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Webelos & Arrow of Light in 1 year?


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All: Looking for perspectives on this. Note that this is pretty much a philosophical question, but it is rooted in the here and now.

 

In order to earn the AOL, among other things, the Scout needs to "Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge." Note: It does NOT say that you have to be active in your den for 6 months after earning your Webelos badge.

 

In order to earn the Webelos badge, among other things, the Scout needs to "Be an active member of your Webelos den for three months."

 

As I read this, 9 months of tenure is required to earn both the Webelos badge and the Arrow of Light. A boy who joins the Pack in August would then have completed the tenure requirement in May.

 

I ask this as I have a Scout in my Arrow of Light Patrol who missed his Webelos 1 year when the Pack he was formerly involved in went bust - it took him a year to find us. He's not on track to complete all the other requirements for the AOL (he'll end up with the activity badge requirements - and other requirements for Webelos - done and maybe two more than that), but if he were the type who wanted to and could finish off the extra activity badge requirements for the AOL, would we be appropriate in awarding it to him?

 

Seems to me that the answer is "yes", ie, he did the work, he gets the award.

 

Comments?

 

YIS

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I can't find anything saying it's not allowed. My gut says that if he completes all of the requirements, he has earned the rank. However, you might want to check with your district's advancement chair to make sure we haven't overlooked anything.

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The requirement says Be active in your Webelos den for at least six months since completing the fourth grade (or for at least six months since becoming 10 years old), and earn the Webelos badge.

 

It does not say stay active for 6 months as a Webelos Scout or after stay active for 6 months after you earn the Webelos Rank,

 

There are resources to help.

 

http://meritbadge.org/wiki/index.php/Webelos_Scout_Program#Webelos_Who_Start_in_Fifth_Grade(This message has been edited by jzweiac)

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I agree that he can receive the AOL if he has the other requirements done. No need to wait 6 months after Webelos. We have one 4th grader who hit the '6 months after turning 10' last week, so he will be getting his Webelos & AOL on the same night and then crossing over with the 2nd year Webelos. He turns 11 in August and doesn't want to be an 11 yo Webelos when he can be in Boy Scouts. He has been on a few Webelos campouts, so he is ready.

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The MINIMUM needed to earn BOTH the Webelos Badge, and the AOL, is 6 months total as a Webelos.

 

If the 5th grade Scout in your Arrow of Light Den (there is no such animal as a patrol in Cub Scouting), joined your den in September 2010, he met the 3 month requirement for the Webelos Badge in December 2010, and will meet the 6 month requirement for AOL this month (March 2011).

 

Once the other requirements for either of the badges are completed he should be presented with the award he has earned.

 

 

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Correct. In the old 3 year CS program, You only had 1 year to get your AOL, and it was in May of 5th grade as most packs didn't work over the summer.

 

 

LDS packs still follow the old 3 year program, so why would BSA make rules that would create a disadvantage for anyone?

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I agree, because he is already past the 4th grade he is good to go at 6 months. The LDS program actually works that way. Too many people assume Webelos must be more than 12 months but it just makes it a better experience, it is not a requirement. The LDS do a 1 year program as often noted but it is important to recognize that they don't have 9 year old Webelos, they start when they are 10 (or at least they do around here, I assume that is the national program?). The LDS program is age based and so they are basically a year behind community groups which is part of why we can have the longer Webelos program.

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Of course you should award it. A few years ago, we had a kid join my sons Webelo II den. Once he found out about AOL, he wanted to earn it. We spent a lt of extra time with him and as a den tailored a few meetings around helping him earn it. He just pulled it off.

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I helped a Webelos den do this as a den aide: it can be done but it takes careful planning. Good luck to you and your aspiring AoL recipient. Also, just as a bonus motivator: show your Webelos a picture of the AoL knot. Tell him it's something he wears forever.

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This happens regularly in our pack when someone joins at the beginning of their fifth grade year. Most of them earn both Webelos and Arrow of Light by March, although it requires some focus. If they complete the requirements, that's definitely the way to go.

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All: Thanks for your thoughts on this. As I noted, it's largely a philosophical discussion in this specific case, but hopefully the insights you all have provided will help some future Arrow of Light leader with the same situation facing him or her.

 

YIS

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It isn't a philosophical question: if he can accumulate 6 months of tenure and complete the requirements, he has earned the award. Hypothetical, yes. Philosophical questions generally mean that adults are interpreting the BSA's explicit requirements. If the BSA wanted Webelos to earn AoL in nine months, the requirements would state "be active for six months since completing your Webelos badge." Because the requirements don't say this, the six months is all that matters.

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Geeze Eagle707, who pissed in your wheaties this morning? Does it REALLY matter if my question was philosophical or hypothetical?

 

Sheesh.

 

Again, thanks to all for their constructive responses.

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