Can Cub Scouts get extra time to finish requirements after school year ends?

In many packs, Cub Scouts finish their rank advancement just in time for the blue and gold banquet in February.

This approach lets families gather to celebrate the Cub Scouts’ accomplishments well before the end of the school year. It also signals that it’s time for Webelos Scouts to begin their transition to Boy Scouting and troop involvement.

June 1 is the traditional date when records change and each Cub Scout advances in rank. Tigers move to Wolf, Wolves move to Bear, etc.

But what happens if a Cub Scout isn’t quite there yet? What if he isn’t done with his requirements by the end of the school year?

All is not lost.

For more, see the Guide To Advancement, topic 4.1.0.4. It says the pack committee can allow a few extra weeks at the end of the school year for a Cub Scout to finish up requirements. In other words, the Cub Scout doesn’t need to stop cold.

Remember the Cub Scout motto, “Do Your Best”? Apply that here.

What you can do

The pack committee should meet in early May to get input from den leaders and parents. Those adults can identify Cub Scouts who are finished, close to being finished or farther behind in their requirements.

Then a decision can be made that encourages the successful completion of each Cub Scout’s rank. The underlying goal: Give the Cub Scout a sense of accomplishment and pride. Give Cub Scouts extra time to finish requirements, but never present Cub Scouts with ranks they didn’t earn simply so they don’t feel left out.

After that, it’s on to the next Cub Scout rank and a new batch of fun, exciting adventures.

Excerpt: Guide to Advancement, 4.1.0.4 “Do Your Best”

From the Guide to Advancement

Cub Scouts — even those of the same age — may have very different developmental timetables. For this reason, advancement performance in Cub Scouting is centered on its motto: “Do Your Best.” When a boy has done this — his very best — then regardless of the requirements for any rank or award, it is enough; accomplishment is noted. This is why den leaders, assistants, and parents or guardians are involved in approvals. Generally they know if effort put forth is really the Cub Scout’s best.

In the same spirit as “Do Your Best,” if a boy is close to earning a badge of rank when the school year ends, the pack committee, in consultation with the den leader and the Cub Scout’s parent or guardian, may allow him a few weeks to complete the badge before going on to the next rank. Earning it will give him added incentive to continue in Scouting and carry on and tackle the next rank.

What about a boy who must repeat a grade in school?

Generally, repeating a grade does not mean being kept back in Cub Scouting, but it depends on the circumstances and what is best for the boy. The decision is up to the parent or guardian.

Can Cub Scouts get extra time to finish requirements after school year ends?