Medfield’s Boy Scout Troop 89 members Patrick Edward O’Connor, Kyle Parker Heaney, Evan William Sepe and Mark Gerard Fitzpatrick were honored at their Eagle Court of Honor on February 10, 2018 at the Church of the Advent in Medfield. Family, friends, members of Troop 89, as well as state and local officials attended this event, recognizing these young men for their achievements.
Attaining the rank of Eagle is rare; only five percent of all Boy Scouts do so. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest advancement rank in Scouting, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the areas of leadership, service and outdoor skills. The fact that a boy is an Eagle Scout has always carried a special significance, not only in Scouting but also as he enters higher education, business or industry, and community service.
The requirements of the rank of Eagle Scout are as follows:
• A Scout must earn 21 merit badges, including 13 required Eagle Badges
• A Scout must serve actively in a troop leadership position for a period of at least six months
• A Scout must plan, develop, and carry out a service project worthy of an Eagle Scout
• A Scout must appear before a Board of Review of prominent persons to demonstrate that he has done his best live up to the Scout Oath and Law and has qualified as an Eagle Scout
The following is a resume of Patrick Edward O’Connor’s Scouting and personal history. Patrick joined Troop 89 in 2011 at age 10, when he crossed over from Webelos, Pack 113, where he earned the Arrow of Light Award. On his trail to Eagle, Patrick earned a total of 27 merit badges. He successfully completed Junior Leadership training and demonstrated his leadership ability within Troop 89 in the capacities of Patrol Leader, Assistant Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader and Troop Guide. Patrick is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and participated in the high adventure trip to the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico in the Summer of 2017.
Patrick’s Eagle Scout Service Project involved building a permanent fire pit and benches in the area adjacent to Chickering Pond in the Rocky Wood Reservation. An eight-foot diameter circle of grass was excavated and filled with sand and crushed stone as the base for the fire pit. Large stones and river rocks were used to construct the walls of the pit and outlying rim. In addition, benches were constructed using tree stumps and lumber and were placed around the fire pit so the community and other scout troops could enjoy the new space. Patrick had to coordinate the project with the Trustees of Reservations and McKechnie Associates, a local landscape company that donated materials.
Patrick is a member of Medfield High School class of 2018, where he is currently enrolled in honors and AP classes. Patrick is the captain of the varsity tennis team and has also participated in cross country, soccer and winter track at the high school level. Patrick is active in the Medfield High School bands and plays tuba, trombone, and euphonium in the concert, marching, full orchestra, and jazz bands. Patrick is a section leader for the tubas and will play in the pit band for the MHS theatre spring musical “Pippin.” He is also the co-president of the chess club. Patrick works as a soccer referee and at Noon Hill Grill. Patrick plans to attend college in the fall to study engineering.
The following is a resume of Kyle Parker Heaney’s Scouting and personal history. Kyle joined Troop 89 in 2011 at age 11, when he crossed over from Webelos, Pack 113, where he received the Arrow of Light Award. On his trail to Eagle, Kyle earned a total of 26 merit badges. He successfully completed Junior Leadership training and demonstrated his leadership ability within Troop 89 in the capacities of Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Troop Librarian and Chaplain’s Aide. Kyle is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow and has participated in the high adventure trips to Matagamon Maine High Adventure Area, Katahdin, Maine and the Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico.
Kyle’s Eagle Scout Service Project involved making improvements to the Red Gate Farm. Red Gate Farm was built in the 1600's as a working mill. The Town of Medfield purchased a parcel of the land in 2014 and earmarked it for conservation. Kyle’s project involved designing and constructing a pedestrian entrance to the town-owned lands. The project included designing the pathway, successfully presenting the conceptual design to the Medfield Conservation Committee and abutters, and incorporating their feedback into the final design. Once all of the necessary approvals were in place, Kyle organized and directed the work of his fellow scouts and others over two weekends to complete the project. Completion of the walkway enabled pedestrians to access the benefits of the former farm without traversing private property.
Kyle is a student at Medfield High School, class of 2018, where he is a member of the concert and marching bands, as well as a captain of the successful swim team, a member of the cross country and spring track teams, the chess club and the National Honor Society. He is the youngest of four brothers. Outside of school Kyle can be found at Lake Hinkley either as a lifeguard or as a swim instructor. Kyle also worked at Shaw’s Supermarket as a cashier and bagger starting at age 15 and currently works at Westwood Recreation as a lifeguard. Kyle is an active member of Senior High Fellowship at UCC Medfield. As a member of SHF he has participated on mission trips to Minnesota and Canada, and this summer will be traveling to Puerto Rico to assist with the island’s clean-up from Hurricane Maria. When not working, Kyle almost always likes to chill with the boys on Saturdays. Kyle intends to pursue computer engineering or computer science at college.
The following is a resume of Evan William Sepe’s Scouting and personal history. Evan joined Troop 89 in 2013 at age 11, when he crossed over from Webelos, Pack 200, where he received the Arrow of Light Award. On his trail to Eagle, Evan earned a total of 26 merit badges. He successfully completed Junior Leadership training and demonstrated his leadership ability within Troop 89 in the capacities of Assistant Patrol Leader and Troop Historian. Evan is a Brotherhood member of the Order of the Arrow.
Evan’s Eagle Scout Service Project involved the 3D printing, assembly, and delivery of prosthetic hands, which were donated to youths in need in underprivileged or war-torn areas of the world. Evan worked with a volunteer from the nonprofit organization e-NABLE in South Carolina, who provided hand designs and distribution of the completed hands, and with the head of the innovation wing at the Morse Institute in the Natick Public Library using their 3D printer to print the parts for the hands. Members of the troop assisted in assembling the parts of the hands based on the designs provided snapping together fingers and intricately stringing the hands using thread with the proper tension. Six hands were completed, boxed and sent to a village in India to be used by children who lost their hands due to birth defects or injury.
Evan is an honors student at Xaverian Brothers High School in Westwood, class of 2020. Evan has been selected as Xaverian’s sophomore representative at the Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership Conference, as well as to the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders. While at Xaverian, Evan is involved as a Hawk to Hawk mentor, a Model UN participant, a Business Club member, Editor of the school magazine The Concordian, a Student Ambassador and a member of the school’s soccer and basketball teams. Outside of school Evan’s activities include writing, playing the piano and volunteering in the community. In addition to organized sports, Evan likes to ski and play tennis.
The following is a resume of Mark Gerard Fitzpatrick’s Scouting and personal history. Mark joined Troop 89 in 2011 at age 11, when he crossed over from Webelos, Pack 113. On his trail to Eagle, Mark earned a total of 35 merit badges. He successfully completed Junior Leadership training and demonstrated his leadership ability within Troop 89 in the capacities of Assistant Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Senior Patrol Leader and Troop Representative to the Order of the Arrow. Mark was formerly a STEM instructor at Camp Squanto. Mark has attained Ordeal, Brotherhood and Vigil member honors within the Order of the Arrow, he has served as the Tisquantum Lodge Service Committee Chairman and actively in Lodge and Chapter ceremonials teams, and is currently Tantamous Lodge Vigil Chief. Mark has served as the troop’s Senior Patrol Leader for the West Point Camporee and as Crew Chief for high adventure trips to both the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia and Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.
Mark’s Eagle Scout Service Project was designed to reintroduce Danielson Pond Park as a vital element in the town of Medfield’s Park and Recreation holdings. The project work included the building of a safety fence by the old sluice, repair and repainting of two fences and a picnic table, and the removal of overgrowth from existing flower beds at the front of the pond on Route 27.
Mark is a senior at Medfield High School, where he has been on the varsity track team for four seasons and has been on the varsity cross country team for two seasons, this last year as captain. Mark plays tuba in the Medfield High School marching and concert bands. He is an active member of the Medfield High School chess club and the school’s New England Math League team. He is a member of the MHS student council. Mark has a competitive nomination to the US Military Academy at West Point from the Honorable Joseph P. Kennedy III, and has a competitive nomination to the US Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point from the Honorable Edward P. Markey. Mark intends to pursue a career in the US Army, hoping to attend the US Military Academy at West Point to study Chinese and Math.
Patrick, Kyle, Evan and Mark have demonstrated their capacity and willingness to exert leadership ability in the activities that are constructive and worthwhile in this community. They demonstrated ability to live up the 12 points of the Scout Law as well as to the Scout Oath, duty to God and Country, to others, and to themselves. As such, they qualified to receive the rank of Eagle Scout.
