23 Greenwich Eagle Scouts Soar in 2013

Twenty-three Scouts were recently honored at the Greenwich Scouting 2013 Eagle Recognition Dinner, for having achieved Scouting’s highest honor, the rank of Eagle Scout.  Each Eagle Scout demonstrated leadership of others while performing a service project that benefited local organizations including the Boys and Girls Club of Greenwich, the town Parks and Recreation Department, Greenwich Land Trust, Adopt-A-Dog and the Armstrong Court Community Garden.  Also honored was Charles “Chuck” Standard, who received the fifth Malcolm Pray “Friend of Eagles” Award.  Eagles of all ages were present at the event for the “Gathering of Eagles” reception, including Paul Palmer, who this year celebrates his 75th Anniversary of achieving the rank of Eagle Scout. 

Congratulations to the hardworking 2013 class of Greenwich Eagle Scouts: Dominick Borrico, Alexander Buck, Forest Crossman, Sean Dillon, Joseph DiMatteo, Jack Freiheit, Trevor Frey, Matthew Hall, James Harnett, Robert James III, David Keller, Maxwell Kim, Eric Knorr, Stephen Le Breton, Ryan Olesen, John Oswald, James Plewniak, David Roberts, Jacob Russell, Anthony Shaw, Henry Stone, Kohtaro Tanaka, and Matthew van Rhyn.

Eagle Scout is the highest rank attainable in the Boy Scouts of America and requires an enormous amount of time and hard work from earning 21 merit badges to planning and executing a local service project.   As a result only 4 percent of all Boy Scouts become Eagles, an accomplishment that is well worth the hard work as found by a recent independent study conducted by Baylor University.  The study, Merit Beyond the Badges, determined that Eagle Scouts are more likely than men who have never been in Scouting to do better across various parts of life, including personal health, social connection, environmental concern, goal achievement, and character development.  Past successful Eagle Scout recipients include Steven Spielberg, Neil Armstrong, and President Gerald Ford.

The record breaking 23 new Greenwich Eagle Scouts are part of nearly 800 Eagle Scouts who have earned this notable rank through Greenwich Scouting over the last 100 years.  Greenwich Scouting continues to create leaders through quality programs for 2,500 local youth annually.  Scouting youth participate in fun programs that build character, foster volunteerism and explore the outdoors, all helping to prepare them for life.  Through continued partnerships and the efforts of more than 300 dedicated volunteers, Greenwich Scouting looks forward to providing greater opportunities to boys and girls, through Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venturing Crews, Explorer Posts and Learning For Life Groups for the next 100 years!