Quote:
Originally Posted by carnation
I'll ask my husband what he remembers about Order of the Arrow--our oldest was inducted into it at camp several years ago. He got this huge arrow sash.This was 3 5th graders being inducted into the Arrow of Light and they got arrow plaques!
(Big cheer here for all the arrows that the Boy Scouts use! Haha!  ) |
Carnation, my D agrees with you! Of course, I remind her that the Boy Scout symbol is the fleur-de-lis.
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If these were 5th graders, they are probably Webelo IIs earning their Arrows of Light.
One cannot earn Order of the Arrow without having a certain number of overnight campouts, having achieved a certain rank, etc. Usually the earliest a Scout can be elected is in 7th grade although there are a couple of movers and shakers who are eligible in 6th.
The OA Ordeal is a bit secretive but BSA has to be somewhat open in light of the scandals that occurred in the past. The OA Candidate gets subsistence-only food for 24 hours and works on a service project with others however there is no talking. The candidate sleeps in a sleeping bag under the stars. My S is going to be an Elongomat this weekend for a neighboring district's ordeal. Elongomats are guides who are assigned to the candidates throughout the Ordeal.
There are 3 ranks within OA. An arrowman can try out for brotherhood after 10 months of active Ordeal time. Vigil takes at least 2 years from the date an arrowman makes brotherhood rank.