What Is the O.A.?
The
Order of the Arrow is Scouting's National Honor Society. It was
started way back in 1915 to recognize Scouts who best live the Scout
Oath and Law and have good camping skills.
The Order of the Arrow is not a badge to wear on your uniform; it
is an active organization which has its own meetings and officers. All
officers are Scouts like you, and they are elected by the other Scouts
who are in the O.A.
Much of what the O.A. does involves service. Its members have
service projects for camp, and the community. They promote summer camp
to Boy Scouts, and put on the O.A. ceremonies that you will see at
camp. The O.A. can help you develop leadership skills.
How Can I Be Elected?
Each troop elects its own members.
All the Scouts in your troop are eligible to vote, not just the members
of the O.A. The adult leaders in your troop do not vote, just the
Scouts.
Here are the requirements for you to be eligible:
- Be a registered member of your troop
- In the two years before the election, you must have at least
15 days and nights of Boy Scout camping. Family camping or camping
with your Webelos den does not count. You can only count 6 days and 5
nights of one summer camp. All the rest must be weekends or other
short trips.
- You must have attended summer camp in the last two years.
The summer that you are elected must be at least your second summer
camp.
- You must be in summer camp for the entire session the summer
you are elected. NYLT, jamborees or high-adventure trips count the
same as summer camp for this requirement and number 3 above.
- When the election takes place, you must be at least a First Class Scout.
- Your Scoutmaster must approve your Scout spirit and participation.
How Does the Election Work?
Your troop counselor (a member
of the camp staff, and the O.A.) will come to your campsite on
Wednesday morning. He will hold your troop election, with the help of
your Scoutmaster and your SPL. Only those Scouts in your troop who are
at summer camp with you may vote. Every Scout who is eligible stands
on his own. Your troop may elect all its candidates, none of them or
just a few. Most Scouts are not elected the first time that they are
eligible.
Scouts vote by secret ballot. Talking about how any Scout votes
-- before or after the election -- is not allowed. A Scout is
Trustworthy.
If you are eligible, Good Luck!
What If I'm Elected?
If you are elected, you will be
called-out at the camp call-out ceremony on visitor night. You will
leave the ceremony. You will be instructed to report with the Scouts
from other troops who were called out to a quiet location in camp.
There you will be given instructions.
Hazing is not allowed in the Scouts, or in the Order of the Arrow.
Special for O.A. Brothers
A special bar-be-que will be
held for Order of the Arrow members on Monday at 6 p.m. Your
Scoutmaster will need to notify the camp business manager on Sunday at
check-in, so if you are interested, please let him know.
If you are a member of the Order of the Arrow, check out these websites:
Anpetu-We Lodge: anpetu-we.com
Shawnee Lodge: shawneelodge.org
National Order of the Arrow website: oa-bsa.org
