Japeechen Lodge: Encouraging Retention and Advancement
Posted in Patch Collecting by John E. Pannell on May 21st, 2007 at 1:43 am 
Japeechen lodge has recently issued a set of six round patches with a novel concept. The lodge recognizes that the future of the Order lies with today’s Cub Scouts, Webelos and younger Scouts who in time will become eligible to be inducted into the Order of the Arrow.
As reported to me these six patches tie in with advancement through Scouting, from Wolf Cub Scout up through the rank of 2nd year camper Boy Scout. The awards also tie in with attendance at camp, in a fashion not too dissimilar to that used by Mic-O-Say and other camp based programs.
The Jersey Shore Council reports these requirements on their website (long quote follows):
Spirit of the Arrow Award for Wolf Cub Scouts
The Spirit of the Arrow Award is designed to introduce Wolf Cub Scouts to the great outdoors of Cub Scout Day Camp, and important to the fun and adventure of future membership in the Order of the Arrow. The Spirit of the Arrow Award reinforces the vision of our founders that all boys have a meaningful Summer Camp experience.
Future of our Order Award for Bear Cub Scouts
The Future of our Order Award is designed for Bear Cub Scouts to be earned at Cub Scout Day Camp; it emphasizes a focus on the Cub Scout Conservation Award while connecting the Order of the Arrow to the Summer Camp experience.
Nutiket Award for Webelos
The Nutiket award is designed to provide a challenging and beneficial program for Webelos. The requirements of this award not only offer a valuable experience, but also help the Webelos to advance along the trail to the Arrow of Light. The award is also designed to promote long-term camping and to encourage the Webelos to continue into Boy Scouting. The patch earned provides the incentive for this program and for continuing in the Order of the Arrow program once the boy becomes a Scout. It is an integral part of Webelos Adventure Camp program.
Meteu Award for 2nd Year Webelos
The Meteu Award is designed for second-year Webelos attending Jersey Shore Scouting’s Webelos Adventure Camp. It builds on the Nutiket Award. Neither cub rank is required for a boy scout to earn any other Order of the Arrow designation.
Kichkinet Award for 1st Year Boy Scout Campers
The Kichkinet Award is designed for the first year Camper and is a basic review of the Tenderfoot requirements. The Kichkinet Award is easily included in a normal camp schedule; the rank is elementary and earning it should cause little interference with other camping activities The Kichkinet Award must be earned at Boy Scout Summer Camp at Citta Scout Reservation.
Allowat Sakima Award for 2nd year Camper Boy Scouts
The Allowat Sakima Award is designed for the second year camper, but if the Scout is qualified when he first comes to camp, he should consider completing both the Kichkinet and Allowat Sakima awards so that he will be ready for the Order of the Arrow membership the next year. The Allowat Sakima award is easily included into a normal camp schedule.
While I think this is a neat concept and wish them luck with its implementation, hoping for success, there are a couple of things about this that bother me from the perspective of official policies.
I question the use of the names attached to four of these awards. Those names appear in another context and I don’t think it was the wisest move to use them here. It would have been better, in my opinion, if different names were attached to these awards.
Another issue I have is this quote from the same council publication cited above:
These new Order of the Arrow Awards are meant as immediate recognition and will be presented to the Scout in a ceremony of the entire camp at the camp’s closing campfire. The awards may be worn on the uniform in the temporary insignia pocket area or on (sic) face-up on the back of the Order of the Arrow sash when Ordeal membership is attained.
Unless I missed an important policy change, the OA Handbook has for years very clearly specified that the ONLY things to be worn on the OA sash is the 50th and 60th anniversary awards by those who have earned them. In my opinion, the local council does not have the right to override that policy. I suggest they rethink this last statement.
Thanks to Nick DeMarco for providing the images of these new issues.
That’s interesting … We’ve been hearing chatter from the Southern Region office about promoting interaction between Cub units and the Order of the Arrow.