The initiation ceremony is what connects all KAs as brothers whether you went to school in Virginia, Florida, Georgia, California or somewhere else entirely. Without it, we do not not have that shared experience, so it is important to make every member’s initiation ceremony as impactful as possible. Here are some tips to help your chapter do that.
- Plan Ahead: Set a date and book your venue as far in advance as possible. Make sure you are using a church or masonic lodge. The chapter house is not an appropriate location for initiation. Tell your initiates when initiation will take place so they can be sure to ask off work and plan their study schedule accordingly.
- Practice: Your chapter should be practicing at least 15 times per semester. Starting with a simple read-through, then start adding additional roles, movements, and music.
- Memorize: Giving each initiate the attention they deserve is impossible when you read from the ritual book. Also, as KA is a lifetime experience, by memorizing your lines, they will stay with you for the rest of your life.
- Get into Character: Every role in the initiation ceremony has a different character, and using varying inflections, you can emphasize different words.
- Time with Music: Utilizing music enhances spoken words and dramatizes all movements, making the whole ceremony more impactful. For initiation music and cues, email Brent Buswell, director of communications, at bbuswell@ka-order.org.
- Invite Alumni: Initiation is not only for adding new members into our Order, it is for members and alumni to remember those bonds that connect all KAs. For legacies, their father/uncle/grandfather could even take a special part in a portion of the initiation ceremony.
- Maintain Regalia: Ensure that your chapter has a full set of regalia to perform the initiation ceremony and that it is clean and properly stored in a secure location. If your chapter needs to order certain pieces or an entire set of regalia, please contact Tullis Beasley, director of leadership education, at tbeasley@ka-order.org.
