Troup 3 Derby recognizes Matthew Edwards of Ansonia for achieving Eagle Scout

Troop 3 Derby’s 300th Eagle Scout Matthew Edwards, left
and 200th Eagle Scout John Coppola, at a
Court of Honor held at Derby 2nd Congregational Church

DERBY >>  Housatonic Council Boy Scout Troop 3 Derby recently recognized Matthew Edwards for achieving Eagle Scout Rank during a Court of Honor held at the troop’s sponsoring organization, the Derby 2nd Congregational Church. Edwards is Troop 3’s 300th Eagle Scout since the troop was founded in 1914. Troop 3’s first Eagle Scout badge was awarded in 1927 to the late Manuel Pearson, who was followed by the late legendary Scouter and Derby Hall of Fame member Edmund D. Strang.

The requirements for earning Eagle Scout rank are rigorous and require many years of effort and leadership. Nationally, fewer than 4 percent of all Scouts achieve Scouting’s highest honor.

 

Senior Patrol Leader Joseph Szewczyk served as Master of Ceremonies and the Court of Honor program was under the direction of Troop 3 Scoutmaster Randy Ritter. The Eagle Scout Charge was given by keynote speaker John Coppola, Assistant Principal at Ansonia’s Mead School, who became Troop 3’s 200th Eagle Scout in 1997.  Derby Mayor Anita Dugatto and a representative from the City of Ansonia presented proclamations to Matthew. Letters of congratulations were read from Gov. Dannel Malloy, Sen. Chris Murphy and President Barack Obama.

 

Matthew Edwards, 17, is the son of Ronald and Elaine Edwards and brother of Troop 3 Life Scout Jason Edwards, all of Ansonia. He attended Prendergast and Mead Elementary Schools, Ansonia Middle School and recently graduated from Emmett O’Brien Technical High School, where he studied Plumbing and Heating and was on the varsity football and track teams and basketball club.

 

Matthew joined Cub Scout Pack 3, Derby at age 7, and quickly became engaged with scouting. Upon earning the Arrow of Light award in 2008, he joined Troop 3 of Derby’s 2nd Congregational Church.

Edwards has participated in troop activities such as a camporees and summer camp at Edmund D. Strang Scout Reservation in Goshen and  he attended the 2010 and 2013 National Scout Jamborees as a member of the Housatonic Council BSA contingent. He also participated in Troop 3 trips to Cape Cod, the national parks of the Pacific Coast and in 2014, he was part of the Troop 3 group to camp across the country for three weeks, visiting Hollywood, Zion National Park, Grand Canyon, Monument Valley, Las Vegas, The Alamo, New Orleans and Washington D.C.  

Matthew has served Troop 3 as den chief, troop historian and patrol leader. Currently he is a troop guide and also serves as the treasurer for Venture Crew 77 of Ansonia. He earned a total of 42 merit badges.

Matthew led a group of scouts, friends and adults at the Ansonia Nature Center in the planting of 20 white pine trees on Benz Street as a part of the troop’s 100th year anniversary and the nature centers’ Earth Day celebration. The group also cleared, mulched and planted flowers around the main entrance sign leading into the nature center.

He works part-time job at Bobs Stores in Ansonia and is a parishioner of Holy Rosary Church in Ansonia, where he volunteers at their annual Italian Festival. Edwards will be attending Southern Connecticut State University in the fall, majoring in Business Management and minoring in Communications.

 

Troop 3 will resume meeting on Wednesdays beginning in September, 7 p.m. at the Derby 2nd Congregational Church. All boys at least 11 years of age are invited to join in on the troop’s Scouting adventures. For more information, call 203-732-0343.