2 questions about rising cub ceremony

[robb100]

Last year I did the Story of Cub Scout Colors ceremony at the end of the year to promote the cubs to their new level. This is where Akela sends 3 braves out to gather the sky, sun and earth and they bring back colored bottles of water (blue, yellow and orange). The water is poured onto dry ice in a pot and it smokes and puts on a good show. I did the story pulled out the new neckerchiefs for the rising cubs. Everyone loved it and some have asked if I am going to do it again this year.

 

My first question is does anyone have a similar ceremony with dry ice I can use? It seems they want to see the dry ice again.

 

Next, I have a 2 cubs and 1 Webelos that joined in January. The Webelos scout has completed everything to earn his Webelos badge. The other 2 (1 tiger and 1 bear) have not copmleted the rank requirements and will not be awarded their badges. So my second question is do I include them in the rising cub ceremony and present them with the neckerchiefs their next rank? If I don't, how should I explain to them why they are not getting it?

 

Thanks

rob

[Fehler]

Did they "Do their best" to complete their badges, given the limited amount of time they had to work on them? Then award the ranks, and include them.

[robb100]

Fehler, yes they have been working hard but they have not completed all of the requirements for the badge, so I can't award the badge to them. Since they are not getting their rank badge (Tiger) should I include him and in the rising ceremony and give him a wolf neckerchief? I suppose if I were doing this ceremony at the beginning of next year I would, so I'm inclined to do so now.

[ScoutNut]

Please - do NOT award rank awards when the requirements have not been completed! "Doing their best" only applies to individual requirements. They STILL have to complete ALL of the requirements.

 

Also, in Cub Scouts, earning a rank award has nothing at all to do with moving to another Cub level. The rank awards are just that - awards. Cub Scout levels are based on age and grade, not what awards they have, or have not, earned.

 

BSA National automatically moves every registered Cub Scout up to the next Cub level every June 1. It does not matter if the Scouts did not earn a single bead, patch, or pin, all year. They still move up to the next level at the end of the school year.

 

So, robb100, include ALL of your Cub Scouts in your "rising", or "graduation" ceremony.

 

[ForTheBoys]

Hi Rob, as I understand it, the boys can keep on working on their rank requirements all the way up until the last day of school. If they complete everything by that day then I would present the Rank patch to them as soon as practical after that (ex. summer time pool party, etc.)

 

As to including them in the ceremony - absolutely. Even if a boy doesn't earn his Tiger Rank by the end of school, he can still be in the Wolf Den and is eligible to wear the Wolf neckerchief on the day after the end of school.

 

FTB

 

[robb100]

I am NOT going to award any rank badges to those who have not completed the requirements. They have until June 1 to complete the requirements. I was just wondering if I should include them in the graduation type ceremony. My plan was to do so, but I thought I would see what people on here thought.

[ScoutNut]

Just a note - Since Cub awards are created to be age appropriate, Cub Scouts are only allowed to work in ONE level at a time. If your Cubs want to continue working on their rank awards at the Tiger, and Bear, levels over the summer they can NOT also work on requirements toward any Wolf, or Webelos, level awards. Also, they can ONLY work on the rank award, not electives, or any other awards at the lower level.

 

Personally, I recommend that if the Cubs elect to work on their current level rank award over the summer, then they do not "graduate" to the next level until the end of summer. This usually convinces the parents to let their son move on immediately.

[ScoutNut]

Some "magic" ceremonies -

 

http://scouting.argentive.com/docs/ceremony_magic_formulas.pdf

 

Note - BSA does not recommend the flaming necker ceremony because of the fire danger.

 

I have used the Bobcat Bones, Color Changing, and Glowing, ceremonies for both rank advancement and end of year graduation. They are fun for the boys. Make sure you do a LOT of practicing with these before doing them with the Cubs!

 

A note about the Color Changing one - I did not use bleach. I used clear glass jars with lids, and put lots of food coloring on the inside of the lids. Keep the lids top up on the table, and use warm water. Put water in the jar. Put on lid, being careful so that the boys do not see the dried coloring inside of the lid. Shake vigorously. Use fresh water, and a different color, different jar, for each level.

 

For the glowing ceremony I also recommend using one clear jar per level. This eliminates the worry that a Scout will spill/break an individual one. You can use a different color glow stick per level.

 

For Bobcat Bones, you can change the story to be the bones of a wise, old Cubmaster, or magic dust from the spirit of AKELA.

 

A Painted Face ceremony is also fun. There are a number of them on the 'net. I combined the symbols I liked for each level. You can put on all of the symbols for each level up to the one they are moving into, or just do the symbol for their new level. If you are including the parents, I like to add a white dot on the end of the parents nose (done by the Scout) to remind them of the family aspect of Cubs, and that they must continue to help their Scouts along their Scouting trail.

 

In all of the ceremonies, for the 4th grade Webelos moving to 5th grade, there is no real "graduation" involved as it is simply a continuation of the program. We would use the ceremony to encourage their continuing the trail to AOL, and Boy Scouts.