What’s New
What’s changing, and what’s staying the same.
We’re adapting how we teach our timeless values to elevate the most important parts of the Order of the Arrow for today’s youth. Most of the experience is unchanged.
✦What’s ChangingWhat’s new, what stays➔How to See ItSee One, Do One, Offer One▤ResourcesWebinars, newsletters, toolkit?FAQAnswers to common questions
Staying the same
The core tenets remain constant.
Brotherhood lives at the center, and the parts that make the induction meaningful are unchanged.
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Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, Service: our three fundamental values continue to guide everything we do.
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A serious, meaningful milestone: the induction weekend remains a significant moment in a Scout’s journey.
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Service at the core: participants are still subdivided into small groups to perform service throughout Saturday.
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The weekend structure: it still begins Friday evening and concludes Sunday with ceremonies that bookend the journey.
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The Admonition: it continues to anchor our purpose.
What's evolving
Four changes that bring our values to life.
We’re adapting how we teach our timeless values to elevate the most important parts of the OA for today’s youth.
01
Guided reflection instead of isolation
Rather than extended silence and separation, new members engage in meaningful discussions with each other. Silence still has its place for reflection, but the weekend now prioritizes building the connections that make Scouts want to return.
02
Enhanced ceremonies
The ceremonies now feature five principles with smaller parts, and one ceremonialist is “on-book,” reducing the memorization burden while keeping the dignity and meaning of the experience.
03
Clearer understanding of our values
New activities create shared understanding of what Brotherhood, Cheerfulness, and Service truly mean in action. New members leave with clarity about these values and the history of the Order of the Arrow.
04
The Luminary role
The small group leader (formerly Elangomat) takes on an enhanced facilitation role, helping new members discover their place in our brotherhood, reflect on their Scouting journey, and learn about our values.
Keep going
Ready to go deeper?
Still have questions? Contact the induction team and we’ll help you through the transition.