Bridge Crossing for boys not joining a troop

[CMFB 10]

Should the bridge crossover be reserved for only those Sr. Webelos going onto Boy Scouts? My thoughts; all boys who earn AOL will receive their award during a separate part of the ceremony. Only those boys who have joined a troop will do the crossover at the end of the night.

[nldscout 18]

Only those boys actually joining a troop cross over. The symbolism is the crossing from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts, so if they are not continuing in scouting then tehre is no crossing over.

[Wallace 10]

Ditto to nldscout...

 

[Fat Old Guy 11]

Yep, what they said. I'm sure that some parents will say, "You're leaving my child out. You'll hurt his feelings" and that may be true but "dem's da berries."

[fotoscout 15]

Technically, I belive that one of the requirements for earning the AOL is to sign up with a troop.

[evmori 11]

foto,

Without looking it up, I think the requirement is to complete the application to join a Troop.

 

Ed Mori

1 Peter 4:10

[acco40 95]

The Pack and specifically the Webelos Den Leader should conduct the ceremony the way they wish. "Crossover" is not a BSA defined term with a list of requirements.

 

When I served as a WDL, the last official Pack event for the Webelos was at the Pack Blue and Gold banquet in February. We conducted two distinct ceremonies. One ceremony for the awarding of the Arrow of Light and another ceremony for the boys who were joining a Boy Scout troop (i.e. crossover).

 

P.S. Ed is correct. There is no requirement to join a Boy Scout troop to earn the AOL. However, filling out a Boy Scout application is a requirement.(This message has been edited by acco40)

[CubsRgr8 10]

I'm with acco40, hold two distinct ceremonies, one for AOL and one for crossover. FYI, the new Webelos handbook dropped filling out the application as an AOL requirement. I recommend troop leaders check out: http://usscouts.org/usscouts/advance/cubscout/webbadges.html.

[EagleInKY 14]

Ditto all the others. I had this happen a few years ago when I was CM. One boy wasn't going to Boy Scouts. He didn't participate in the Crossover. His trail ended on that side of the bridge.

[Big_Dog 10]

It seems we're trying to mix tradition with requirement. But if you stop and think about "bridging", then what would cubs that are not going on to the troop level "bridge" to? A bridge spans a gap, if they aren't going on to the troop, the bridge would lead to nothing.

We have members from the troop ( or troops as the case may be) on the other side to receive them. It wouldn't make sense for some cubs to cross and have no one to receive them.

Just my thought...

 

bd

[sm41 10]

Well said every one.

I am a cubmaster for a pack. Last year we had 10 Webelos scouts crossing over into boy scouts. At the last minute two of them decided not to go on into boy scouts. (I talked to them and they had issues with the troop they were being "forced into" and they did not want to entertain the thoughts of another troop. There were other issues there also, but i decided not to pursue them) Well during the ceremonies I awarded them there AOL in a Heart felt ceremony. After we completed that, we then did the cross over per the new troops guidelines and the two did not participate because they were not going on into boy scouts.

 

After our Blue And Gold, the Scoutmaster of the new troop was discouraged because I still awarded the AOL. We had a discussion and the REQ. says to sign up with a troop. They Did, they also paid there money and went to meetings. All req. were made. The SM was not happy, but to bad.

 

YIS

SM41

[Twocubdad 665]

I'm going to disagree.

 

While there is nothing wrong with pointing out to a boy and his family that the intent of the ceremony is to crossover into a Scout troop, I don't think it's worth creating hard feelings over. It's not as if this is some sacred religious ceremony that's being disrespected.So what if a boy crosses over the bridge and then takes a hard right to leave with his family?

 

Maybe going through the motions of crossing over and receiving a handshake and warm welcome is the spark he needs to continue with he program.

[Sparkie 12]

I guess i'm in the minority with Twocubdad. I too am a Cubmaster and feel that all the boys should crossover. Now, the difference between the two groups (those continuing and those not) are that the scouts continuing with the new troop will receive red loops (as blue ones are removed) along with a new Troop neckerchief. The others will simply cross-over, as they have completed their Cubscout trail, and it is up to them to continue the Eagle trail from this point forward.

 

Sparkie

 

 

[ScouterPaul 11]

I'm in agreement with Twocubdad and Sparkie. I am the Cubmaster of the Pack and an Assistant Scoutmaster of the Troop.

 

One of my most enjoyable activites as CM is the writing and presentation of ceremonies. I try to use symbolisim in my ceremonies. In my opinion the Bridge symbolizes the "bridging"

over to a new or different trail or path. Even if the boy does not join a troop he is leaving his Cub Scout Trail behind him. What purpose does it serve to exclude him?

[nldscout 18]

Why is we think we must include every scout so as not to hurt someones feeling's? Crossing over from Cubs to Boy Scouts is what the ceremony is all about. If the Cub and his family chooses not to join a troop then is scouting career is OVER. He can't bridge to Boy scouts with out joining a troop. As a SM, I would not participate in a ceremony where anyone who was a Webelos is included even if not joining the TRoop. This Cheapens it for all the Cubs who are. Its time to quit with the PC stuff. Life is about choices.