Newtown Boy Scout Troop 770 celebrated its two newest Eagle Scouts on June 2. That evening, Ian Denault and Dominic Pagliaro were honored during an Eagle Scout ceremony held at St Rose of Lima Church.

Oxford First Selectman George Temple and Newtown First Selectman Pat Llodra were both there to celebrate this achievement. Mr Temple and Mrs Llodra presented the boys with a town recognition certificate.

Monsignor Robert Weiss was in attendance to offer his blessing and prayer for the ceremony.

It is customary for the Eagle Scout to recognize someone in his journey to Eagle that served as a role model and mentor with the Mentor Pin. Ian and Dominic both presented their Mentor Pin to Assistant Scoutmaster John Denault, who is also Ian's father.

Ian and Dominic each gave very positive and uplifting speeches, much of it directed to the other Scouts in their troop, offering encouragement to the journey to Eagle and recognizing the leadership of Troop 770.

Creating Community Space

Dominc Pagliaro of Newtown was a Webelos in Pack 550, Den 6 earning his Arrow of Light. He has been a member of Troop 770 for seven years, serving in multiple positions, including patrol leader, historian, and instructor. Dominic reportedly enjoyed learning more about his faith completing the Parvuli Dei and Ad Altari Dei religious awards.

To earn Scouting's highest award, Dominic earned 21 Merit Badges, served as a leader in his troop, and completed a major community service project: he led a group of Scouts and adults transforming a grassy, Sandy Hook street corner into a bus stop and community space with a patio and benches.

Dominic graduated from Notre Dame High School in West Haven. He spent all four years of his high school career in the chorus and was twice named to the Connecticut All-State Chorus.

He was a multiyear officer of the Drama Club, and also participated in musicals at two other area high schools.

He played travel ice hockey (goalie) and volunteered as a peer counselor and as vice president, Youth Board of Directors, for the nonprofit New Paradigm Theater.

Dominic was recognized as an Archdiocese of Hartford Summa Scholar and recipient of the Connecticut Association of Schools Outstanding Arts Award.

He is currently studying musical theater at Indiana University in the Hutton Honors College. He was recently named an Indiana University Founders Scholar for sustained academic excellence.

Building Bat Houses

A resident of Oxford, Ian Denault was a member of Cub Scout Pack 68 and a Webelo in Pack 550 earning his Arrow of Light. He has been a member of Troop 770 for more than six years serving in multiple positions, including patrol leader, instructor and assistant senior patrol leader.

Ian was inducted into the Order of the Arrow. Additionally, he earned the designation as a Red Cross and BSA Certified Life Guard. Ian successfully completed the mile swim when he was 12, and then five more times.

To earn Scouting's highest award, Ian earned 31 Merit Badges, served as a leader in his troop, and completed a major community service project.

Ian's service project took place at Jackson Cove Park in Oxford, where he led a group of Scouts and adults building bat houses. It is an organic method to control insects and address the declining bat population.

Ian has volunteered the last four years on Thanksgiving and Christmas at a soup kitchen in Waterbury serving those in need. He works as a life guard at the Waterbury YMCA.

Ian is a graduate of Holy Cross High School, where he was captain of the Holy Cross Crusaders swim team. The Crusaders won the Naugatuck Valley Championship for the third year in a row in 2016. He will be attending Norwich University, in Northfield, Vt., as a member of the Corps of Cadets, studying engineering.

Ian was awarded a scholarship for merit by Norwich University and was also awarded an Army ROTC scholarship.