Crossover ceremony for scout not crossing

[denleader09]

What do you do with a scout during the crossover ceremony whose family has chosen not to join Boy Scouts ? We do a joint AOL and Crossover ceremony. Each scout gets a career arrow whether they get the AOL plaque or not. Do all the Webelos cross the bridge as a sort of graduation ceremony? And if so and they do not have a Scoutmaster at the other end, who do they cross to?

 

In my case, the family has requested I present his career arrow at the last den meeting and they won't be attending the ceremony. But a former leader has expressed shock that we are not having him cross the bridge. I guess I have always considered crossing the bridge as "crossing the bridge to Boy Scouts" rather than a graduation ceremony symbolic act.

[Scoutfish]

You will probably get alot of different interpretations on this, so here goes my $.02 worth.

 

A crossoveer ceremony is just that: crossing over to the next thing.

 

A graduation ceremony is also just that: graduating

 

Every year, my pack holds a graduation ceremony for all the cub scouts who are going up to the next rank - but they are not crossing up, crossing over, crossing their hearts, crossing their 'T's" , etc...

 

So, this scout should get his carreer arrow at a graduation ceremony with the rest of the pack if you do such a thing, or at the very least, get recognized at the last pack meeting before everybody else graduats or the other 2nd year Webelos cross over .

 

Honestly, without meaning to be rude...what the former den leader things means nothing.

 

You know that saying about opinions , right?

 

They are like butt holes- Everybody has them and some smell worse than others!

 

Do what you and the scout and his family are most comfortable with. You do not owe any explanation to any former leaders.

[Twocubdad]

Don't we do this thread about once a year?

 

People make this out to be some sort of sacred rite. It's not, it's Cub Scouts.

 

Although we generally do what ScoutFish describes, we do what the Scouts want. On the pack side of the bridge, there are poinst in the ceremony where the boys have been given all the Cub bling and have an opportunity to duck out the side if they've definitely made the decision not to join the troop and where boys who have not earned AOL but are moving on to the troop can slide in and cross over with their mates.

 

On the troop side of the bridge we have the members of PLC welcome the new Boy Scouts, remove their Webelos hats and neckers and give them their new troop uniform pieces. Once they're all on our side of the bridge, the SPL leades them in the Scout Oath and Law. We've had boys not joining the troop to cross the bridge -- the Boy Scouts shake their hands, congratulate them and direct them to a seat. Occassionally we've had boys join other troops who cross over, shake hands, participate in the Oath and Law but don't get the hat and necker. We've had outside troops show up to welcome their new Scouts and we work that out too.

 

Tell everyone to chill and remember why we're there. It's not as if it is some great blastphemy to allow a kid to walk across the bridge with his pals. If the kid wants to crossover, fine. If he wants to get his stuff at a den meeting, fine. It's all good.

 

 

It's young people who put life into ritual by making conventions a part of life. Only old people destroy life by making it a riual. The boy that belongs to a secret pirate's gang and dreams of defending an abstraction with his blood hasn't quite died-out before twenty-one, you know." William Faulkner

[Stosh]

Kinda reminds me of the logic behind Alaska's "bridge-to-nowhere".

 

Stosh

[dg98adams]

Career Arrow...? That's a 1st for me... the whole arrow thing can be taken a bit too far.

 

Was there a Bow Hunting career path I missed out on.

 

I'll admit to making cedar arrows, bone tips with turkey fletching for the 3 Webelos who had earned the AOL. Maybe since I was CM and that group included my son helped glaze my perspective.

 

As a UC for 2 packs, I don't weigh in on it much.

 

I do sort of scratch my head at one pack where every den "crosses over" the bridge a previous Scouter made at B & G.

 

They want an opinion from me on what to do with the Webelos who do not plan to go into a Troop.

 

I think they lessen "crossing over", but by letting all the Scouts do it for rank advancement at B & G.... sets a precedent, which may be why the 2nd year Webelos adults expect them to "cross".

 

So, all I said was, "Let the Troop that will be there to greet Scouts on the other side of the bridge know which Webelos don't want to join."

 

That way they can save on loops/neckers/books. Handshakes are free.

 

But if none of them are moving on to Scouts, why ask and Boy Scout Troop to show up?

 

(This message has been edited by dg98adams)

[momof2cubs]

It might not be a "sacred rite" or a "arrow thing taken too far", but AoL is the highest rank attainable for Cub Scouts and it for sure is a BIG deal. Why undermine it???

 

Yes, we do have a thread on this every year at around this time. And here is my answer: give him all the honors that you are giving all the other kids that are earned AoL (noticed that? EARNED, that's right I went there) and afterwards, have the cross over ceremony where each troop calls their new members. No on is gonna notice that his name doesn't get called.

[denleader09]

Thanks for all the replies. My apologies, I did a cursory search for the topic and it didn't come up or I wouldn't have asked. Just to note, there is no conflict on the scout or his parents side about this. They are not attending the ceremony. I was just curious since someone expressed surprise. Scoutfish, definitely right about the opinion thing, lol

 

This scout and one other are not receiving AOL. This scout because he is not visiting the troops and having a SM conference and he still needs to earn one thing for Showman. The minute they would change their minds, we could have him ready. The other scout hasn't earned it, so I don't award it. I agree, AOL needs to be earned and I don't consider it a rank or required, but something of an honor to work hard for. Which the others did, I am very proud of them. The other scout is a great kid, but just didn't focus on this instead of focusing on other things in his life... no shame there. He is crossing over and will not be upset to have not earned the AOL because he is prepared for it and will enjoy crossing over.

 

My pack has done career arrows for as long as I have been there. I do think they are neat and I consider them a gift from me to each young man. I am really not a trophy type mom, but I think it is nice to have a little piece of memorobilia to remember their experience by. I am sure that someone decided they didn't want hurt feelings for the boys that didn't earn AOL to get an arrow too and consider it a career arrows since the stripes on it represented their career. *shrug* But hopefully, the memories and things they learned will be more important than the arrow or plaque or even that bridge. Our boys don't cross over until March, so hopefully, my young scout's parents will change their mind and let him go on, but I respect their decision and know he will go on to great things regardless.

 

I was just curious as to how it would be done. Thanks again

[Basementdweller]

Oh the cross over ceremony.....

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=303038

 

http://www.scouter.com/forums/viewThread.asp?threadID=228629&p=1

 

Unlike dad, I don't think letting them cross the bridge is correct or fair to the other boys who have commited to being a boy scout.

[kari_cardi]

This is why we keep the two ceremonies separate. It's not awkward if AOL and crossover are held at two different times. We celebrate AOL first with the pack. Then we have crossover with the troop(s) though everyone has chosen the same troop for the last 5 years or so. This approach has the added advantage that scouts who earn AOL actually get to experience the highest award in Cub Scouting for a week or two as Cub Scouts rather than immediately becoming Boy Scouts.