Transitioning Cub Scout with AOL to Boy Scouts

[hmidgley]

I am working on a research project, "Investigation why Cub Scouts who earn the rank of Arrow of Light dont go into Boy Scouts" for my Doctoral thesis for Commissioner College and I would like to gather some information. The retention rate of Cubs with AOL to Boy Scouts has risen in recent years but we still lose a large number of boys. Below are a few questions that will provide helpful information. The information will be combined and no Pack or personal information will be included in the report without written permission. If you want to send me a private email my address is below.

 

Thank you for any assistance

Harry Midgley

BSACommis@gmail.com

 

Based upon your Scouting experience please answer the following questions

1. Approximate number of Cub Scouts who earned their Arrow of Light rank?

2. Approximate number of those Scouts who did not enter a Boy Scout Troop after Cub Scouts?

Please provide any information on why these boys did not enter Boy Scouts. If you know of multiple reasons a percentage of boys for each will be very helpful.

 

 

[ScoutNut]

What is the time frame you are looking at?

 

Our Pack has been around for 50+ years.

 

I have been registered with them for about 15 years.

 

In those 15 years only a small handful did not earn AOL.

 

I would say that at least 80% joined a Boy Scout Troop.

 

Only about 20% were still registered in a Troop after the first year.

 

The Troops did not keep the interest of the majority of the boys.

[trainerlady]

In my five years of Cub Scouting the following numbers were achieved in my Pack.

4 years ago - 4 AoL earners, 1 Boy Scout after 1 year, not in Scouts now

3 years ago - 3 AoL earners, 1 Boy Scout, still in scouts, going to quit due to schoool and sports

2 years ago - 5 AoL earners, 3 joined Troop, 1 lasted the year and is still an active scout (not an option has a Eagle Dad and 3 older Eagle brothers, just earned 1st Class over winter)

1 year ago - 6 AoL earners, 3 started in 2 different Troops, only the 1 in non-traditionally joined Troop is still active. First year someone joined a troop other than the big brother troop (traditional troop).

This year's crop - 9 AoL earners, 5 in 2 different Troops, 2 of 5 are not active, 1 for sure is dropping. Tradiditnal troop 1 left in program , 1 not active, different troop 2 active almost 1st class each, one dropping out.

 

Reasons for dropping: 1) The traditionally joined Troop for our Pack believes in 1 rank per year (boys don't deserve Eagle until 17 yrs +).

 

2) Until this years crop none of the boys had camped, been held responsible for all their work to AoL, or ever been to a Cub Summer Resident camp.

 

3) This years crop had 5 only children, Mommys weren't ready to let go. No camping or activities without a parent going. Not flowing well with the traditional Troop.

 

4) Not making progress in Troop (see above).

 

5) High school too intense - too much homework, too many activities, GIRLS, CARS.

 

6) Cub Pack was clueless about programming at Cub level and didn't have a clue about BS level.

 

7) Traditional troop has no use for Cubs, therefore no conncetions for young kids parents to see anything ahead for their kids.

 

8) Parent burn out, leader burn out.

 

9) Finally, NO Coucnil or District Webelos-to-Scout transition program, and no support for those that'd like to institute a program.

 

Hope this helps. Good luck on your thesis. TL

[mikecummings157]

Based upon my Scouting experience at the Pack (12 years) and Troop level (10 years), here's my 2 cents

 

1. Approximate number of Cub Scouts who earned their Arrow of Light rank?

 

Of the boys who actually make it to 2nd year Webelos, probabaly 95% of higher. The problem I see in our area is high attrition around 4th Grade. Webelos Leaders are not upping the level of the program to get the boys ready for Boy Scouts, but still treat them like Wolves and Bears. This equals a boring program.

 

2. Approximate number of those Scouts who did not enter a Boy Scout Troop after Cub Scouts?

 

About 10-20% of boys earning AOL either don't join a troop or drop out almost immediately. Many Packs will force feed their boys into a certain troop, which may or may not be a good fit for them, instead of having them look at different troops. Parents of these boys don't take the time to educate themselves on what to look for in a troop, nor do they realize that they can transfer to another troop if their son isn't happy. I can't count the number of times I've heard from a parent that "I thought he HAD to go into Troop XX" or "I didn't know that troops are different and he could transfer". It's easier to dump them into Karate, Soccer, Baseball, etc, than to get involved in what's going on in Scouting. I'd say we at the Troop level have to do a better job of reaching out to these parents and selling what our program will do for their son.

 

 

[FScouter]

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