Three Boy Scouts Attain Eagle Ranking

Three Scouts from Troop 270 — Brenden Cologna, Alex Lubinsky and Shane McCarthy — have earned Boy Scouting’s highest rank of Eagle Scout.

Each will be awarded his Eagle Scout Rank award in special Court of Honor ceremonies to take place at Newtown Meeting House. Brenden Cologna’s ceremony will be held Saturday, May 6,at 2:30 pm; Alex Lubinsky’s will be Saturday, May 12,at 1:30 pm; and the Court of Honor ceremony for Shane McCarthy will take place on Sunday, June 17, at 2:30 pm. Friends of the scouts, families, and friends of scouting are encouraged to attend.

To become an Eagle Scout, each young man is required to earn a minimum of 21 merit badges, 12 of which are specifically required. They must prove themselves as leaders within the troop and live by the ideals of the Scout Oath and Law in their everyday lives. Lastly, and perhaps the most difficult requirement, is to lead a group in a community service project that encompasses planning, organizing, and leading the work group. These Scouts rose to the challenge and each completed a substantial project to the benefit of the local community.

Alex Lubinsky created an information kiosk at Newtown High School in which previously haphazardly placed fliers are now placed on a four-sided corkboard kiosk. It also has a map of the school and other vital information posted behind Plexiglas. A multicolored LED display was installed to display important messages that the school and student organizations want to convey.

Brenden Cologna restored a nature trail behind Middle Gate Elementary School that he had used while a student there. He had observed on a visit to the school that the trail was in a state of disrepair and approached the school to restore it. Volunteers worked with Brenden to revitalize the trails and create an extension that would allow a complete loop. A trail map was added at the start of the trail.

Shane McCarthy upgraded a large portion of Al’s Trail on the property behind Reed Intermediate School. This project included clearing undesirable brush and creating a stone path across a stream. A large turnout of volunteers to help Shane with his project allowed for more of the trail to be cleared than was originally planned.

Overall, these projects represent almost 500 community service hours by the Scouts and their volunteers. The community will enjoy their efforts for years to come.