ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES

Secret Message Advancement Ceremony
Crossroads of America

Equipment: A secret message for each advancing boy prepared by writing in milk or lemon juice on a piece of paper. A light bulb heat source to reveal the message. Make sure the bulb is hot enough to reveal the message and in a short amount of time.

Personnel: Cubmaster, advancing boy and parent(s).

Hints: See page 108 of the Wolf book to see how to write these secret messages.

You can have the boy or his parent(s) heat the message to reveal messages such as “Way to go ______!”: “Congratulations on your Bear Rank _____!”: “I knew you could do it!”.

The Cubmaster turns on the light bulb and tells everyone the light represents the Spirit of Scouting and calls forward the boy and his parent(s). Speak briefly about the work or steps the boy took and you might want to ask boys you know are comfortable about speaking in front of people to tell about the most “fun” thing he did.

Have a parent pin the badge on the boy and have the boy or a parent hold the message over the bulb and when it is clear have the boy read the message aloud.