% end-of-year crossover. That's definitely not what I've heard or seen or published by BSA.(This message has been edited by fred8033)

[Nike]

Our packs have begun crossing over in December so that the boys join their troops in January, which is also our recharter month in this area. The fall is dedicated to joining troops for campouts and visiting meetings while working on any final AoL requirements.

 

The new Scouts are ablle to have more campouts before the Spring Camporee and are good and ready for summer camp by June, thier parents, too.

[Jeffrey H]

We advance our Webelos at our Blue and Gold Meeting at the end of February. That's our tradition and it's well accepted. Our reasons are the same as Fred8033 stated. However, if a Webelo turns 11 years old before Blue and Gold and is ready to go to a Troop, he is free to do so.

 

 

[Basementdweller]

What is a second year webelos?????

 

We cross all of ours 1st year at the Blue and Gold in february or as soon as they are 10 1/2.

 

They are bored with the 2nd year..... I assume you mean 20 activity pins???? Why in the world would you bore the boys with all that nonse???? Traveler???? please

 

Readyman, Outdoorsman, Citizen, Aquanaut, Forester, Geologist, Naturalist, Sportsman, Craftsman, scientist and fitness, why in the world do they call it fitness????? Is all a young man needs. The rest is just fluff, get them those pins and advance them.

 

I completely disagree with webelos being a two year program, completely stupid and a waste of time. They can do it in 9 months.

 

[Basementdweller]

The whole first year of resident camp is the reason for crossing over in feb.

 

Our boys have attended day camp and resident camp as webelos, the troop is full of their friends, we camp with the troop twice during their short 9 months.

[5yearscouter]

We usually time our advancement to the troop in the Feb/March time period, to coincide with joining the troop a week or two before one of the troops easier campouts of the year.

a campout that is not a backpacking trip right off the batt, where the new guys won't have the supplies to join right in. By timing our crossover to fit the troop's calendar it allows the young scouts to join and learn how the troop works on campouts right away.

so rather than us telling you what works for us, check with your local troops and find out what works for them.

 

Those who push webelos to be closer to a 1 year program, must be dealing with boys who are much more mature than ours have been. Boys grow up so much during the 5th grade, become a lot more independent and more able to handle the bigger responsibility necessary to fit into a troop.

 

 

Also all of our troops around here are large troops, and don't seem to use new scout patrols, so the boys have to be able to fend for themselves a bit stuck into such a large group.

 

boys who have barely turned 10.5 with AOL and join boy scouts seem to drop out at a higher rate than those who have a teeny bit more age on them, to the spring of 5th grade year.

 

That doesn't mean spending the fall of 5th grade year boring them to death with classroom style webelos badges one after the other. but with a little planning, all those things can be done in the webelos book in the outdoors, with lots of hikes and campouts and having the boys plan their own meals, meetings, and running things a bit more. not quite boy scout level, but not cubbies level arts and crafts.

 

[Scoutfish]

We use B&G as B&G. Not advancement time point, not for croissovers, not for AOL. B&G is when we get together, shove food in our face and talk about BSA's birthday and when /where it all gotv started.

 

To us, B&G is a social function. And a time to recognize leaders and committee members.

 

We used to have boys do prsentations and such, but they really didn't like it.

 

Our AOL scouts usually like to do stuff together, For some reason, they do not want to cross over until at least a handfull are ready, and when asked, they rather have a crossover ceremony night of it's own self and witth all the boys together.

 

Last year, we decided to do it outdoors , back at the edge of the woods behind the CO with the CO troop conducting the ceremony and anty troop that the boy was going to being represented by the SM, SPL , and whoever else they brought along.

 

Afterward, we'd cook hotdogs and cheeseburgers.

 

You know that since we are a southern pack, we have to find a way to make any event an oppertunity to eat and socialize.

 

WE also had all our cub scouts to attend as an audience. Thius gives them something to look forward to and it lets the AOL's have their time in the spotlight.

 

WE did this in mid April: Not too hot, not too cold. Nice weather for an outdoor ceremony with campfires and cooking out.

 

Everybody seemed to love it including some Boy Scouts who wished it was done that way when they crosed over instead of a too formal indoor ceremony.

 

Don't get me wrong, we had a nice ceremony. It wasn't casual kaos, buty wasn't a presidental innauguration or militray ceremony either.

 

[BadenP]

K1

 

As a former WDL myself my advice is don't rush it, even if they complete all 20 activity badges by Feb. but watch more than half will not. Use this time to really get your boys ready for boy scouts, try doing some more activities with a couple of troops in the area, work with them becoming proficient in a few basic skills for Scout and Tenderfoot ranks. This time I have found with some of my past Webelos is kind of like the transition from middle school to high school, most are nervous, unsure if they even want to go on to a troop, afraid they won't be accepted in the troop, etc. Believe it or not what you do right now with your boys will be a huge determinant as to whether or not they stay in scouting, just my .02 cents worth. Good Luck!

[Horizon]

February. District Camporee is in the first weekend in April, and by bridging they can join their Troop, learn the basic skills, and go to compete. In my my Troop we have a Camporee Prep campout in March were we erase Cub Scout brainwashing, and then the next month they head to Camporee. The great thing is that by competing at Camporee, they have a reason to really nail the skills - and their Patrol has a reason to teach them (heh heh heh - a Game with a Purpose!)

 

But that is what works for our area, I admit. The other great thing is that by joining in February, the boys are more likely to go to Summer Camp (which can be in June). I think that going to summer camp early helps get a boy really engaged in the Troop, he gets to know his Patrol mates even better, and he is more likely to get ingrained into Scouting.

[Eagledad]

The earth moved and I found myself fully agreeing with everything BP wrote. I might add that you should ask the troops tabout heir timeline. Troops today typically plan their annual agenda with crossovers in mind. It can be more disruptive for some troops to take in a large group of new scout a couple of months before or after the standard crossover season of you district. It's no problem for others. Just ask as you visit troops.

 

Barry

[SpecialScouting]

I think it depends on the "culture" of Boy Scouts in your area. Our troops are designed to bridge the Webelos into their troop in Feb/March. We had one Webelo den leader push very hard for "her" Webs to be allowed to bridge over 5 months early because she felt they were "special" and more ready that the rest of the 5th graders in town. It created alot of resentment among the SMs because they had designed their programs to bring in the Webs from all the different packs at the same time for a new scout patrol. I believe she finally convince 1 SM to take them all as a NSP in October.

[OwntheNight]

I agree with BP all the way. As a CM, I see boys get bored with the last few months of the program, whether it's burnout from the same things or leaders who are road weary and ready for the break. They then come to the troop where I'm also an ASM for TTFC and I see these boys without the true skill set for the program.

 

Now I do see the benefits of the boys that come in early, because they do get used to the patrol hierarchy and are ready for summer camp. They've gotten a few campouts under their belts, and are more comfortable with the patrol method.

 

The outdoors should be your classroom, not the classroom. Have them do more cooking, cleaning, setting up tents, planning for their trips. If they can do those things with minimal task mastering from you, they're ready to move up to the troop.

[Basementdweller]

Ya know OTN you are correct, they don't have the skill set to be boy scouts.

 

where do you think they get those skills?????

 

It isn't from some whimpy camp twice a year webelos program. It is from the troop, If you are expecting webelos to have the proficiency of a tenderfoot or second class scout then I believe you are mistaken.

 

We cross over 4th graders into the troop, We do it Feb of their 4th grade year. Our retention in two years of doing this is 100%.

[Eagle92]

I have mixed emotions on this topic. I've seen some folks who crossed over the den in December of their second year, and they were not ready. I've seen some units still use the traditional May cross over time frame of the old 3 year CS program fro the current 5 year program, and some lose interest in Scouting, and it's just a pro forma event getting their AOL.

 

I like the Jan-Feb of their second year time frame. It gives them 18 months to shop around for a troop, allows them gain some expereince in the outdoors by doing some den camping, as well as overnighters with troops, and, IMHO, gives them time to save up money to go to summer camp their first summer. Also it gives the new Scout, and more importantly parents, 4-5 months to become comfortable with the troop. I've found kids adapt fast, the parents, esp CS leaders, not so much.

 

Here's my advice FWIW.

 

1) get a knowledgable den chief and use him. Don't let him sit on the sidelines, but let him take charge when he can. The earlier you can get a DC in the two years as a WDL, the better.

 

2) Start talking to SMs ASAP and start visiting meetings and going camping. If your troops won't help, then do Webelos Den Camping.

 

3) Don't let advancment be the focus of your program. While earning 20 WABs may seem like a big deal, a year or two down the road in Boy Scouts it won't be.

 

4) Keep the OUTING in ScOUTING.

 

good luck.