jumpyg Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 I'm the DL for our Webelos II den. The boys all achieved their Webelos rank in 4th grade and all of them have enough badges for AOL, and we are just working on earning additional badges and the additional AOL requirements. We are working on the old program track still, and we plan to award the AOL and bridge the boys over to a troop in mid-March. So now I am told by the CM that there is a new fifth grader who would like to join. I don't want to discourage the parents, but I would like to give them a realistic idea of what would be required. Is it possible to earn the AOL starting now? Does the boy need to earn the Webelos badge first, or just start with AOL? Life just got more interesting! Appreciate your thoughts, thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowDerbyRacer Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 (edited) He just needs to be a member of the den for 6 months, do the following 4 adventures and 3 other electives. No Webelos rank necessary. a. Building a Better World b. Camper c. Duty to God in Action d. Scouting Adventure Edit: And to be fully accurate, I should add he also needs to do the Cyber Chip and Child Abuse prevention activity with his parents. Edited September 17, 2015 by SlowDerbyRacer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eagle94-A1 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Doable, but he will have to work. And he will need time to do things on his own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jumpyg Posted September 17, 2015 Author Share Posted September 17, 2015 The problem is we are doing the older program. Is doing the new program his best option? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumbymaster Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 If he actually plans to earn the AOL, the new program is his only (official) option, and can be done by following the requirements. It sounds as if, since your Scouts have already largely earned their AOLs, he would have to be doing most of his adventures / activity pins on his own anyway, so as not to repeat what you have done with the other Scouts. I never want to discourage a Scout from participating, and this year is kind of unique with the grandfathering of the old requirements for AOL, but it may be also necessary to consider how your current scouts will respond to having had to do 18 months of AOL work, and this boy can do it in six. Hopfully they will be "Scoutlike", but it may create tension. If the award itself is not the Scout's goal, and he just wants to enjoy and participate in the activities it may be less of an issue. Where if could become an issue is in Bridging, if he is not 11 and has not earned the AOL, he may have to wait before moving up to Boy Scouts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fehler Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 He won't need to earn Webelos first under the new program. And several of the new program pins are cribbed from the old program (Natrualist=Into the Wild, etc), so getting his electives done should be a shoe-in depending on what the rest of the Den is doing. Camper and Scouting Adventurer should be shoe-ins if your Den is working on Arrow of Light core requirements and camping with a troop. The other boys can earn the Cyber Chip, too. If he gets the new program book, let the other boys look at it, maybe they'll want to earn some of those new elective pins, too (so long as they're not just copying from earlier earned pins). Or, you could ask the family if they want to push to earn the AOL award with the other boys. Its Cub Scouts, so "Do Your Best". If not, just have fun, and he still gets to cross over. What were you planning to do between now and March, anyways? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blw2 Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Very similar situation in my Den, and I asked a similar question a few weeks back.... Most of our boys are done with the (old program) AOL requirements except the troop visits and the time active since finishing 4th grade.... My understanding is the adventures in the new program are each designed to take a month of den meetings, etc.... and since your den plan for the other boys is probably like ours.... not focussing so much on the achievements as we are focused on having fun in constructive ways for the remaining short time we have.... (we're crossing over in January) So, I'm guessing there will be a lot of homework necessary.... but by March I'd guess it wouldn't be that difficult.... The alternative is, the new boy, joins the den, gets to know the boys, has fun, and does what he can.... then joins a troop like any other non-cub scout boy would. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom2a Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 We may have a brand new boy, 11 year old fifth grader joining our pack. He and his parents were at a sign up night this week. They may or may not come join us. I don't plan on stressing the boy or his parents out over earning AOL. We will let them know the option is there if he chooses to join our pack over going ahead and joining a troop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stosh Posted September 17, 2015 Share Posted September 17, 2015 Can an 11 year old register in a Pack? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chisos Posted September 18, 2015 Share Posted September 18, 2015 Can an 11 year old register in a Pack? Yes, they can if they're a 5th grader. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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