ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES                

Witches Brew
Simon Kenton 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 that award (five or seven is perfect) you call one at a time forward. They tell you the ingredients that go in to make a Bobcat, (motto. salute, handshake, sign, 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 on.

For Wolf Badge, add each ingredient to kettle telling what it is based on the twelve Wolf achievements, i.e.. band-aid for keeping healthy, string for tying things, stamp for collection, 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 in the same manner.  Since there are now 24 Bear achievements, you will have to find out which twelve each Bear choose.  lf more than one Bear is receiving the badge, use all they choose, 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 adopted 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 defined.  Can be done "theatrically" like a witch putting in "eye of toad. wing of bat. etc"

Nature's Gifts
National Capital Area Council

Props: A tree limb (bare) with several branches.  Green construction paper leaves, one for each Scout receiving an award

Cubmaster: This tree is a symbol of the natural beauty of our land.  It takes Mother Nature a long time to grow a beautiful tree.  It requires nurturing such as sunshine and water.

This tree represents our Cub Scout Pack.  In order for it to flourish, much time and effort must be spent by Cub Scouts and their parents to help it grow.  Without their help, our tree is bare and lifeless.

Scouts receiving awards tonight have given time and effort, as have their parents.  As you receive your award tonight, please take one leaf and add it to our tree [Call forward each Scout and his parents by rank to receive their award. Hand them a leaf to tape to the limb].

Each of you, by your efforts, has helped nourish our Pack tree.  Just as Mother Nature's trees become more beautiful when they get light and water, so our Pack tree grows more beautiful because of your efforts.  May you always stand tall and straight like a tree and be a resource for our land.

Explaining the Ranks
National Capital Area Council

Need: 11x14 cards picturing the rank badges.  Tape these little explanations of rank on the back of the appropriate card.  Have a Cub represent each rank.  Have the 5 Cubs come forward, hold up the cards for the audience to see as they read the explanation on the back.

Bobcat: I had to make some promises,
To become a Bobcat Scout.
To follow, help and give goodwill,
That's what Cub Scouting is all about.

Wolf: The back and front rolls were easy,
Making games was fun.
But when it came to giving directions,
I almost didn't get done.

I had to earn the Wolf badge,
It meant a lot to me.
Finally I learned my directions,
And a Wolf Cub Scout I would be.

Bear; I never wrote a letter before,
Let alone a 100 word essay.
Or ever learned to throw a rope,
To hit a marker 20 feet away.

And now that I've earned the Bear badge,
All that and a whole lot more.
Makes me feel that much smarter,
Than I ever felt before.

Webelos: Now that I'm a 9 year old,
I belong to a Webelos den.
Activity badges I'll try to earn,
l,ike Athlete, Forester, and Outdoorsman.

Arrow Of Light:
The Oath and Law are memorized,
Graduation day is in sight.
I am prepared for what's ahead,
I’ve earned the Arrow of Light!

It's hard to say goodbye to friends.

Cub Scouting has meant a lot to me,

But it's time I start the upward trail,

For it's an Eagle Scout I want to be.

Cubmaster.

Now that we have had the ranks explained, we will recognize those boys in our

Pack who have earned those ranks. (At this time you will have the advancing boys

come forward with their parents and award the badges)

Food for Thought
Heart of America Council

Personnel: Cubmaster or Leader

Setting: On the head table is a vegetable seedling and a fully mature vegetable plant.

Cubmaster: This tiny seedling doesn’t look like much, does it? It’s very weak and fragile.  But we have learned this month that if we plant it in good soil, and if we make sure that it gets lots of sunshine, air and water, it will grow up to be a big healthy (type of vegetable) like this one.

Cub Scouts are like this seedling.  They need certain things, too.  Things like proper rest, food and exercise. But Cub Scouts need something more than that. If they are going to be the kind of men we all admire, they have to have healthy minds and spirits as well as healthy bodies.  In Cub Scouting, and later on in Boy Scouting, boys can develop that extra quality of mind and spirit. They do it by following the Cub Scout Promise, and later, the Scout Oath.

Will the following Cubs and their parents please come forward?