Christopher Spaldo of Troop 276 earns Eagle rank

Sparta - Christopher Spaldo, of Boy Scout Troop 276 in Sparta, was presented with scouting’s highest award, the rank of Eagle Scout at a special “court of honor” held on July 8 at Blessed Kateri Church. Spaldo first joined Cub Scout Pack 276 as a Tiger Cub Scout in 1994. While a Cub Scout, he earned the Parvuli De Award, the Catholic Religion Medal. In 1999, he received the highest award in Cub Scouts, the Arrow of Light. In Boy Scout Troop 276, he has held many responsible positions, including scribe, den chief, quartermaster, troop guide, patrol leader and assistant senior patrol leader. He attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Virginia in 1991 and again in 1995. He has also served as staff at the Sabattis Boy Scout Camp in upstate New York, where he worked as a merit badge counselor. Spaldo says his greatest accomplishment in scouting was completion of a 65 mile trek at the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimmaron, N.M., where he also served as a crew chief. Many difficulties and obstacles had to be overcome, including the arid environment and the terrain. Spaldo had to address exhaustion, dehydration and even a sprained ankle in order to lead his crew to complete their trek. His greatest challenge on the trek was teaching crew members how to properly read a map. By the end of the trek, every crew member was an expert with a map and compass. To attain the rank of Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout must earn 21 merit badges. Spaldo earned 25. Among his favorites were pioneering and camping. To become an Eagle Scout, a Boy Scout must also plan and lead a project that benefits the community. For his service project, Spaldo constructed a rosary prayer garden conducive to reflection and religious devotion on the grounds of Blessed Kateri Church. Included were decorative benches for parishioners unable to stand for the long period required to recite the complete rosary. Local organizations and businesses that donated to the project were the Stanhope/Netcong Rotary Club, Kuiken Brothers, Home Depot, Lowes, Gardens of the World, Plowy Stone and Sparta Block. Spaldo lives in Stanhope with his mother, Debbie, who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, and his father, Mark, who was also an Eagle Scout. His older sister, Nicole, earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Spaldo recently graduated from Lenape Valley Regional High School and plans to attend Drexel University in the fall. He will study mechanical and, possibly, nuclear engineering. His ambition is to serve in the U.S. Navy, and to continue to serve others. “Being a member of the Boy Scouts of America has provided me with so many great opportunities and experiences that have helped shape the person that I am today,” said Spaldo. “It is through scouting that I discovered that my life should be lived by serving others. I hope that if I ever have a son, he will be involved in the Boy Scouts so that he can learn the same leadership qualities, outdoor skills, moral values, and overall character that scouting has given to me.”