Eagle Scouts to be Honored at Westchester-Putnam Council Dinner

Westchester-Putnam Council Boy Scouts of America will welcome members of the 2016 Class of Eagle Scout Award recipients at a reception and dinner June 8 at the CV Rich Mansion in White Plains.

Keynote Speaker for the dinner will be Diego Rodriguez, an Eagle Scout himself, and Assistant Director of the FBI's New York Office.

AD Rodriguez leads the Bureau's largest field office, overseeing all operations and personnel in the five boroughs of New York City, eight counties in New York State, and La Guardia and John F. Kennedy International Airports.

178 area Scouts earned the Eagle Award, an accomplishment achieved by less than 4 percent of the 2-million young men active in Scouting today.

Council officials said each of those capable individuals completed a series of required merit badges that will provide them life-skills such as Personal Management, Personal Fitness, First Aid, Cooking, Citizenship and Communications. Capping their achievement was organizing and managing completion of a significant community service project. These projects generated nearly 20,000 service hours for Westchester-Putnam schools, churches, and communities.

Among those earning their Eagle Award this year was Vincent Manuel Ribeiro, Troop 45, Van Cortlandtville, whose project involved the creation of an outdoor sensory equestrian trail for physically and developmentally challenged children.

Eagle Scout Vincent Ribeiro

The project took leadership, vision, and dedication as Vincent designed and developed the unique trail that included eight sensory stimulation stations. The project was recognized with the BSA Adams Outstanding Eagle Scout Service Project Award.

The National Eagle Scout Association established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award in 2009 to recognize valuable service of an exceptional nature by a Scout to a religious institution, a school, community, or other entity. The award recognizes the Scout for his Eagle Scout leadership service project, which is part of the requirements for earning the Eagle Scout Award. Each year, local councils select a council-level winner.

The Westchester-Putnam Council BSA serves nearly 8,000 youth and 2,500 adult volunteers providing a program of leadership, character development and citizenship to more than 200 Cub Scout Packs, Boy Scout Troops, Venturing Crews and Exploring Posts.