Moving Up Ceremony
Bruce Barber, Den leader, Pack 48, Lansing NY

Setting/Props: One leader is Dress in as a Native American and couple leaders are behind him/her to handle neckerchiefs and candles.

Leader: Wolf/Bear Scout <Name> please come forward.

Leader: <Name> have you completed your journey down the Wolf/Bear trail?

Scout: Yes.

Scout: Yes.

Leader: <place right hand on Cubs head and raises left hand to sky and speaks to the sky>
"Oh great Akela has this scout proven himself worth to continue his journey down the Wolf/Bear trail?"

Akela: <Howl>

"Leader: It is now time for you to start your journey down the next trail. Take with you this candle which symbolizes both the light that you bring to the world around you and the light Akela that guides on your journey through scouting and through out your life. <Leader gives candle to scout and removes his neckerchief>"

Leader: Cross over the bridge to begin your journey down the Bear/Webelos trail.

Scout <Crosses over bridge and on the other side he is met by his parents who place his new neckerchief on him>

Bobcat Induction Ceremony-The Light of Scouting
Scout Leader Spectacular

Personnel: Cubmaster, a Den Chief, Bobcat candidate, and his parents.

Equipment: A Cub Scout ceremonial board; small candles for the board; one tall candle, the spirit of Cub Scouting; small candles for the Bobcat candidate and his parents; Bobcat badge and certificate; and Cub Scout neckerchief.

Arrangement: All candles on the board except the one representing the Bobcat are lighted. The Den Chief holds the tall-lighted candle.

Cubmaster: Will Bobcat (name) and his parents Mr. And Mrs. (Name) come to the front for induction into our Pack family? (They do so) Mr. (name) will you please accept the spirit of Cub Scouting from Scout (name) one of our Den Chiefs, and then pass it along to your son who will light the Bobcat candle on our ceremonial board? (The candidate lights the Bobcat candle and returns tall candle to the Den Chief). Mr. and Mrs. (name) you have helped your son complete his Bobcat requirements and you have promised to accompany his Bobcat requirements and you have promised to accompany him along the Cub Scout Trail. Will you, Mrs. (name) place this Cub Scout neckerchief around his neck? (She does so). Mr. (name) will you present your son his Bobcat badge which goes on his left shirt pocket and his certificate? (He does so). It is a tradition in Pack # ___ that no advancement awards are made unless a parent is present to receive them for his son.

I welcome you and your son in Pack (#) Bobcat (name), I know you will follow Akela and will be happy, game, and fair. Congratulations.

Witches Brew
York Adams Council

PROPS: Black witches cauldron or facsimile. Badges with names attached are placed in the cauldron before the meeting opens.

A lid should be used or keep the kettle out of sight until it is to be used.

SCENE: At awards time, announce that you will brew up something in the cauldron, but you will need the help of the new Bobcats in the Pack. Depending on the number to receive the award ( five or seven is perfect) you call one at a time forward. They tell you the ingredients that go into making a Bobcat, (motto, salute, handshake, promise, law, meaning of Webelos) and demonstrate each one by doing or saying. Pretend to "put" each thing into the cauldron, then stir and draw out a Bobcat Badge. Call that Cub's parents forward and pin the badge on up side down.

For Wolf Badge, add each ingredient to kettle telling what it is based on, the twelve Wolf achievements. i.e.; band-aid for keeping health, string for tying things. stamp for collections, small screwdriver for tools, etc. If difficult to use object, print achievement on cardboard and put in. Then stir and draw out the Wolf Badge and present to the Cub and his parents with applause.

Do the Bear Badge the same way. Since there are 24 Bear achievements, you will have to find out which twelve each Bear chose. If more that one Bear is receiving the badge, use all they chose, but don't repeat any i.e.' piece of rope for knots, baseball for sports, small flag for American heritage, coins for saving and spending well, testament for religious activities, etc. This ceremony can also be adapted for use with the Webelos Activity Pins, using the same method with the requirements.

This ceremony should be done in semi-darkness with candles so the cauldron will not be too obviously unreal. But use enough light so that each item going in can be clearly seen. Can be done "theatrically" like a witch putting in "eye of toad, wing of bat, etc. "

Akela's Eyes Advancement
Adaptation of a Native American story
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. You can add some theatrics to this one by having several "players" help out with the different lines.]

Many, many moons ago, before the dawn of the great tribes, the old time being were gathered together. They begin acting in different ways and showing different qualities and talents. The "Akela Eyes" (for there was not an Akela chief yet) observed them. Some were running in all directions, but they were very curious and eager to learn.

Someone asked, "What sort of beings are those, that they are curious and search in all directions?"

Another answered, "They are like Bobcats."

"Then they shall go about and be called Bobcats," said Akela Eyes.

(BOBCAT)

List names of Bobcat recipients and call them with their parents to the front of the room.

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.

Then they noticed some who were running and leaping together and they were learning to hunt the trails as a team.

Again, someone asked, "What are those like?"

And someone answered, "They are like wolves in a pack."

"Akela Eyes declared, "Henceforth, they shall be known as wolves."

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.

Then again, they came upon some who were big and sure-footed and walked the trails with confidence and a loud noise.

Again someone asked, "What are those beings like?"

And they answered, "They are like bears.

"Then they shall be called bears," said Akela Eyes.

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 seat.

Later, they came upon others who were different yet. They were curious like the Bobcat, hunted as teams like the wolves, and walked proudly with confidence lie the bears. But they were also learning new skills like the braves.

"What kind will they be like?" someone asked.

But no one could answer. So they turned to Akela Eyes and said, "What shall we call these for they are like no other animal we know?"

Akela Eyes glistened. "These are the ones who have traveled the trails and continue to grow. One day they will be Scouts, but for now they will be called Webelos."

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.

And so this is how Akela Eyes gave the beings their forms. But before he left, he told each of the clans, "Grow and learn and soon you will travel new trails. At the end of these trails you will find you have changed, and grown wiser. And you will find new trails beyond the horizon where the sun sets. And you shall be known to all according to your achievements and deeds.

The Recruiter
York Adams Council

Equipment: Candle holder and one large white candle, Recruiter Strip.

Personnel: Cubmaster or Assistant Cubmaster. (NOTE: Parents do not have to come forward)

Cubmaster: The white candle you see on our awards table stands for the Spirit of Scouting. This spirit is kept alive by our Cub Scouts, in doing their many activities. One of these is recruiting a new boy into his den. For this he receives a Recruiter Strip which is worn below the right pocket. This signifies for all to see that he has spread the Spirit of Scouting to a friend.

Would Cub Scouts (boys' names) please come forward and receive your recruiter strips and remain until all are passed out.

(After all are presented, lead a special cheer for recipients)

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