3 Eagle Scouts recognized at Derby church

BSA Troop 3 Derby’s newest Eagle Scouts, from left: Alex Main, Evan Altamirano and Jake Grasso.


DERBY - Elected officials, a gospel choir and more than 200 friends, family members and Scouts were on hand at Second Congregational Church recently to recognize Housatonic Council BSA Troop 3 Derby Eagle Scouts. They are Alexander Main, John “Jake” Grasso, and Evan Altamirano. 
The Eagle rank is Scouting’s highest honor.

The court of honor was under the direction of Troop 3 Assistant Scoutmaster James Frovarp.

Derby Mayor Anthony Staffieri, Orange First Selectman James Zeoli and Shelton Mayor Mark Lauretti presented proclamations and gifts on behalf of their communities. 

The Bridgeport based Pivot Ministries Choir performed two gospel songs in celebration of the good works completed for the organization by Alex Main.
A slide presentation of the Scouts in action was presented by Troop 3 Scoutmaster Randy Ritter.

Alex Main, 15, a Shelton resident, is the son of Graham and Rosemarie Main. He is the older brother of Troop 3 Scout Matthew Main.

Alex earned the Arrow of Light Award with Pack 3 in Derby before joining Troop 3, where he earned 34 merit badges. He attended the 100^th Anniversary Boy Scout National Jamboree in Virginia in 2010. 

Alex is a freshman at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull where he is involved in the school’s drama club, debate club and ukulele club. 
He is a member of and clarinetist in The Milford Concert Band and in 2012, he placed third in the Western Regionals Competition.
He plays the soprano saxophone and he also plays fife for the Derby Historical Society’s David Humphreys House, where he volunteers as a Junior Docent. His future plans are to become an English teacher.

For his Eagle project, Alex collected men’s clothing, toiletries and food items for Pivot Ministries in Bridgeport.
Along with other Scouts, he collected more than $14,000 worth of merchandise for Pivot Ministries, a Christian based drug and alcohol rehabilitation center for men. Alex and his family are members of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Shelton.

Restored vegetable garden

Evan Altamirano, 18, is the son of Cesar and Janine Altamirano and older brother to Noah and Katherine. Prior to living in Middlebury, Evan was born in Derby and resided in the Valley and Florida. 
Evan is a 2012 graduate of Pomperaug High School and is currently a freshman at Central Connecticut State University, majoring in business. Evan and his family belong to St. John of the Cross Church and he has participated in several mission trips with the youth group.

Evan first began his scouting adventure with Pack 902 in Woodbridge and then Pack 306 Boca Raton, Florida before joining Pack 3 Derby, where he earned the Arrow of Light Award. 

Upon joining Boy Scout Troop 3, he participated in Troop 3 trips to Wales, Ireland, Scotland and England, the BSA Florida Sea Base and a Grand Canyon camping adventure. In addition, Evan enjoyed camping each summer at the Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation in Goshen.

For his Eagle Scout Community Service Project, Evan worked closely with staff and members of the St. John of the Cross Parish to restore and cultivate a vegetable garden area for the youth members of the church to maintain and harvest the produce for donation to local soup kitchens.  

This sustainable garden not only provides food to the needy but offers an opportunity for community members to come together and become invested in a long term mission of stewardship and commitment.  

Attended National Jamboree

John “Jake” Grasso III, is a lifelong Orange resident and the older brother of Troop 3 Scout Ben Grasso and the stepbrother of Troop 3 scout Michael Getlein. Jake’s father and step-mother are John and Shanon Grasso. His mother and step-father are Lynn and Elijah Dreher.

Jake is a parishioner of Holy Infant Church in Orange. He started scouting with Pack 923 in Orange and then joined Pack 3 Derby, where he earned his Arrow of Light Award.

Upon joining Troop 3, Jake served as Den Chief, Patrol Leader and Troop Historian. He is a Brotherhood member of the Order of The Arrow Paugassett Lodge 553. Jake has participated in Troop 3 trips to the Grand Canyon, National Parks of the Western US and as a member of the Housatonic Council contingent he attended the 100^th anniversary of Scouting National Jamboree in Virginia.

Jake is a junior at Notre Dame High School in West Haven where he is a member of the St. Brother Andre Bessete National Honor Society and the Concert Chamber Choir. He plans to attend Quinnipiac University where he will study to become an elementary school teacher.

For his Eagle project Jake led a group of Scouts who improved the area around the Racebrook School Pond in Orange, built and installed two picnic tables for use by teachers, students and staff.

Altamirano, Main and Grasso are the 282^nd, 283^rd and 284^th scouts to achieve Eagle Scout Rank since Troop 3 was founded in 1914. 
The troop meets at 7 p.m. Wednesdays at Derby 2^nd Congregational Church and welcomes new members.

This information was taken from a press release from Randy Ritter.  

Congratulations go out to these three Eagle Scouts on their achievements.