As if being a member of the National Honor Society while taking on the demanding schedule of being a high school football player at Notre Dame-Fairfield is not enough, Newtown’s Aidan Garrity tackled quite a bit more than opponents and the books this past fall.

He found the time — and energy — to head over to the grounds at St Rose of Lima Church after practices, dig a hole four feet deep by about three feet wide, pour concrete, and install a flag pole for his Eagle Scout project.

Aidan, a Boy Scout in Troop 770 which is sponsored by St Rose, brainstormed to come up with the flag pole idea, went to town officials for approval, rounded up assistants to help with the project, and went to work with the goal of providing something many can enjoy at various events ranging from school and church functions. The flag pole stands — 30 feet tall — in front of FAITH Food Pantry, which is located on the St Rose Church grounds.

In addition to receiving help from fellow scouts, Aidan had assistance from Newtown resident Oscar Sampaio, who not only gave his time and helped with equipment needs but also donated the flag that he received when he became a citizen of the United States. Aidan is currently finishing up his last required merit badge in order to sit for his board of review to become an Eagle Scout.

This project encompasses much of what being a Scout is all about for Aidan, a 17-year-old senior who has been involved with Scouts since first grade.

“Being a Boy Scout has been very rewarding. It teaches you a lot about leadership and responsibility and loyalty and working for a goal to achieve an end result. It also teaches you about persevering and working through lots of challenges and obstacles to achieve your goal,” Aidan said.

Not unlike sports. For Aidan, fulfilling Scout duties has been more difficult with time as other responsibilities and commitments, including his school team schedules, have piled up, making all that he does all the more impressive.

“When I was younger I loved all the older scouts being there and helping me, teaching me new things every day,” said Aidan, who also reflects fondly on trips to Camp Sequassen in New Hartford.

“For me, being a Scout has changed over the years by way of more responsibility as a student, and getting older, and not having as much time to devote to all the things that I am doing. As I’ve gone farther through my high school career, playing multiple sports, and working, trying to fit in all of the activities and responsibilities has gotten harder and harder, but still rewarding to do all of that and to experience all of that,” Aidan said.

A starting center on the football team, Aidan has played football since his freshman year, been a member of the baseball team since he was a sophomore, and logged one year of golf while at Notre Dame. When boys’ golf switched seasons from spring to fall a couple years back, he had to pick one of his passions and went with football.

The football team had a great season finishing 9-3 and making a run all the way to the state playoff semifinals for the first time in almost two decades.

“It was a great year for Notre Dame football,” Aidan said.

And an extra memorable season for the starting center who has earned All Academic Team accolades each year and this year added an academic cherry on top in the form of recognition as the National Football Foundation’s scholar athlete for Notre Dame. He is in the process of applying to college, where he will pursue a degree in business/accounting with an interest in sports broadcasting.

Aidan’s dad, Brian, was scoutmaster for Troop 770 for about three years and currently sits on the committee and helps out as a merit badge counselor.

Brian Garrity notes that although many towns only have one boy scout troop, Newtown boasts four.

“Newtown has a very rich scouting history,” Brian Garrity said.

Aidan has plenty of family support from his parents Brian and Michelle, along with his brother, Kieran, a sophomore football player at Newtown High School, and their sister, Ashleigh (Newtown High Class of 2020), who is on track to graduate from Keene State College in Keene, N.H., this year.

Sports Editor Andy Hutchison can be reached at andyh@thebee.com.