Ceremonies - Arrow of Light

"Counting Coop" Ceremony Setting: Scout leader dressed in Indian outfit as Akela, standing or sitting by a ceremonial fire. Participants: Akela, Cubmaster, Webelos Leader. Note: If trophy skins are being presented, involve parents to help with awards. Insert the presentation at **. The final and highest rank of Cub Scouting is the Arrow of Light. To earn it a boy must be a member of his Den for at least six months and have earned the Webelos Badge. He must have earned the Fitness, Readyman, and Citizen Activity Pins and five more for a total of eight. He must know the Boy Scout Oath and Scout Law from memory as well as the Boy Scout slogan, motto, sign and salute. He must have participated in a Webelos overnight camp out or a Webelos day hike. He must have visited a Boy Scout troop with his parents and den and taken part in a Boy Scout outdoor activity. The Arrow of Light is the only Cub Scout Rank that may be worn on the Boy Scout uniform. As an Adult he can wear the special square knot badge to always recall his having earned the Arrow of Light. Tonight we have (number) Webelos Scouts who have earned Cub Scouting's highest award. Will the following boys and their parents please come forward? (List boys earning the Arrow of Light badge.) Long ago the Indian braves would collect eagle feathers. Regardless of how an Indian brave accumulated feathers, he was not allowed, according to tribal law, to wear them until he had won them by doing a brave deed. He had to appear before the tribal council and tell or re-enact his deed. If the council thought the brave was worthy, the brave was allowed to wear the feather in his hair or war bonnet. These honors were called "counting coop." The Indian displayed his honors on his clothing, on a banner, or on a stick. The Webelos Scout "counts coop" by wearing the many rank awards and activity pins on his uniform, but he will soon be a Boy Scout and will not be allowed to wear them any more. ** (I would like to present these Webelos with a trophy skin displaying their own scouting honors.) (Cubmaster presents skins to boys.) You've completed all the requirements for your Arrow of Light badge and have completed the Cub Scout trail. It is our pleasure to award you this certificate of accomplishment, and award your Arrow of Light badge to your parents, who have been your Akela in completing these requirements. Parents, please award this badge to your son and congratulate him on a "job well done." The Arrow of Light is a significant achievement. It is recognized as such by the Boy Scouts of America. When you become a Boy Scout, you continue to wear the Arrow of Light on your uniform. When you become an adult leader, you wear a square knot that represents the Arrow of Light on your uniform. In view of that significance, I offer my sincere congratulations to each of you. (Shake the hand of each scout and parent.) In Boy Scouts, when they have an Eagle Court of Honor, a charge or challenge is made to the new Eagle Scout. Tonight you have achieved the highest rank in Cub Scouts, and I want to offer such a challenge to each of you. I challenge each of you to continue to live by the ideals you have learned in Cub Scouts, especially the Cub Scout motto: "DO YOUR BEST". I challenge each of you to continue your high level of achievement in Boy Scouts. I challenge each of you to look at the Arrow of Light badge and think about what it represents: *The sun shedding its light on all that we do. A reminder that you should be a light for those around you. *The seven rays of the sun representing the seven days of the week. A reminder that you should do your best every day. *The arrow which is symbolic of everything which is straight and true. Just as you should be straight and true in your life. I challenge each of you to follow where that Arrow of Light points: *Forward on the trail of Boy Scout ranks. *Upward to higher challenges. I challenge each of you to soar to great heights and obtain the Eagle Scout Award. As Akela, I will be honored to join you, wherever you may be, to see you receive this achievement. Parents, Leaders, Guests and Cub Scouts of Pack ___, would you please join with me in giving these boys a standing ovation for achieving the highest award in Cub Scouting? Congratulations and good luck!