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Pack 5 How-To
Cross-Over Ceremony
The Pack 5 Cross-Over
responsibilities ultimately fall to the Cubmaster, although
the Cubmaster should be working closely with the Webelos Den
Leaders in planning and implementation.
Timeline
The planning cycle for this
actually begins in the Fall of the Webelos I year. If this
Den Leader has not done so already, he or she should attend
OLS-W Training to better prepare for organizing and teaching
the various activities, performance assessments, and
evaluations associated with helping each Scout in his or her
Den earn Arrow of Light. It is helpful for the Cubmaster to
complete OLS-W as well.
Additionally, if either has
not done so already, the Cubmaster and Den Leader should
attend Webelos-to-Troop Transition Training, offered each
Fall by the Huron Trails District. It's important for the
District to have our Webelos Leaders identified (which may
not be the case for Leaders who are dual-Registered, eg,
primarily as Pack Treasurer, but also as Webelos Den Leader,
as was the case here in 2007-2008). You will be introduced
to key Boy Scout Troop Leaders in our area, making Troop
visits and comparisons easier for the boys in the Webelos
Den.
If "Order of the Arrow" will
be leading the Cross-Over Ceremony, contact them around
Thanksgiving to get on their schedule.
Scouts should start visiting
Troops and, if they are ready, camping with them, starting
in the Fall of their Webelos I year. The District and
Council have put out materials to help Pack 5 Adult Leaders,
parents, and the boys streamline this process. Webelos I
Scouts should be encouraged to earn rank by our Holiday
Party in December, and to have earned their Arrow of Light
by the Pack 5 Holiday Party of their Webelos II year.
Troop selections should be
made a month or two after that, so the Cubmaster can make
top-to-top contacts with Scoutmasters at the Troops
selected. These Troops will send representatives (typically
the Scoutmaster and one or more of their Youth Leaders) to
our Cross-Over Ceremony. Common courtesy and long-term
goodwill are enhanced by giving them this scheduling
lead-time.
Local "Order of the Arrow"
representatives will provide an impressive, comprehensive
Cross-Over Ceremony to any area Pack. Our Pack asked them to
lead our Ceremony at Eberwhite Woods in 2009 and, despite
the small number of boys we had Crossing that year, it was
one of our best-led. We provided only the flag ceremony
component (including the flag, staff, and Color Guard), and
programs. Younger Cubs were posted in the Eberwhite Parking
lot to guide visitors to our field location.
Resources
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Ceremonial Arrows ("Cubmaster's
Gift")
Beginning in 2008 and
continuing in 2009, Dell Deaton began a tradition as
Cubmaster of making arrows (from kits) and presenting
them to Webelos II Scouts who had earned their Arrow of
Light and Crossed-Over in the Pack 5 Ceremony. These
were sourced from "Acorn Awards," but there are other
options listed below.
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Acorn Awards
[link] ("Arrow of Light Kit with Coup Feather"
kit in 2008, "Arrow of Light Kit and Wall Plaque Set
— supplemented with an engraved plate from Stadium
Trophy
[link] in 2009)
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Arrow of Light Awards
[link]
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Arrow-of-light-awards.com
[link]
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GW Crafts
[link]
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Ceremonial Arrow: Instructions for
painting advancement and recognitions stripes
[link]
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"And Our Banner Still Waves !!" (flag
ceremonies) 2008 University of Scouting presentation
summary and LINKs, Course GS-001 (Dell Deaton)
[link]
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Order of the Arrow
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Program
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Shoulder loops are commonly
changed out during as a key part of the Ceremony; Troops
typically provide these, but it's a good idea for Pack 5
to have back-ups just in case (both red and the current
green color).
Advice
Pack 5 holds its Cross-Over Ceremony relatively (too?) late in the
cycle. District has described this as a tension between Pack
interests, which are to keep a large number of boys and
their parents involved as long as possible until the next
(Spring) recruitment, versus the Boy Scout Troop interests,
which are to get new these new boys signed up and involved
as early as possible.
It
may also seemingly ease the pressure on both the Webelos
boys and their Den Leader to get through all the Activity
Pins and visits on the agenda.
But looking at it strictly from the perspective of what's
best for the boys, there is no question that they should
Cross-Over as early as practical: After earning their Arrow
of Light and turning age 10 (current criteria, as of 2009).
A "compromise" given the Pack 5 history of later Cross-Over
scheduling is to encourage the Webelos II boys who are ready
to concurrently get involved with their new Troops, but
continue to attend our Pack Meetings and help others in
their Den earn Arrow of Light.
There is also a question about how "entertaining" the
Cross-Over program should be and the degree to which the
younger Cubs should participate in it.
Historically, Pack 5 had combined Cross-Over and Blue & Gold
— and it didn't work. What should have been the pinnacle of
Cub Scout achievement was diluted among the other awards of
the evening, food, and contracted entertainment. In 2008, we
moved Cross-Over back outdoors (where many believe it is
best conducted), and come sunny weather, rain, or snow, it
works well. The Webelos I Den is our Color Guard. Otherwise,
the remainder of the Pack and guests simply observe. It's a
solemn occasion, an opportunity for the younger boys to see
what they have to look forward to; it's best kept this way.
The younger boys are served by a better Blue & Gold, and the
older boys and our Troop guests are served by a better
Cross-Over. Win/win.
Finally, the toughest question is who to recognize. As they
say in District Cross-Over training, "you don't Cross-Over
into nothing." Each Pack 5 Webelos II Scout is given ample
opportunity to earn his Arrow of Light and choose a Troop.
If he has not done so by the time of our Cross-Over, Pack 5
Leadership decided in 2008 and again in 2009 that the boy is
not recognized in this Ceremony. At issue is fairness
to the boys who have worked so hard for this honor. |
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