ADVANCEMENT CEREMONIES

Favorite Places Advancement Ceremony

Sam Houston Area Council

Materials –

·              Large map of the US mounted on cardboard.

·              Cut out Scout figures and string across the map.

·              Awards are mounted on the figures.

·              Each Scout earning an award should be prepared with a picture of one of his favorite places in America. It can be a place he visited on vacation, where he used to live, where he would like to live, or of where he now lives.

Cubmaster: This month we have been learning about the beauty and variety in our nation. We have several boys who have earned awards as you can see by our interesting map.

(Name of boy), you have earned your Bobcat Rank this month. Would you please come forward and show us the picture of one of your favorite places?

(Scout comes forward, shows picture and says where it is and why he likes it.

Cubmaster then invites parents to come up while he takes the picture and posts it on the map.

Present award to parents to give to Scout.

Continue with other awards in the same way.)

Cubmaster: Now that we have added pictures of all these beautiful places, our map is much more than just a piece of paper on the wall. It is special to each of us. There are beautiful things about each and every place we might live. It is up to us to find that beauty. But the most beautiful part of any place is the people who live there. We must also look for the beauty in others. If we can do that, wherever we live will be our favorite and the most beautiful place to be.

Presidents

Catalina Council

Personnel: 5 adult readers and Cubmaster (CM).

Equipment: Picture of the president or a sign with the name of the President can be held up by one person.

Rdr 1:      George Washington, the Father of our country, and first president, used to say, “Martha, where are my teeth?  I must have a good smile this day.

Rdr 2:      Thomas Jefferson, our third president always felt he learned his lesson, because he never again wrote another Constitution, having said, “I’ve written it once.  I’ll not write it again.”

Rdr 3:      Andrew Jackson fought in the Louisiana Territory and fought his way to the White House.  He’d often say, "Where’s my horse?  I can’t get anywhere without my horse!”

Rdr 4:      Abraham Lincoln is said to have walked 20 miles to school, but no one ever said if he was late.

Rdr 5:      Ronald Reagan got to the White House by being unique - an actor - and one of the only left-handed cowboys, except for Little Joe Cartwright.

CM:        Each had a goal. And tonight, we honor boys who have achieved their goal , too. But to receive the goal you must name a President before coming forward to get your award. (Parents may help when needed.)

USA ADVANCEMENT CEREMONY

Great Salt Lake Council

Before Pack meeting pin a large U.S. Map on a board or wall. As each Cub Scout enters for the pack meeting they will put their name on a piece of 8 1/2 by 11 inch sheet of paper. The Cub Scout will fold and make a paper airplane out of it. They will then attach the plane to any state they want on the map. The Cubmaster will randomly select a plane from the map and will then call out the Cub’s name to receive his award. After the Cub Scout receives his award, the Cubmaster will ask the Cub one question about what he knows about that state. That Cub will then select the next plane to be taken down. When the awards are finished the Cubmaster will say, “You are just one Cub of the Millions of Cub Scouts across the United States. As a Cub Scout, always remember to ‘Do Your Best’.”

Presidential Award Ceremony

Catalina Council & Baloo

This is an old ceremony I used for my pack back in the early 1990's. And I still love it today.  Originally, I found it in "Staging Den and Pack ceremonies" but it is not there anymore (or it would have a Tiger section).  So I jumped in and added a section for the Tigers.  I chose Monroe but the words speak about the partners not the boy.  I am open for other ideas for a President for Tigers.  CD

Props – Large pictures of George Washington, James Monroe, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, John Kennedy, Abraham Lincoln, and Gerald Ford

Cubmaster – We are proud of the outstanding Presidents who have been so important to our Country’s Heritage.  We are especially proud of our Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts who are learning new skills and ideals that will help them later in life.  It is likely that some of these Scouts will become outstanding in American History some day.  Many of our well-known American figures were Scouts when they were young.!

Assistant Cubmaster The first step in Cub Scouting is the Bobcat Award.  We symbolize this with our first president, George Washington.  (Have Cub Scout hold up picture of Washington)  Just as earning the Bobcat is important in getting a boy started on the Cub Scout trail, our first President was important in getting our country started off right.  Our Bobcats are starting off correctly working with their parents to earn this award. (Call forward Bobcats and their parents. Present Bobcat patches to parents who will present them to their sons.  Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.)  Congratulations  Lead Cheer!!

Tiger Cub Den Leader The next step in Cub Scouting is the rank of Tiger.  We symbolize this with James Monroe, our fifth president.  (Have Cub Scout hold up picture of Monroe)  Just as the Adult Partners are important in helping our newest Cub Scouts along the Tiger Cub trail, President Monroe was important in helping the new republics in Central and South America get started off right.  He played a role similar to out Tiger Cub's Adult partner for these new republics when he established the Monroe Doctrine and had the USA provide them protection.  (Call forward Tiger Cubs and their partners. Present awards to parents who will present them to their sons.  Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.)  Congratulations  Lead Cheer!!

Wolf Den Leader – Next is the rank of Wolf.  We will symbolize this rank with Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration of Independence.  When a boy becomes a Wolf, he demonstrates more independence than when he was a Bobcat.  He demonstrates this by sometimes working on his own achievements and electives.  (Call forward boys to receive Wolf Badges and Arrow Points. Call their parents, too. Present badges to parents who will present them to their sons.  Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.)  Congratulations!  Lead Cheer!!

Bear Den Leader – When a Cub Scout reaches Bear, he has learned much from the challenging projects he completed. To symbolize the Bear Rank we use Teddy Roosevelt, for whom Camp Roosevelt is named. He is another outstanding President.  Teddy Roosevelt accepted many challenges during his life.  (Call forward boys to receive Bear Badges and Arrow Points. Call their parents, too. Present badges to parents who will present them to their sons.  Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.)  Congratulations!  Lead Cheer!!

Webelos Leader – When a boy joins a Webelos Den, he is ready to work on Activity Badges, which are more challenging then Achievements and Electives.  We symbolize this with an outstanding president, Abraham Lincoln, who started as a poor boy in a log cabin and became the 16^th President of the United States.  These are Scouts who have worked their way from Bobcat to Webelos Den.  (This is a graduation to the Webelos Den.  Call forward boys to receive Webelos Neckerchiefs, Colors, books and/or whatever you present to Scouts as they move to the Webelos Den.  Call their parents, too. Present to parents who will present them to their sons.)  Congratulations!  Lead Cheer!!

Webelos Leader – Webelos Scouts work on Activity Badges that help them learn about many new interests and pave the way for future Scouting.  Webelos Scouts learn more about the outdoors and go on overnight camping trips with their adult partners.  We symbolize the Activity Badges with John F. Kennedy, who believed in physical fitness and loved the outdoors. (Call forward boys to receive Activity Badges.  Call their parents, too. Present Activity Badges to parents who will present them to their sons.  Have one Scout say a few words about each badge presented.)  Congratulations!  Lead Cheer!!

Cubmaster or Webelos Leader – As the Webelos Scout progresses toward being a Boy Scout, he may earn the Webelos Badge by having an adult family member read and sign the Parent Guide in his Webelos Book, by being active in the den for three months, by explaining the meaning of the Webelos Badge, by explaining the parts of the Webelos uniform, by earning Fitness and two other Activity badges, by planning and leading a flag ceremony in his den, by understanding the requirements to become a Boy Scout, and by becoming actively involved in his religious faith.  We symbolize this area of Scouting with Gerald Ford, who was the first president to earn the rank of Eagle as a youth.  (Call forward boys to receive Webelos Badges.  Call their parents, too. Present to parents who will present them to their sons.  Do other ceremonial rituals your Pack may have.)  Congratulations!  Lead Cheer!!