{"id":2063,"date":"2025-04-15T08:38:51","date_gmt":"2025-04-15T12:38:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/?p=2063"},"modified":"2025-04-15T19:02:13","modified_gmt":"2025-04-15T23:02:13","slug":"pathfinder-to-rover-ceremony","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/2025\/04\/15\/pathfinder-to-rover-ceremony\/","title":{"rendered":"Pathfinder to Rover Ceremony"},"content":{"rendered":"

This year, my OSG group will move several scouts up from Pathfinders to Rovers. We’ve been looking for a ceremony for this, as there is a ceremony for the other age levels. When looking around, I spoke to Scoutmaster Amy Jo of the 971st Great Blue Herons,<\/span><\/i>\u00a0and she shared this lovely ceremony with me that she has used with her guides who moved up. She calls it the Path Found ceremony.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Path: Found<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

The path: found ceremony for Pathfinders should ideally be done in the evening at the campfire during a time when both Pathfinders and Rovers are present. Pathfinders sit on one side of the fire and Rovers sit on the opposite side of the fire. If Otters and Timberwolves are present, they can stand on either side, forming an aisle for the new Rover to walk down..<\/span><\/p>\n

Ceremony begins<\/b>\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n

Scout Master:<\/b> welcomes <\/span>Crew Leader <\/b>and the Rover Crew<\/span><\/p>\n

Pathfinder Troop<\/b> and <\/span>Rover Crew<\/b> are in two open horseshoes, with the openings facing each other. (a log object is placed in between both circles, which the Pathfinder will eventually step over as they join the crew.)<\/span><\/p>\n

Scout Master:<\/b> then calls out each Pathfinder who is walking their path by full name and asks them to stand. <\/span>Scouts, today, we honor the transition of **Scout Name,** who has found their path and is ready now to walk it. Let\u2019s take a moment to share some memories or wishes we want to send with them. <\/span><\/i>Scouts take turns sharing memories or hopes for the Scout\u2019s time as a Rover.<\/span><\/p>\n

Scout Master<\/b>: <\/span>**Scout name**, this is the last time you will ever be addressed as a Pathfinder. I ask you to take a moment and think upon your time finding your path, and remember it well. Look up at the sky (starry or blue), the same constellations (clouds if daytime) that looked down on you as a Pathfinder will continue to look down on you as a Rover. Take Solace in Knowing that the things you have learned as an Pathfinder will serve you well as you walk the path that you have finally found. Think for a moment about one of your favorite memories of your time as an Pathfinder. When you are ready, you may walk around the circle, and allow each of your siblings in scouting to encourage you on the journey ahead.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Scout Master<\/b>: <\/span>You have spent the last ## years finding your path, with the pathfinders, and are ready to join us as a Rover. When you are ready, you may walk the distance and step over the log and join the Rovers on the other side.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Scout Master: <\/b>Crew Leader, are you ready to welcome **Scout Name** into the Crew?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

*******************<\/span><\/i>Rover Ceremony<\/i><\/b>*****************<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Crew Leader<\/b>: <\/span>YES<\/span><\/i>! (A Parent may walk the scout TO the log, but does not cross with them. If Timberwolves and Otters are present, they may be ordered to salute as the celebrant walks through)<\/span><\/p>\n

Parent\/Scout Master:<\/b> For now, this is as far as we go. You\u2019ve found your path, and it\u2019s time to walk it on your own. Baden-Powell said to be sure to \u201cpaddle your own canoe\u201d in life. By that, he meant that you should always be the one controlling your own destiny. Never just follow the current. Be in charge of your own life. So we will stay here, and let you do just that.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

(The Scouts remain in formation)<\/span><\/p>\n

Crew Leader:<\/b> You spent all this time, finding your path, and you find yourself here, among the Rovers. Do you know what the word Rover means? It means wanderers. Because the truth is, we all spend our lives building our own paths, and paddling our own canoes.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

(Scout Master, and Parents, if Rovers, now walk into the circle, behind them)<\/span><\/p>\n

Any Rover:<\/b> But we are all in this together.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Crew Leader: <\/b>Do you know your Scout Law?\"\"<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Celebrant:<\/b> I do.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Crew Leader: <\/b>Can you tell me what your Honor is?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Celebrant:<\/b> **Answers will vary**<\/span><\/p>\n

Crew Leader:<\/b> Let\u2019s all refresh our Scout Promise together.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

All Rovers: <\/b>Join in giving the scout promise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Crew Leader:<\/b> I trust you, on your honor, to keep this promise. And I now welcome you as a Rover Squire of the (insert your group here), Outdoor Service Guides. <\/span><\/i>(Pin the shoulder knot on the scout)<\/span><\/p>\n

Celebrant: <\/b>Turns around<\/span><\/p>\n

Crew Leader: <\/b>Welcome to our newest Rover Squire! Scout hand salute!<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Crew leader: <\/b>Please take a moment to walk around the circle so each Rover can welcome you individually.<\/span><\/p>\n

***Much rejoicing***<\/span><\/p>\n

You can download this ceremony as a PDF here<\/a>.


<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This year, my OSG group will move several scouts up from Pathfinders to Rovers. We’ve been looking for a ceremony for this, as there is a ceremony for the other age levels. When looking around, I spoke to Scoutmaster Amy Jo of the 971st Great Blue Herons,\u00a0and she shared this lovely ceremony with me that she has used with her...<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1732,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[322,323,42,85],"class_list":["post-2063","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pathfinders","tag-ceremony","tag-moving-up","tag-pathfinders","tag-rovers"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/tenderfoot-1.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2063"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2071,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2063\/revisions\/2071"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1732"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2063"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2063"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.guides4guides.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2063"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}