OA ELECTION CEREMONY (Two-youth version) A: Hi, everyone! I'm ... B: ... and I'm ... A: We're both members of the Occoneechee Lodge of the Order of the Arrow. The Order of the Arrow is Scouting's "Brotherhood of Cheerful Service", the fellowship of honor campers. B: We got into the Order because the other Scouts in our own troops elected us, and because we agreed to give them even better service in return for the honor. A: That's what our Arrow sash means. (Points to sash) B: Yes. With the honor comes responsibility. We had to accept a weekend of trials and hardships to prove that we are serious about giving service. A: One of the neat things about the Order of the Arrow is that you got to meet other scouts from all over the Council. We help run Camporees, we do a lot of work at summer camp... B: And everyone sees our Indian ceremonies and dances! A: Our biggest service is almost invisible, but it's something we understand more as we keep at it. It's about leadership. B: And in a few minutes you will elect some more leaders. But we urge you to be careful... A: Yes, if a guy brags a lot about himself or his relatives or if he is the life of the party... do those things make him a leader? B: Some people might think so. But even if such a person is very good at getting people to follow him, we have to ask: "Where is he taking us? Is this somewhere we want to go?" A: In Order of the Arrow, we recognize a different kind of leader. He leads simply because he Is serious about some things that really count. He may not be popular at aill B: The leaders we look for may not even hold a troop office. They may not even know that they are leadingl A: We call such a leader an Arrowman. (The election team members remove their OA sashes.) B: Now the reason for our visit is to help you identify some Arrowmen from among yourselves ... by electing them in a secret ballot. Every member of this troop under 21, including those eligible for election, is entitled to vote. A: To be eligible for election, you must be a member of this troop under 21, at least First Class rank, and an experienced Scout camper. You also must have your Scoutmaster's approval. B: After we give some pointers, you will be allowed to vote for all the Scouts you feel are honor campers. Every Scout who is named on at least half the ballots we receive will be elected as a Candidate to the Order. There is no quota. A: There is no limit on the number of candidates you may select on the ballot. If you don't know the candidates well enough to vote wisely, don't return your ballot at all. This will have no bad effect, since we count only the ballots we receive. B: Before we announce the names of those eligible, are there any questions? (Answer reasonable questions) As your reads your name from the list of those eligible, come up here and stand in a line facing your troop... (the names are read). A: OK, let's think now about who is an Arrowman. B: Having a sash doesn't make us Arrowmen... A: it simply means that the Scouts in our troops felt proud to be Boy Scouts on account of us. They respected us. They chose us as their Arrowmen. B: Our example gave them courage to stand with us in what Scouting stands for, the Scout Oath and Law. We are Arrowmen when we remember the trust they place in us, and live such that we continue to be deserving of their respect. A: We wear the sash because we accepted the honor, and with the honor comes responsibility! (The election team members put on their sashes.) B: it is now in your power to offer the Arrow to any or all of these, your fellow Scouts. Please remain silent until all the ballots have been collected. Keep your pencils until we ask for them. (The ballots are passed out, collected and counted.) *if one or more Scouts are elected, no more balloting is needed: A: Scouts, we thank you. The election is completed. You will learn who were the successful candidates at a later date. (Collect the pencils.) *If no one receives sufficient votes to be elected, conclude as follows: A: (Again) No one received enough votes to win election to candidacy. Our rules require that you vote once more to either confirm this result or to reverse it by electing someone. The result of this second ballot will be final. Any questions before we go ahead? (Answer reasonable questions, pass out ballots again, collect ballots and pencils) If no one receives sufficient votes to be elected the second time around, conclude as follows: A: Again, no one received enough votes to win election to candidacy. The result of this second ballot is now binding. Scouts, the election is completed. (Collect the pencils.)