Scout skipping a grade...

[K1986]

I know I can call my local council and find out but I was wondering if anyone knew the answer off hand. I was told tonight that one of my scouts will be skipping the second grade, he is a tiger right now in first grade. He will be moving right onto third grade next year. If he skips school grades does he skip scouting levels? Can he start with the Wolf badge June first and when he finishes begin working on his Bear? He is the only tiger in his den and would be alone as a wolf next year too, I have six current wolves that would be bears next year. He is very mature for his age, knowledgeable and a good listener. Let me know what anyone knows about how this works. I've never had this kind of situation before. Thanks!

[kbandit]

You might want to look at what age he will be as a graduating/crossing over Webelo 2 to Boy Scouts. There are age requirements to join Boy Scouts. This might help in the decision making. Good luck.

[Scoutfish]

Well, since each rank is not dependant on reaching the previous one ( except for Bobcat), I'd put him in Bear.

 

THis way, he will be working in a den with boys who are in the same class group in school. If he really is that mature for his age, this will be the right place for him.(This message has been edited by scoutfish)

[Twocubdad]

Let it be the parent's choice. My recommendation is always to keep a boy with his friends. So in your situation it sounds like he would be better off as a Bear.

[airborneveteran]

Ask the Cub's parents (since they are also Akela for him) if he wants to do the Wolf stuff over the summer with them to earn that rank and be a Bear when school starts. It will be easy to do over the summer with the type of parents you typically find behind a scout capable of skipping a grade. We've had this happen before. Also if you're in a District/council with a District Day/twilight Camp and a Council Cub resident camp it's hard NOT to make rank over the summer for Wolves and Bears attending both camps.

 

In either event since he is by himself now, I'd have him as a Bear on June 1 or September 1 at his family's option.(This message has been edited by airborneveteran)

[ScoutNut]

Cub levels are age - or - grade dependent.

 

If your current Tiger will be graduating 1st grade in June and going into 3rd grade, then he can be EITHER a Wolf, or Bear Cub Scout, but not both.

 

Having the boy rush thru the Wolf requirements simply to have another bit of bling on his shirt is not right. He should be in one level, or the other, for the entire next year.

 

Since there are no other boys in his Tiger den, he will not be leaving a friend behind. But, your Pack might pick up some new Wolf Cubs in Aug/Sept for him to work with. The Scouts in the current Wolf den will be his classmates come June, and most likely his buddies by Sept/Oct.

 

A BIG consideration would be when he will be turning 10 years old. A Webelos has to be at LEAST 10 years old to join a Boy Scout Troop with his AOL. If he goes into the Bear den, but will not be able to cross to Boy Scouts with the rest of his den because he will not yet be 10, then keeping him in the Wolf den next year might be the better choice.

 

Personally, if his age for crossover is no problem, I would put him directly into the Bear den with his classmates at graduation in June.

 

HOWEVER - the FINAL decision of whether to be a Wolf or a Bear Cub Scout for the next year is up to the boy, and his parents.

[Eagle732]

Many smaller packs combine Wolf and Bear dens (and Web 1 and 2 dens).

 

I wouldn't advise that he skip Wolf or rush through it. Combine his den of one with the Bears but have him work on Wolf requirements. Separate dens meeting together. Next year he becomes a Bear and if you don't recruit a few Bear aged new boys then you combine the Bear den of one with the new Wolf den.

 

What you don't want is for him to be a Web 2 and not be old enough to cross to a troop for another 6 months or so.

[momof2cubs]

kbandit: not necessarily. The requirements to join boy scouts are be 11 years old OR have completed 5th grade OR earned AoL AND be at least 10. If this boy completes 5th grade, he will eligible regardless.

 

I would ask the parents. If it were my kid, I would fast track the wolf rank over the summer (doable) and then put him in the bear rank with all his friends rather than having him be alone for another year.(This message has been edited by momof2cubs)

[Eagle92]

Although a 9 yo that completes 5th grade is eligible to become a Boy Scout, I would be concerned. I'd know when this situation arose one time, 1 SM approached would not accept the Cub Scout b/c we was not ready for Boy Scouts from the observations of the Cub Scout visiting the troop, camping with the troop and at several district events that the Cub was observed at. The ticked off parents did go to another troop that accepted him, but if memory serves they had issues with him and he eventually dropped out if memory serves.

[Basementdweller]

I am not sure about a 9 year old in boy scouting......

 

 

I would have him meet the troop and then let them decide..... Irregardless of his intelligence it is a maturity level and how he interacts with the rest of the boys that matter.

 

That would mean it would be possible to have an 11 year old eagle scout.

[Eagle92]

Base,

 

Theoretically yes.

 

I'll give you a hypothetical. Say you got a Scout who completed 1st grade, is still 6yos on June 1st and would be going into 2nd grade, but instead is going into 3rd, and hence the decision is that he becomes a Bear on June 1. He will be 7yo on June 1 the following year, and hence become a Webelos 1 as he will be going into 4th grade. He will then be 8 when he becomes a Webelos II, turning 9YO in September, and when his Den moves up to Boy Scouts in the January-March Time frame, he will have to wait until June 1 to join a troop at 9yo because he have to wait until completing 5th grade.

 

At 9 years 9 months, IF he's a fast mover, or if his unit is a 'One and Done" type, he can earn Eagle at exactly 11 years of age since it takes an absolute minimum of 15 months, or 1 year and 3 months, (30 days for Tenderfoot 10B to be done, 4 months for Star 1 & 5, 6 months for Life 1 and 5, and 6 months for Eagle 1 and 4.)

 

 

[5yearscouter]

We had that situation with a boy in our pack. He was up a year in grade. So he started the Bear when he should have (age wise) been a wolf).

 

come the end of the Webelos 2 year, his den is ready to cross to boy scouts in February. He was too young. He had to wait til he either turned old enough (Oct or Nov) or the end of the school year.

His den crossed over, he was uninterested in meeting with the webelos 1's til the end of the school year. So while he was very gung ho about joining boy scouts in Feb, by the time he sat our the spring, he felt all left out by the time he could join June 1st. and he quit.

 

For the most success for him, to allow him to go to boy scouts with his buddies, count forward age wise and grade wise and ensure he won't be left behind if he goes with the older rank den. And if ends up the only wolf, RECRUIT hard to get a den of wolves for him. Ask him to bring a friend or 7 and have a kick butt activity to reel them in.

 

[perdidochas]

A 9 yr old with AOL cannot join Boy Scouts. The following is the first requirement for joining Boy Scouts:

 

 

1. Meet the age requirements. Be a boy who is 11 years old, or one who has completed the fifth grade or earned the Arrow of Light Award and is at least 10 years old, but is not yet 18 years old.

 

 

[perdidochas]

Reread the above. A 9 yr old who has finished 5th grade can join Boy Scouts. My mistake.

[Basementdweller]

5 year you and the SM missed an opportunity......

 

while it is true he could not officially join, he is still a member of the BSA and could be a guest of the the troop for the 3 months till school ended.

 

Instead you lost a potentially great scout....of course we will never know.