Eagle Scouts make up 12 percent of this high school's graduating class

Wantagh Eagle Scouts — Top row, from left: CJ Ahern, Brian Klotsche, Mike Fillizola, Ethan Rockitter, Nick Sadocha, Freddy Parola, Mike Mitchell, Benjamin Schablin, Stephen Vaiano, Ryan Krieger and County Legislator Steve Rhoads. Front row, from left: Matt Seaman, Peter Rowan, Thomas Kittelberger, Logan Von Runnen and Nick Cammarata.

At Wantagh High School in New York, there are 15 Eagle Scouts in the graduating class of 125. That means 12 percent of this year’s Wantagh graduates earned the highest rank in Scouting.

It gets even better.

A decade ago, all 15 Eagle Scouts started together in the same Cub Scout pack — Pack 191, then led by Cubmaster Anthony Fillizola.

After crossing over, the boys joined one of three Scout troops: 96, 656 and 323. Even though they went their separate ways, the guys never forgot their time together in Pack 191.

So when it was time to graduate from high school earlier this month, “Tony’s Flock of Eagles” reunited for the photo above.

Noelle Bloom, membership and marketing chairwoman for the Pequott District of the Theodore Roosevelt Council, sent me this info.

Five of the Eagle Scouts from Troop 96, from left: Stephen Vaiano, Freddy Parola, Benjamin Schablin, Mike Fillizola and Ryan Kreiger

Eagle projects

One of the most challenging and time-consuming parts of becoming an Eagle Scout is the Eagle project.

Eagle hopefuls must plan, lead and complete a significant service project that benefits their community.

Each of these 15 Eagle Scouts did just that. All were great, but here are a few standouts:

Benjamin Schablin constructed a vegetable garden for a school that helps kids with special needs.
Mike Fillizola built a new “Welcome to Wantagh” sign in the town.
Nicholas Cammarata overhauled a 500-foot natural trail for the Wantagh Preservation Society.
Stephen Vaiano built a 25-foot flag pole at the Wantagh Memorial Congregational Church.

Future plans

Now that they’ve graduated, the Eagle Scouts will take what they’ve learned in school and Scouting to college.

They’re headed to an impressive array of different universities in New York, Connecticut, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts.

They’ll study a range of fields, including accounting, political science, math, electrical engineering, architecture, sustainable horticulture, business and criminal justice.

After graduating college, these young men want to become lawyers, police officers, orthopedists, business owners and more.

The future — for these 15 young men and for our world as a whole — looks bright indeed.

Support the Eagle Scout Scholarship Fund

Contribute to the National Eagle Scout Association (NESA) Scholarship Fund. Donations to this fund go directly to providing scholarships to deserving Eagle Scouts, allowing them to pursue their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.

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