Troop 270 Welcomes Its 56th Eagle Scout: Brenden Cologna

On May 6, Troop 270 inducted its 56th Eagle Scout, Brenden Cologna.

The Eagle Scout Award is Scouting’s highest honor and is earned only by a few who participate in Scouting. The special Court of Honor was held at Newtown Meeting house and was attended by many family and friends of Brenden, as well as the members of Troop 270.

The ceremony’s central theme chronicled Brenden’s experiences at summer camp. The senior scouts recalled their adventures at camp and drew parallels between summer camp and Brenden’s journey to Eagle. There were more than a few humorous moments during the dialogue as some of Brenden’s misadventures were also recalled.

The master of ceremonies was Eagle Scout Scott Nichols, who spoke about one of Brenden’s strongest personality traits: his friendliness. This sentiment was shared by several of the guest speakers who also noted Brenden’s sense of humor and the positive example he sets for his peers. 

During the ceremony, the Eagle Scout has an opportunity to address the audience. Brenden counseled the younger scouts “to make the ties of friendship fast and make them last.” He told them that he is going to miss the good times and good friends he made in scouts, and he closed by saying, “I would give anything in the world just to experience them all one more time.”

Brenden’s Eagle Scout project was to restore a nature trail behind Middle Gate Elementary School that he had used while a student there. On a recent visit, he observed that it was in a state of disrepair and approached the school to restore it. Volunteers worked to revitalize the trails and create an extension that would allow a complete loop. A trail map was added at the start of the trail.

Brenden has participated in scouting for almost 12 years. He started as a Tiger Cub and continued in scouting until his 18th birthday. During this time he earned many awards, including Cub Scouting’s highest award, The Arrow of Light.

He will graduate from Newtown High School in June and will be attending the University of Rhode Island in the fall.