Freehold Boy Scout Troop 18 members Austin Colbert, 18, of Freehold Township, David Dong, 18, of Howell, and Robert Schandall, 17, of Freehold Township, have reached the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting.
Austin is the son of JoAnn and Donald Colbert, David is the son of Flor and Wayne Dong, and Robert Schandall is the son of James and Carol Schandall.
The young men will receive their Eagle awards at an Eagle Scout Court of Honor ceremony to be held at the Knights of Columbus Hall, 70 E. Main St., Freehold, at 1 p.m. Feb. 4, according to a press release.
Austin is a senior at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology (MAST) and a member of the Navy Junior ROTC program. His Eagle Scout project consisted of designing, constructing and installing new shelving for the MAST NJROTC uniform supply. The academy’s original shelving had become outdated and damaged and was in need of replacement, according to the press release.
Austin led his fellow Scouts and other volunteers in the construction and installation of 12 three-tiered shelving units to better use the wall space in the supply building. The original shelving was removed and all uniform supplies were placed on the new shelves. Austin will be studying engineering with a concentration in naval architecture at Stevens Institute of Technology in the fall.
David’s Eagle Scout project benefited the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore and other youth groups that use the Girl Scouts’ Camp Sacajawea facility in Howell. David recognized that the facility’s existing tables were damaged, badly weathered and otherwise in need of replacement, according to the press release.
His project called for the design and construction of nine new picnic tables to be completed in time for the 2017 summer camp season. David is a senior at Colts Neck High School and is a member of the Naval Junior ROTC program. He will be attending Virginia Tech in the fall and majoring in business information technology.
Robert’s Eagle Scout project benefited Freehold Township’s historic Oakley farm. Robert recognized that the farm’s rain garden had become overgrown and that a landscaping berm was in need of “regrading” to prevent soil erosion and seasonal flooding around the barn area.
Upon completion of those improvements and the installation of a freestanding kiosk which provides information about the rain garden, Robert undertook an effort to have the garden certified as a Monarch Butterfly way-station. He attended to new “native” plantings in an effort to provide shelter and a nectar source for Monarch butterflys as they migrate through North America. Robert is a Senior at Colts Neck High School and is a member of the Naval Junior ROTC program, according to the press release.
