Rocket Launch As A Recruiting Night Draw

[SeattlePioneer]

As district membership chair, I've done many school visits to invite K-4th grade boys to join Cub Scouts in the spring.

 

Often the younger boys don't have much of an image of Cub Scouts, which can be kind of an abstract idea to which they can find it hard to relate.

 

Having a recruiting night activity that has instant appeal is what's needed, and last night my experience is that a stomp rocket lauch can't be beat in attracting new boys and families.

 

Stomp rockets can be made by loosely rolling up a sheet of paper around a piece of 1/2" PVC pipe. Staple the top of the rocket closed, and cut three triangular pieces for stabilizing tail fins from a 3x5 card and scotch tape those to the rocket.

 

The launchers are two pieces of 1/2" pvc pipe glued into a 90 degree elbow, to which a two liter soda pop bottle is fitted at one end and the rocket slid onto the other piece of pipe.

 

Stomp on the soda pop bottle and the rocket will go 50-60 feet or so.

 

Here's a u tube video of on version of this:

 

 

 

Boys at school were invited to a pack recruiting night. We had an example of the rocket the boys would build and the launcher, and they could understand how stomping on the bottle would launch the rocket.

 

The appeal was "How would you like to make a rocket TONIGHT and launch it to see whose rocket will go the farthest/highest?"

 

Or, "Who thinks THEIR rocket would go the farthest/highest?"

 

 

Boys received a sticker with the date, time and place for the recruiting night and an information phone number and such.

 

 

Last night we had about 35 new boys turn out for the rocket launch. Boys and parents worked together to build a rocket and fill out an award certificate for doing the rocket launch.

 

We moved outside and pack parents supervised the rocket launch using four rocket launchers (six would have been better) each succesful rocket launch earned a boy a sticker to add to their certificate.

 

After parents had a chance to observe a few launches,they were invited to come back to the meeting room and find out about joining Cub Scouts.

 

 

This was the most effective method I have yet seen to draw new families to a Cub Scout recruiting night. It combines a powerful appeal to boys with a fun family project that can be done in about ten minutes, and a fun competition and award the boys win by launching their rocket several times.

[Austinole]

Great Idea! I might just try that this year.

[SeattlePioneer]

Hello Austinole,

 

 

I will be glad to answer any additional questions about how to make the rockets, launchers or other program ideas, such as making certificates.

 

It's the single best way of attracting new families to a sign up night I've heard of so far.

[Austinole]

Thank you, I will try to make a mock up launcher soon. We have open house in August. Any suggestions would be welcome.

[Scouter_Chris]

On 3/30/2011 at 4:57 PM, SeattlePioneer said:

Hello Austinole,

 

 

I will be glad to answer any additional questions about how to make the rockets, launchers or other program ideas, such as making certificates.

 

It's the single best way of attracting new families to a sign up night I've heard of so far.

SeattlePioneer, would you mind sharing the certificate template? That would be helpful! Thank you.

[Chadamus]

@Scouter_Chris welcome to the forum! Though not active here on scouter dot com in over two years, maybe if we tag @SeattlePioneer we'll see a return visit.

Edited August 12, 2019 by Chadamus
spelling

[Scouter_Chris]

Just found this, for under $3 you can get a nifty certificate from Esty: https://www.etsy.com/listing/644774772/cub-scout-space-derby-participation

[NJCubScouter]

Just to follow up on what Chadamus said, SeattlePioneer made this post more than eight years ago.  His last visit to the forum was more than three years ago.  I would not necessarily expect a response from him.