Photo by Walker Liggitt

By Michelle McCarthy, Troop 5 Eagle Scout Parent. 

July 3, 2024: Six Scouts from Bronxville Troop 5 of the Boy Scouts of America’s (BSA) Greater Hudson Valley Council, Algonquin District, were recognized for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony held on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at the Bronxville Scout Cabin.

Troop 5’s newest Eagle Scouts are Devavrat Tarwala, Quentin McCarthy, Hunter Denfeld, Jeffrey Rohr, Andreas Wimmershoff, and Charlie Hodulik. These young men have been in Scouts for over ten years, having all started out together in Cub Scouts Pack 5. They moved up the ranks in Cub Scouts and then in Boy Scouts, supporting each other throughout their Scout journey.

Becoming An Eagle Scout

The Eagle Award is a great achievement earned by only about 5 percent of Scouts. It is a permanent award proudly carried for life. It requires commitment and a plan that spans many years and requires hundreds of hours of labor. It represents the kind of character built through companionship, responsibility, and self-improvement. It is a symbol that recognizes young leaders who have gone above and beyond to improve themselves and help others do the same. 

There are 325 requirements that must be completed to become an Eagle Scout, including the completion of at least 21 merit badges and an Eagle Project. The Eagle Project is a service project helpful to any religious institution, school, or community that is conceived, planned, funded, organized, and executed under the leadership of the Eagle Scout candidate. The project is subject to a rigorous approval process at the district level, and is followed by a Scoutmaster Conference and a Board of Review panel interview before the Scout is awarded the Eagle rank by the national BSA.

Court of Honor Ceremony

The well-attended and uplifting ceremony held on June 9 reflected the contributions of many Troop 5 Scouts and leaders. A display area showcased each of the new Eagle Scouts’ journey as a Scout and each Scout’s impressive Eagle Project work. 

Senior Patrol Leader Eamon Sullivan opened the ceremony, served as master of ceremonies, and later spoke about the meaning of scouting. Vincent Handy, a Life Scout, offered the invocation. Next, Mr. Ray Bradley, Algonquin District Chair, provided the National Declaration. Mr. Jon Denfeld, currently on the Troop Committee and previously Scoutmaster for Troop 5, gave an overview of the history of Scouting in Bronxville and recognized several adult leaders and volunteers who helped the Scouts on their journey to Eagle. Scoutmaster Mr. Andi Anderson spoke about “What It Means To Be An Eagle Scout.” Then Mr. Vince La Vecchia, a long-time member of the Troop Committee, introduced each Eagle Scout to the audience, including a brief history of their Scouting careers, and asked them to describe their Eagle service projects.

JP Denfeld and James Rohr, both of whom are Troop 5 Eagle Scouts from 2021 and had brothers being recognized in this ceremony, gave the Eagle Scout Charge. Troop Committee Chair Mr. Chris O’Gorman conducted the pinning ceremony while Scoutmaster Mr. Andi Anderson presented an Eagle neckerchief to each new Eagle Scout.

Guest speakers included:  Mr. Ray Bradley; Mr. Mark Schivley, National Youth Leadership Training program and long-time friend of the Troop; and Mr. William Fredericks, a Trustee of the Village of Bronxville. Each speaker shared insights and inspiration, recognized the accomplishments of the Scouts, and congratulated the new Eagle Scouts.   

Mr. Angelo Merluccio, a Troop’s Advancement Chair, presented the new Eagle Scouts with gifts from the Troop, including a United States flag that had been flown over the U.S. Capitol Building at the request of U.S. Senator Charles Schumer. They also received an Eagle Scout scrapbook to store the many written letters of recognition from scouting, religious, and political leaders, including past U.S. Presidents.

The Eagle Scouts and Their Projects

Devavrat Tarwala recently graduated from Bronxville High School and plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis in the fall. Dev’s Eagle Project was to renovate the ceiling of Community Service Associates, a local soup kitchen. He raised over $1,500 for the project and, with the help of fellow Scouts, removed and replaced the dilapidated drop ceiling with pristine new tiles, and replaced the old fluorescent lights with new LED bulbs. The volunteers at Community Service Associates appreciate the new improvements and say they feel more energized when working in the renovated space.

Quentin McCarthy recently graduated from Bronxville High School and plans to attend Emory University in the fall. Quinn’s Eagle Project involved working with Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers to plan a new sundial exhibit and lead fellow Scouts in clearing the chosen site. This will provide a new attractive feature for visitors that pays homage to the original living sundial, made entirely of plants, that was previously part of the estate of Samuel Untermyer.

Hunter Denfeld recently graduated from Fordham Preparatory School and plans to attend Villanova University in the fall. Hunter’s Eagle Project was an office renovation for the Community Fund of Bronxville, Eastchester, and Tuckahoe, which included painting the walls and wainscoting, and hanging bulletin boards, posters, paintings, and memorabilia. Thanks to these efforts, the charity now operates more efficiently in a far more presentable office.

Jeffrey Rohr recently graduated from Bronxville High School and plans to attend Northwestern University in the fall. Jeffrey’s Eagle Project served Concordia Conservatory by building an in-house library in their Stamford, CT, location to store all of their books for sheet music and education, granting accessibility to these materials for both teachers and students at the conservatory.

Andreas Wimmershoff recently graduated from Choate Rosemary Hall and plans to attend the University of St. Andrews in the fall. Andreas’s Eagle Project was in coordination with the Village Lutheran Church and involved renovating their Parament closet, transforming it from a state of disrepair into a well-designed space with more than enough room for respectful treatment of the church’s paraments.

Charlie Hodulik recently graduated from Bronxville High School and plans to attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall. For his Eagle Scout project, Charlie worked with Teton Valley Ranch Camp to plant six crab apple trees alongside a rodeo arena and rebuilt a broken-down antler arch, creating a shaded seating area and a restored entranceway to the rodeo arena.

The Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony was a fitting tribute to the hard work and dedication of these six young men. Their projects leave a lasting positive impact on the Bronxville community and beyond, and serve as a testament to the values and skills learned through Scouting. Congratulations to Dev, Quinn, Hunter, Jeffrey, Andreas, and Charlie on their remarkable achievement!