howarthe Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Does anyone here have a ceremony in which they graduate the first-year Webelos to the second-year Webelos. I have found various ceremonies on the Internet for graduating tiger to wolves, wolves to bears and bears to Webelos, most involve trading neckerchief, slide and books, but since the Webelos maintain the same neckerchief, slide and book for two years. So does anyone here do anything for them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5yearscouter Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 We usually call the Webelos I's up on stage first. We introduce them to the audience as our senior scouts in the pack and thank them for their service and expect them to guide us over the coming year. We usually give them a scout law or oath coin to put in their pockets with some blurb about remembering to live by it thru the coming year. then we put them to work helping us cross over the Bears to join them as Webelos, they put new neckerchiefs on them and give the a webelos book and they feel super helpful and I think that's good enough. we have a pack tradition of trying to pass down hats and neckerchiefs to the next level each year, so the parents don't have to buy new hats and neckers each time. This usually works out to the pack buys 2 or 3 sets of hats and neckers, a few parents buy new sets cause they want to keep the one their son has, and then we have a few hand me downs that get washed before the boys pass them down, which makes the timing a little wonky every time--collect the hats on Weds night's meeting, and then fri night pack meeting we give the hats back right before they go on stage to pass their hat to the next rank and get a new one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
00Eagle Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I don't know about a ceremony but when I worked with a pack in North Carolina during college (my Alpha Phi Omega chapter helped out on a weekly basis) they had a bridging tradition. Everyone bridged at the same time in May including the Web2s who had earned AoL in Feb or March (don't ask, it wasn't my idea). Each level had a scarf that was exchanged: even the tigers in the last year (03-04) of orange t-shirts had a home made orange scarf with white border that they exchanged for the yellow wolf scarf. Wolves, Bears, and Web1s had the traditional yellow/sky blue/web plaid scarves. The Web1s who crossed the bridge to become Web2s received the Forty Knots red bandana as the sign that they were at the head of the pack. The Web2s crossed the bridge and received the troop neckerchief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twocubdad Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 We used to give them nametags to wear with their uniforms. They thought this was cool since only the Web2s and some of the adults had them. We only included their name and a flur-de-lis on the tags so they can use them in the boy scout troop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutNut Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 The reason that you have found no ceremonies "graduating first-year Webelos to second-year Webelos" is that there is nothing to graduate to. There is only ONE Webelos program (just as there is one Tiger, Wolf, and Bear). It is 12-24 month's long, but still only one program. We would usually bring up the rising 5th graders and give them a new necker slide with the AOL on it, and a vittle kit. They would be encouraged to continue working toward their AOL. They then would assist the other dens with their graduation ceremonies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nike Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 When the Bears cross to WEBELOS, our pack congratulates the new WEB1 den and reminds everyone that now we'll be having a WEB2 until Christmas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brewmeister Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 We cross them over the bridge like the other boys, and they get a service star. The other boys get a star and necker. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnaMaria Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I'm with ScoutNut on this one, there's nothing to graduate to or from. Webelos I and Webelos II are not ranks. Acknowledge their hard work over the last year and give them a trinket of some kind if you do the same for the other ranks. I like the cheap coin with the Boy Scout oath and law. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tampa Turtle Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 We let them become a (un)patrol at the WI/WII point and mention it at the Pack meeting. Even though it is true it is only one program we gave them some informal recognition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle92 Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 My pack traditionally give out new neckers whenthe Cubs move up. Current Webelos get some type of camp gear equitable to the price of a necker. One thign I tried last year was having the Webelos put on the new neckers, and they loved it. I'm thinking of repeating the same thing thisyear, exept instead of paracord woggles, use wire clothesline woggles. They don't come apart as easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BadenP Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 Scoutnut and Ana are correct there are no crossover ceremonies from Web1 to Web2 because it is the same program. As an ex WDL right at the time of the change from a one year program to a two year one all I can say it was a huge mistake on the part of BSA. They should have created a seperate, program instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BluejacketScouter Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 I believe officially it is Webelos Den for boys working on their Webelos badge, and Arrow of Light Den for boys working on AOL. So I see no problem in advancing from one to the other? "Graduating" is the term I use for Cubs who are moving by grade but have not earned their rank. It happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AKdenldr Posted March 21, 2012 Share Posted March 21, 2012 We have the Web I den come up first. They are recognized for their accomplishments and remain standing on the left of the "stage". Then the bears become webelos thru the necker (or Tan shirt) upgrade, one by one they walk over and join the WebIIs. In the end they are all Webelos together, even if the dens are not combining. Boys seem to like it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortridge Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 I believe officially it is Webelos Den for boys working on their Webelos badge, and Arrow of Light Den for boys working on AOL. No, they're not. Those may be the terms your pack uses, but there's no basis in anything for them. And they ignore the fact that a Webelos Scout can earn the Webelos badge at any time, not just in the first year of the program. All this graduation stuff is good pomp & circumstance, but it's really meaningless. Not having the boys "graduate" from one year to the next is also preparation or Boy Scouting, where it's all self-directed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnaMaria Posted March 22, 2012 Share Posted March 22, 2012 Actually Arrow of Light Den is something that came out of the Cub Scout program that replaced the program helps. (I can't think of the official name right now.) I'm not totally up on the new stuff since I'm not currently a Webelos den leader. I can think of lots of reasons not to embrace those designations, though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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