Fairfield Teen Earns Eagle Scout Rank

FAIRFIELD, CT — Steven Ditelberg, an eighth-grade student at Fairfield Woods Middle School, recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. Boy Scout Troop 82, operating out of the First Church Congregational in Fairfield, celebrated Ditelberg’s advancement at a special Court of Honor held on Oct. 14. An Eagle Scout must complete at least 21 merit badges, serve as a leader in his troop and organize and complete a major community service project.

Ditelberg, 14, has earned 58 merit badges so far, served as a Patrol Leader and Troop Guide, and chose a project to benefit A Place Called Hope, a raptor rehabilitation center in Killingworth. He led a crew that designed and built an eagle carrying case as well as 14 owl nest boxes.

"A Place Called Hope does great work in rehabilitating and releasing injured raptors back into the wild," he said in a press release. "Some birds are unable to be released due to their injuries and A Place Called Hope has a program to show some of these non-releasable birds to the community and talk about how to protect these animals. They recently acquired a Bald Eagle, but have been unable to transport it to these programs because they didn't have a carrying case big enough. The owl nest boxes will for years help many injured, rehabilitated and released owls and their families survive in the wild."

Read more from the press release below:

Ditelberg, who was also a Cub Scout for four years, became a Boy Scout when he was 10 years old. He attends weekly Boy Scout meetings and enjoys the numerous camping trips he goes on. One of his favorites was Troop 82's annual Block Island trip last month. He also traveled to the National Boy Scout Jamboree in West Virginia this past summer.

Even though he's only 14, Ditelberg is a mentor and role model to the younger Scouts in Troop 82. He enjoys helping the younger Scouts learn skills such as knot tying and first aid, as well as providing advice and guidance. Earlier this month, he was showing Cub Scouts visiting the troop how to set up tents.

With this latest rank advancement, Troop 82’s Eagle Scouts now number 127 since the Troop was founded in 1928. Troop 82 Scouts learn to be better citizens, develop the mental and physical skills needed for growth, and follow a set of Scouting principles which build character and nurture personal values. Troop 82 meets every Thursday at 7:30pm at The First Church Congregational Church on Beach Road in Fairfield and always welcomes new members.

Photo 1: Eagle Scout Steven Ditelberg. Surrounded by his parents Mr. & Mrs. J. Ditelberg / Richard Jacobs Photography

Photo 2: Eagle Scout Steven Ditelberg. Right, Fairfield First Selectman, Mike Tetreau / Richard Jacobs Photography