Three members of Boy Scout Troop 60 were honored for attaining the rank of Eagle Scout.
Joseph DiCola, Eric Borsuk and Steven Schiavone, all residents of Monroe, were honored at a ceremony on Jan. 16 held at the Monroe Township Senior Center.
To earn the Eagle award, a scout must be active with a troop; earn a minimum of 21 merit badges; serve in a position of leadership within a troop; and successfully plan, develop and give leadership to others in a significant service project that benefits their community.
For his Eagle Scout project, Joseph conducted oral history interviews with U.S. military veterans in participation with the Veterans History Project. Joe submitted the video interviews of the veterans to the Library of Congress for preservation so that future generations may hear and learn from their stories. He is a senior at The Peddie School in Hightstown.
Eric, a senior at Monroe Township High School, restored a local cemetery dating from the 1770s to the 1840s. The cemetery received new fencing, the headstones were cleaned, a stone walkway was installed, and historical markers were placed. The cemetery includes the grave of a Revolutionary War soldier.
Steven created a display of agricultural equipment at Monroe Township’s Historic Dey Farm. Steven researched tools and machines, which were stored in the equipment barn, then cleaned and organized them. Next, he cleaned and painted the area, and assembled the exhibit of artifacts. Steven has returned to the site to give tours to visitors. He is a senior at Monroe Township High School.
Eagle Palms are awarded for continued leadership and skills development after the Eagle Scout rank has been earned. These palms help keep the Eagle Scouts active within the unit, contributing to the leadership of the unit, and assisting with the growth of the other scouts within the troop. Scouts earn palms by completing five additional merit badges beyond those required for Eagle or last palm.
Joseph and Eric each earned a bronze Eagle Palm for earning 27 and 28 merit badges, respectively. Stephen has achieved 31 merit badges, earning an extra 10 merit badges, which qualified him for both a bronze and a gold Eagle Palm.
Joseph, Eric and Stephen have been active in scouting since early elementary school, beginning with Cub Scout Pack 105. They crossed over to Boy Scout Troop 60 together in June 2015. The trio were all inducted into the Order of the Arrow, scouting’s National Honor Society.
In recognition of their accomplishments, the scouts were presented with commendations from Monroe Township Historic Preservation Commission and the Jamesburg Elks Lodge No. 2180 of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, Cub Scout Pack 105’s charter organization.
Since its inception in 1910, only about 4% of all scouts who join scouting nationwide go on to achieve the Eagle Scout rank.
- This information was provided by Tania Schiavone.