Moving from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts is a daunting idea for some youngsters.

But a handful of Zebulon scouts know they are prepared to make the jump.

At a recent advancement ceremony, several young Webelos – a level of scouting between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts – earned their Arrow of Light.

The Arrow of Light is the highest honor a Cub Scout can receive and it signals the scout’s readiness to move on to Boy Scouting.

The six members of Zebulon Pack 522 who earned their Arrow of Light badge are Jarek Franklin, Josh Gray, Nathan Gray, Tyler Marsh, Christopher McRobie and Keenan Meadows.

The six scouts were center stage during the Arrow of Light ceremony put on by members of Zebulon Boy Scout Troop XXX. The ceremony included an attention-grabbing special effect, as scout leaders held arrows, one at a time over open flame. The flame caused powder on the arrows to burn off quickly sending a large burst of flame into the air before the powder burned off.

For the scouts making the transition, earning the Arrow of Light was, indeed, a big deal.

“It’s an inspiration. I never really worked so hard to achieve something,” said Franklin.

Josh Gray agreed. “It was hard, but it was worth it,” he said.

Marsh pointed to earning his first class badge as the hardest obstacle he had to overcome on his way to earning the Arrow of Light. But the accomplishment was worth the hard work, he said.

“I really wanted the Arrow of Light because it’s the highest ranking there is in Cub Scouts,” Marsh said.

Keenan Meadows said the work may have been hard, but there was plenty of fun along the way, too. “We learned to cook on camping trips and we learned what to bring so we don’t bring things we don’t need,” Meadows said.

For McRobie, the fun of the advancement ceremony was the culmination of a long effort. Having seen older Webelos earn the Arrow of Light last year, McRobie said this year’s event was even more special.

“It’s sort of different. I felt more excited, more like I couldn’t wait to get it,” McRobie said.

With Cub Scouting and its highest badge behind them, more challenges await the new Boy Scouts, all of whom attended a crossover ceremony the night after the advancement ceremony.

As Boy Scouts, they can all pursue scouting’s highest honor — the Eagle.