Re: age or grade requirements-AOL
Paul S. Wolf (aa854@CLEVELAND.FREENET.EDU)
Tue, 17 Jan 1995 12:47:26 -0500
Yesterday, Nancy Smith S <munss@UXA.ECN.BGU.EDU> said:
>Now here's our problem...this committee member has a boy who
>is in the first year of Webelos--he's in fourth grade. She pointed
>out that he is actually a year older than most 4th graders--he's
>already ten and will be 11 this summer. She wants him to earn his AOL
>soon after school starts in the fall and have us arrange a special
>AOL ceremony for him so he can move into boy scouts during his fifth
>grade year.
Actually, if he turns 11 over the summer, he can move into a Troop
without the AOL. In fact, he may not even be eligible to remain in the
Pack after his 11th birthday. YOU should do all in your power to get him
to AOL Before he turns 11. (NOTE: The rest of my comments ignore the 11th
birthday issue.)
>
>When we pointed out that this is a *pack* effort and he should wait
>until we have our regular AOL for all the 4th grade boys she became
>upset and said if her boy earned it he should receive it, no matter
>when that happened.
She is CORRECT. This is a BOY's accomplishment, not a PACK's.
One key to advancement is IMMEDIATE RECOGNITION. A Boy should be awarded
a rank badge or the AOL at the next pack meeting after he completes the
requirements.
>We finally said that we would consider awarding his AOL patch to him at
>a regular pack meeting and he would be welcome to come back for our
>regular AOL ceremony.
You are correct in your first decision, but once he is in the
Troop, he should NOT come back for a Pack ceremony.
>That wasn't good enough.
It should be a meaningful ceremony, but it doesn't necessarily have to be
a full blown "Crossing the Bridge" type.
>We also argued that if we gave him his one month, then the
>next month another boy may qualify and demand his own ceremony, etc.
>She didn't think that should be a problem. The CM and I don't think
>this should be an every-month occurrence. We have a pack to run with
>many different events. We can't plan every month's meeting around an
>AOL ceremony!
True, but you should plan each pack meeting to include awarding
advancements, if any have been earned ( Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos, AOL,
Arrow Points, Religious Awards (if not given at a Scout Sabbath or Scout
Sunday service), etc.
>Our feelings are that he should continue through his 5th grade year
>(we were under the assumption that Webelos is a 2-year program and
>that AOL should be earned during the 2nd year). If she wants him to
>move into Boy Scouts we told her to contact the troops and see when
>they wanted to accept new boys.
A boy may join as soon as he completes the requirements for AOL,
OR after Grade 5, OR after his 11th Birthday, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
>We really would prefer to enforce the grade-level advancement over
>the age-level advancement.
That's not your right.
>We really don't know how he would get the
>rest of the AOL requirements completed anyway. His den has not done
>any camping or activities with the Boy Scout troops.
That's a separate issue. He must meet the requirements.
>
>Can she force us to award him the AOL in August or September as
>opposed to giving it to him along with the rest of the boys who will
>advance in February? Help!?
YES. If he earns it over the summer.
--
Paul S. Wolf, P.E. aa854@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu
Traffic Engineer, Cuyahoga County Engineer's Office
SIGOP, The Scouting Center on The Cleveland Freenet
President, Great Lakes Region, Federation of Jewish Men's Clubs
Terry Howerton Sakima Group, Inc. SCOUTER Magazine Kansas City | 
