West Orange Troop 2’s Bonardi achieves Eagle Scout status – Essex News Daily
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Albert Bonardi, of West Orange, has earned the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers to Scouts: the Eagle Scout Award. He joins other outstanding American citizens who have become Eagle Scouts, among them former President Gerald Ford, astronaut Neil Armstrong, movie director Steven Spielberg and Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer.
Eagle Scout is the highest rank in scouting and is earned by less than 2.5 percent of all boys involved in Scouting. To earn the Eagle Scout rank, a Boy Scout must fulfill requirements in the area of leadership, community service and outdoor skills. Each candidate must earn 21 merit badges signifying the mastery of certain skills and successfully complete a community service project.
Bonardi began scouting as a Cub Scout and, after earning the Cub Scout Arrow of Light, he crossed over to Troop 2 in March 2015. His experiences in scouting included participation in the annual Cub Scout Pinewood Derby, numerous nights spent camping, hiking, canoeing and summer camp.
He has served many leadership roles within the troop including, Assistant Senior Patrol Leader, Patrol Leader and most recently Junior Assistant Scoutmaster. He participated in the National Youth Leadership Training Program sponsored by the Boy Scouts of America.
Bonardi’s Eagle Service Project consisted of building seven planting boxes at the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland. There were two types of boxes: one small and the other big. The small boxes were 2 feet by 2 feet by 1 1/3 feet and were placed outside the center’s Grow Dome. The big box was placed in the middle of the Grow Dome and is 3 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet.
The boxes were constructed with rot-resistant cedar and rust-resistant galvanized screws. The boxes will allow young children visiting the center to learn about different plants and insects in an interactive way. By increasing the planting area, there will be more space for different plant species to be grown, which will provide more examples for teaching. Members of Troop 2 and Bonardi’s friends all assisted in this project.
Bonardi is currently a junior at Seton Hall Preparatory School. An outstanding student, he participates in many activities and clubs, including the Car Club, Italian Club, Eagle Club, Future Medical Leaders Club and Tutors Club. In 2019 he was selected to participate in a poetry contest at William Paterson University,where he placed fourth for Italian poetry recital.
Bonardi is involved in numerous competitive sports, including swimming year-round, skiing in winter and sailing in summer. He ranks among the top five skiers in the state of New Jersey; he is a two-time recipient of the Jeff Pier Memorial Scholarship for outstanding commitment to the sport of skiing.
Bonardi takes an active role in the community, as well. He tutors elementary students at Gregory Elementary School through the SHP Tutors Club, and he is a member of the Piranhas at the West Essex YMCA, a swim group that helps children with special needs. An annual favorite is assisting the Elks with their garden day.
He is an active member of the Bonardi clan, helping with chores at home and with his younger sister, Giselle. He has a passion for cooking, especially pasta. He enjoys gardening, chopping wood and fixing things around the house. As an aspiring doctor, during his free time he likes to read books about the anatomy of human bodies.
Bonardi is the 74th Scout from West Orange Troop 2 to earn the rank of Eagle. Boy Scout Troop 2 held an Eagle Court of Honor on Nov. 29 to honor Bonardi.
Troop 2 is sponsored by the BPOE Elks Lodge at 424 Main St., West Orange, and meets Monday evenings from 7:30 to 9 p.m. during the school year; any interested boy age 11 to 17 is welcome to stop by or visit http://westorange2.mytroop.us/ for information.
Photos Courtesy of Vincent Gonnella