Nutley Scout, who overcame difficulties, earns Eagle Badge

NUTLEY, NJ — Kirill Pavlov, of Scout Troop 147 in Nutley, sponsored by the Franklin Reformed Church, received the Eagle Scout Award, Scouting’s highest rank, at an Eagle Court of Honor held on March 16. Troop Chairman Michael E. Groome led the Eagle presentation.

To earn this award, Kirill had to be active in Scouting, earn a minimum of 21 merit badges — he has earned 49 and counting — hold a leadership position in his Scout Troop, and complete a service project. As troop scribe and assistant patrol leader, Kirill had quite an uphill climb to get where he is.

He immigrated to the United States from Russia along with his mother in July 2010 at age 9. Knowing about 100 English words, he began to study English in the third grade. Kirill has never had a grade lower than a “B” in any subject. He has been on the honor roll or high honor roll for every marking period in middle school and high school.

With encouragement from his parents, Tim and Olga Pendleton, he joined Cub Scouting as a Webelos 1 in Cub Pack 141, Nutley. He was the first Webelos to earn all 20 activity badges in the Cub Pack. He also earned the Arrow of Light, Cub Scouting’s highest honor.

He has earned the World Conservation Award, the Hometown USA service award and the prestigious National Outdoors Award with badges for camping and conservation. He has a gold device for the camping badge.

Kirill’s story is really one of “becoming” — He became fluent in English; became an honor roll student; became a US citizen; and, now he became an Eagle Scout.

His Eagle Scout Medal, which was pinned on him by his mother, Mrs. Olga Pendleton, also included a Bronze Palm for earning five more merit badges after Eagle. He has to wait three more months to apply for the Gold Palm. Eagle Palms are awarded for each five merit badges after Eagle, of which Kirill, with 49 merit badges, is currently eligible for five Eagle Palms.

Kirill’s Eagle Scout service project consisted of leading a group in building and deploying bee houses at the Essex County Environmental Center. The bee houses would provide solitary bees a place to nest and breed, as these bees are beneficial pollinators.

He worked seventy-three hours on the project and the group of 13 Scouts and seven adults he led worked an additional 100 hours. One of the congratulatory letters Kirill received was sent by Gina McCarthy, administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, who commented about his project. Kirill also received congratulatory letters from U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez, N.J. Gov. Chris Christie, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr., Nutley Mayor Joseph P. Scarpelli, and the American Legion.

Kirill is Scoutmaster Al Welenofsky’s 100th Eagle Scout as a leader in Troop 147, serving as a Scoutmaster or Assistant Scoutmaster since October 1955. He’s also the troop’s 122nd Eagle Scout in the troop’s 96-year history.

Prior to Kirill’s Eagle presentation, other awards were given to the following Scouts:

• Scout rank to Angelo Guglielmello;
• Second Class rank to Vipul Kothakonda;
• First Class rank to Pranav Kumara and Aakash Patel;
• Life rank to Bhuvan Dave; and
• 2016 Troop Camping Champ certificate to co-champs Jake Shoemaker and Jose
Medrano, and 2016 Merit Badge champ plaque to Suvan Bhat, who was also the champ in 2015.

Three adult Scout Leaders were awarded the “THANKS” pin for their active involvement in troop activities. They are Scott Bolton Sr, James Joseph O’Halloran, and Tom Wallace.

Twenty-six Scouts and five leaders received a certificate for hiking 5 1/2 miles on the Appalachian Trail to the Catfish Fire Tower in January.

Senior Patrol Leader Anthony Gingerelli Jr. lead the closing which was followed by refreshments provided by the Scouts’ mothers. Included was a congratulatory cake with the Eagle Scout Award displayed.

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