Volume 6 Issue 7
February 2000

ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES

Green Advancement Ceremony
Trapper Trails Council

 

Equipment: 2 small jars or glasses with water; one should be dyed blue and one dyed yellow, large empty jar or glass, table, second year service star, Webelos neckerchief

Personnel: Cubmaster, boy advancing and parent

Set-up: On the table the jars of colored water and the empty jar. The two colors will be poured into the empty jar at a point in the ceremony. They will create the color green. (Practice to get the color the way you want it.)

 

Cubmaster: Would (name) and his parents please join me at the front of the audience (They come forward.) (Name), on this table you see the colors of Cub Scouting. Blue which stands for truth and spirituality, steadfast loyalty, and the sky above. Gold which stands for warm sunlight, good cheer, and happiness. Cub Scouts wear these colors in their uniforms and neckerchiefs as a Bobcat, Wolf, or Bear. As they grow and learn they become ready to do more. Tonight you, (name), are ready to receive these new challenges. We would like to thank you for the work you have done for our pack as a Bear and present to you your second year service star.

We now ask that you pour the Gold of Cub Scouting into this empty jar. Now please add the Blue of Cub Scouting. You can see that the color that has been created is green. The Green of Boy Scouting. Webelos is a time to begin learning about Scouting and to experience the fun and adventure of Boy Scouts. Your parents will also take on a slightly different role in helping. (To parents) Where you have previously signed your son's requirements after he had done the best you knew he could do, his Webelos leader will do the signing now. However, you will still need to know what he is working on and encourage him. Some of his requirements will require work at home in addition to den meetings. Don't be afraid to work with him at home when he needs you. When he finishes a requirement at home instruct him to report what he did to his leader.

We will now add to your uniform the color of Boy Scouting by giving you your Webelos neckerchief. (Change scarf.) Congratulations!

 

More Advancement Ideas
Trapper Trails Council

  1. Save old food containers and boxes that could hold awards. Put into large paper grocery sack. Use a shopping list as a prop.
  2. Have each boy come up and put in ingredient for no bake cookies or peanut butter candy, or trail mix. Let each on stir too. At end of presentation you have the pack treat.
  3. Can the awards! Use one of those new can openers, which removes the whole lid. Prepare in advance by saving cans for each boy and washing out. If you save the original label on the can the boys will be even more surprised when the first can is opened. Fill a can with awards for each boy. Reglue lid. Let each boy open his award can.

 

The Magic Formula
Heart of America Council

Personnel: Cubmaster, Assistant Cubmaster

Equipment: 3 Pint containers, 1 each of: water with blue food coloring, clear cooking oil, alcohol with red food coloring Large, clear glass container (Test tube), 1 per boy, 2 White lab coats Ceremony table

Setting: Bobcat says the Promise; Wolf pours the blue water; Bear pours the cooking oil; Webelos pours the red alcohol.

Cubmaster: Tonight, I am going to give you the magic formula for building Cub Scouts. Our Bobcats have done their best by learning the Cub Scout Promise, the Law of the Pack and the Motto.

Would the following boys and their parents please come forward?

Assistant: (reads the names of the boys while Cubmaster lines them up behind the table facing the audience)

Cubmaster: (hold up the glass container) this glass represents the Bobcats. As with anything you build, you need a foundation, a starting point, you need to know the basics. This is what our Bobcats have learned. (boys repeat the Promise)

Assistant: (hands out badges to parents to present to their boys, everyone shakes hands. Bobcats and parents return to their seats)

Cubmaster: The first part of the magic formula is blue. This color represents the family, its strength, unity and participation in building a Cub Scout.

Assistant: (reads names of the boys - with parents - receiving the Wolf award while the Cubmaster lines them up behind the table and gives them each a test tube full of blue water.)

Cubmaster: Will each Wolf pour the blue liquid into the larger glass?

Assistant: (badges are handed out to parents, etc.)

Cubmaster: The second part of our formula is clear white. It represents the progress the Cubs have made in character and spiritual growth.

Assistant: (boys and parents of Bear rank are called while Cubmaster arranges the boys and gives them a test tube with cooking oil.)

Cubmaster: Bears pour your clear liquid into the larger glass.

Assistant: (badges are handed out to parents, etc.)

Cubmaster: The third part of our formula is red. This red color represents the Cub Scout being helpful and doing his best as he continues to grow in all areas of his life.

Assistant: (Webelos and parents are called, etc.)

Cubmaster: Webelos pour your red liquid into the larger glass.

Assistant: (badges and/or activity pins are handed to parents, etc.)

Cubmaster: We have completed out magic formula. It is the same colors as in our flag. May Cub Scouting help to make this a better place to live.

Tin Foil Awards
York Adams Council

Setting: In case you're not too familiar with all of this "tin foil meal" nonsense in this month's section, know that the Scout's mealtime world revolves around tin foil. Tin foil meals are to Scouts what a magnificent soufflé is to the world's greatest chefs. For this month's award ceremony, have your imitation fire set up in the front of the room and have the awards wrapped in tin foil, marked for easy identification, and scattered among the fire's coals.

You also need a pair of tongs to pull the finished "meal awards" from the fire as you announce the recipients.

For each level (Bobcat through Arrow of Light), call the recipients forward with their parents to receive their awards. Fish their awards from the fire as you call their names. Make sure to ham it up as much as possible for the boys.

Dinner Menu Advancement
York Adams Council

(Note that this and other ceremonies should be reviewed and modified to suit the specific awards being giving at the meeting. This ceremony is written so that any particular award can be used or omitted without impacting the whole of the ceremony.)

Introduction: Tonight we have a feast to beat all feasts! Come sit at table with me while we dine on the finest of Cub Grub.

We start with the appetizer—the first course of our meal. And for tonight's appetizer the menu calls for Bobcat tidbits. "What are these?" you ask. Why they are the small, but important bits and pieces of the Cub Scout program that every Cub Scout must learn as part of being a Cub Scout.

(Bobcat)

Tonight we are proud to serve Bobcat Tidbit Badges to the following Cub(s). (List names of Bobcat recipients and call them with their parents to the front of the room.)

As is the tradition in our Pack, it is not the Awards Chairperson or the Cubmaster who gives the boys their badges, but the parents who have been working hand-in-hand with the boys to complete their requirements. (Hand parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them with the Cub Scout handshake. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.]

Next on the menu is our salad. And tonight, as a special treat, we are dishing out Wolf Cub Salad. Greens, as you know, contain the vitamins that help our bodies grow. And what better salad is there than Wolf Cub Salad—full of the vitamins that build our second graders into bigger, better Cub Scouts.

(WOLF)

(List names and invite them with their parents to come forward. Hand out badges to parents to give to the boys. Congratulate them and offer a suitable applause. Have them sit down.]

Our next course, of course, is a finely prepared Bear Borscht. This is a finely prepared soup that is the perfect blend of God, Country, Family and Self.

(BEAR)

And tonight we congratulate the following Cub(s) for having completed their requirements in these four areas. (List off Bear candidate names and invite them and their parents to the front of the room.)

(Hand parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.)

What about the main entrée? Well the menu for tonight's feast is a hardy helping of Webelos Wellington. The recipe for this wonderful dish includes three heaping measures of Activity Badges (one of which is Physical Fitness), practicing the Boy Scout Law and Promise, and knowing other parts of becoming a Boy Scouts. This morsel is only served as "well done."

(WEBELOS)

And tonight, we recognize the following Webelos whose jobs have been completed and well done. (List names and invite them with their parents to come forward. Hand parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.)

Dessert for a feast such as this can only be one thing—not just the cake, but the icing on the cake. And tonight we recognize those Webelos Scouts who are just that—the crème de la crème. These Scouts have persevered. They have worked very hard, and have earned the highest award offered to a Cub Scout—the Arrow of Light. This is the dessert of Cub Scouting.

(ARROW OF LIGHT)

(List names and invite them with their parents to come forward. Hand boys the parent's Arrow of Light pins to present to their parents. Then give parents the awards to present to the boys and congratulate them. Offer an applause and ask them to take their seats.]

Special Ceremonies
York Adams Council

Seven Virtues of Life Crossover Ceremony

Author: Unknown Scouter

Personnel: Webelos den leader, Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, senior patrol leader, graduating Webelos Scout and parents.

Equipment: Seven torches or candles, Webelos emblem, and graduation certificates.

Cubmaster: Will Webelos Scout [name] and his parents come forward. Tonight we are assembled to honor a Webelos Scout and his parents who are members of the Webelos den. They have brought honor to our pack as they have climbed the Cub Scouting trail together. This Webelos Scout is now ready to go into the great brotherhood of Boy Scouting. With the help of his willing parents he will soon start up the Boy Scout trail.

The seven candles before you represent the rays in the Arrow of Light. As they are lighted you will hear how they stand for the seven great virtues of life. The Webelos Den Leader lights (Candles.)

Webelos Den Leader:

Wisdom. Having wisdom doesn't mean that a person is smarter than others. It means that he uses what he knows to live a better life.

Courage. Courage does not mean you have no fear of danger. It means that you can face danger despite your fear.

Self-Control. This means being able to stop when you have had enough of something, such as eating, playing, or even working too much.

Justice. Justice means being fair with others we play and work with, regardless of who they are.

Faith. Faith is belief in God and things we cannot see but feel are true.

Hope. Hope means to look forward to good things you believe will happen. You hope for better things tomorrow, but at the same time you work hard today to make them happen.

Love. There are many kinds of love. Love of family, home, fellow men, God, and country. Every kind of love is important for a full and happy life.

Cubmaster: You will find, if you live by these seven virtues, you will be happier. It is now my pleasure to present to you and your parents your graduation certificates. At this time I would like to introduce to you (name), Scoutmaster of Troop (number), who will accept you into the troop. I am sure he has a few words of welcome for you and your parents.

Scoutmaster: (Welcomes Webelos Scout and his parents.) Senior Patrol Leader (name) will place our troop neckerchief on you. You will be inducted into our troop at our next meeting.

Senior Patrol Leader: As you remove your Cub Scout neckerchief, remember the things you learned in the Cub Scout program. And as you wear this Boy Scout neckerchief, remember that it represents the members of our troop who always try to do their best and be prepared. Welcome to our troop. (He salutes.)

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