Cub Scout Advancement

[milominderbinder2]

This is the discussion for the Cub Scout Advancement page on meritbadge.org.

This text is quoted from the BSA Advancement Policies #33088 © 1989, 2007 Printing.

Note the changes regarding Tigers and Bobcat.

Please note needed corrections here.

- Craig

[HiveFive]

Short question: Can a boy who is in fifth grade, and has earned the arrow of light be in both Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts at the same time?

Long form: My son is a Webelos I. He's very driven and goal oriented. He's been working really hard on his Activity Pins, and has most of them done (and about 1/2 the Activity Pins, several of the Sports Pins, and two of the Nova Pins, etc). At his current pace, he may have all the activity pins done by the beginning of the summer.

His Pack crosses over in May each year, but according to the rules, he's eligible to cross over in December (Six months after fourth grade). He wants to "cross over" (move up to Boy Scouts) out of cycle the day he is eligible. Aside from the fact that he'll be the only kid his age in the troop until May, he also wants (sometimes) to stay in Cub Scouts as well, so he can be in the Pinewood Derby next year.

[jr56]

Don't think so. He'll have to decide. He would probably be happiest being with his friends. What do they want to do?

[HiveFive]

I'm sure everyone else in the Den will cross over in May (I don't know of anyone in the Pack who has ever crossed over early). I think he'll be happiest with his friends, but he's deeply motivated to move on, now that his older brother is a Boy Scout (who crossed over last April).

I think that practically speaking, the biggest problem is that he won't have a Patrol to hang around with when he crosses over out of cycle, which is why [I think] he wants to do both.

[Mrw]

If he wants to hang with his friends for a while longer, encourage him to help them out with things he has already earned. Teaching is a great way to continue a challenge and to better learn stuff.

Our boys always cross over from the Cub Packs in March. This gives them all some orientation time before summer camp, but gets them past the coldest of winter camping that they are not yet ready for. So after the Pinewood Derby but earlier than May might be a compromise?