by Mike Matzinger
Three Long Island, New York Eagle Scouts from Troop 7 have achieved a major milestone by earning congressional nominations to U.S. military service academies.
Dante DeBenedittis, Joshua Prew, and Matthew Donohue each received nominations from Rep. Nick LaLota after a highly competitive process that included academic review, physical fitness testing, and extensive evaluations. Each Scout is pursuing a different path of service: DeBenedittis to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, Prew to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, and Donohue to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
All three credit Scouting, particularly the leadership, planning, and perseverance developed through their Eagle Scout projects, as key preparation for this next step. As their Scoutmaster noted, the journey from fifth-grade Scouts to young men ready for national service reflects years of growth, commitment, and character development.
What a strong example of how Scouting helps prepare future leaders for service, responsibility, and challenge.