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Around this
time for the past half-dozen years, I get a batch of letters about the
Webelos Cross-Over ceremony. The letters are either from Cubmasters
who’ve been set-upon by anxious parents wanting their kid to be in the
ceremony, even when their kid hasn’t picked a troop and usually isn’t
even sure he’s going to be a Boy Scout, or from parents themselves, who
don’t understand why their kid can’t cross over with his buddies, even
though the others have all picked a troop and their own kid hasn’t. The
usual tired argument from such parents is that Scouting is now “ruining”
their kid by “forcing” him to sit on the sidelines while those other
kids get all the glory and honors. To which my most gentle reply is
usually: Horsepucky.
The third
kind of letter I get is from Webelos Den Leaders who don’t seem to have
caught on. Their approach is to simply say, “Well, I leave it up to the
boys, ‘cause it’s up to them, not me, whether they go into Boy Scouts or
not.” Sort of an “it ain’t my job” washing of hands. Well, here’s the
news: It is your job. In fact, it’s one of your most
important jobs.
Let’s climb
in the ole time machine for a little bit… Back in 1989 the 18-month
Webelos program was introduced nationally. Designed to graduate Webelos
II Scouts into Boy Scouting before the spring solstice, the program
aimed at keeping more boys in Scouting than the full two-year program
had done. You see, before 1989, boys didn’t go from Webelos II to being
Boy Scouts until some time around late May or into June. They might
join a troop, but they missed out on going overnight camping with the
troop and often mommy and daddy didn’t think they were “ready” for a
week’s worth of summer camp with their new troop. So, while the troop
was busy with summer camp and such, these new boys mostly “went dark”
over the summer. So then September rolls along and guess what? The new
boys are gone. They’d never bonded with their new troop-mates, and a
new school year and September sports had started, and it’s bye-bye Boy
Scouts. Ouch! All that Webelos preparation going right down the ole
porcelain fixture!
With the
18-month Webelos program, these new Boy Scouts had several opportunities
to go on overnights with their new troop, and the troop had the time
needed to educate the new parents on the value and fun of Scout summer
camp.
That small
and simple change made a monumental difference. Now, when September
rolls around, instead of only about 20% of the Webelos who’d become Boy
Scouts via the two-year program returning to the troops they’d joined,
fully 80% or more stayed Boy Scouts.
Shortly
after the 18-month program was put in place nationally, the BSA
published a brand-new WEBELOS LEADER GUIDE. There, an overview
of the Webelos-to-Scout transition and plan is provided:
“Every
graduating Webelos Scout deserves the opportunity to continue his
Scouting experience as a member of a Boy Scout troop.”
“The
purpose of the Webelos-to-Scout plan is to give every Webelos Scout a
sampling of the troop program, troop leadership, advancement
opportunities, and fun and excite-ment of Boy Scouting.”
“…joint
den-troop activities…allow him to see boy leadership at work and become
familiar with the boys and adult leaders of the troop.”
Then,
specifically discussing the Parent Orientation Conference, the GUIDE
provides this for the Webelos Den Leader:
“The goal
of this orientation is to inform parents…how the Webelos program
prepares the boy for…Boy Scouting.”
“(This
Conference) sets the stage for a natural continuation of the Cub Scout
and Boy Scout program by removing the perception that boys
need to make a conscious choice to join Boy Scouts” (underline mine.
Are you
getting this? The plan is simple and straightforward: The plan for
Webelos Scouts is that they become Boy Scouts, in the same way
that we expect our kindergarteners to go into 1st grade, 5th
graders to start junior high, 8th graders to become high
school students. In short, the Webelos-to-Scout transition is a pivotal
point in a 12+ year continuum that looks like this:
This is why the Webelos program is so
different from Tiger, Wolf, and Bear. Where up to now, mostly mom and
dad were the boy’s “Akela,” now it’s clearly the Webelos Den Leader,
because when he becomes a Boy Scout his Scoutmaster will be signing off
on advancement requirements completed. Camping overnight is introduced,
because this is what he’ll be doing lots of as a Boy Scout. Working on
rank-oriented badges (Aquanaut, Forester, Readyman, and so on) with a
new adult each time is introduced, because Boy Scouts work with adult
Merit Badge Counselors. Plus, the requirements for earning the Arrow of
Light award (the only Cub Scouting rank that has a badge that can be
worn on his Boy Scout uniform!) include no less than three visits to a
troop, and learning the Boy Scout oath, law, motto, sign, and
handshake. Even Jo-Jo The Dog-Faced Boy can figure out that
some-thing’s afoot here: The program is preparing these boys to be Boy
Scouts.
So, now, let’s take another look at the
famous Cross-Over Ceremony…
This ceremony is to publicly show the
transition, or crossing over, from a Cub Scout pack to a Boy Scout
troop. At one side of the bridge is the pack he's leaving. On the
other side are the representatives of the troop he's chosen to join
(always the Scoutmaster and most often the troop’s Senior Patrol
Leader—the highest-ranking youth leader of the troop—too). They usually
present the new Boy Scout with his new troop’s neckerchief and slide,
and often his BOY SCOUT HANDBOOK, too. The paperwork’s already
been done, and the new bond is sealed with the Boy Scout handshake.
Then, at his very first troop meeting,
this new Boy Scout (and, hopefully, his entire den of friends as well)
are recognized in an investiture ceremony and shake hands with every
Scout in their new troop. A new adventure has begun!
So, if a boy is not joining a troop, and
he crosses over the bridge to where at least one set of troop
representatives are waiting, what does he do? Do you want him to "fake
it"? Or maybe snub the troop and just keep on walking? Or what? That’s
why it's pointless for an undeclared Scout to get on the bridge in the
first place: For him, unfortunately, it’s a “bridge to nowhere.”
He needs our help. Whether we’re his
parent, or Webelos Den Leader, or Cubmaster, or possible Scoutmaster, we
need to assure him that Boy Scouting isn’t some giant chasm into which
he’ll drop and be gone, but a new adventure that’s been waiting for him
for the past four to five years. He’s ready; let’s us be ready, too.
Sometimes I’ll get a letter that says,
“How do you expect a ten year old boy to make a choice between troops?
That’s way too difficult and Scouting is wrong to put a boy in this
position!” To which I usually reply, Hey, the kid’s not marrying the
troop; he’s starting out! Maybe he’ll switch troops along the way, and
that’s OK. Maybe he’ll stick with the same troop till he’s 18, and
that’s just fine, too! Just make a pick and see how it works out. But
MAKE THE PICK.
So help him get out there and learn his
stuff and pick a troop, so that he can cross-over and begin a
BRAND-NEW ADVENTURE!
Happy Scouting!
Andy
McCommish
Got a question?
Have an idea? Found something that works? Send it to me at
AskAndyBSA@yahoo.com.
(Please include your Council name
or your town & state)
(Copyright © 2007 Andy McCommish)
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