Gaithersburg Boy Scout Troop 1760 to Honor Four Eagle Scouts at May 7 Ceremony (PHOTO)
Isaac Blaker, Brandan Dayton, David Dayton and Matthew Palmer
Boy Scout Troop 1760 will honor the advancement of four Scouts to the rank of Eagle Scout at a ceremony May 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Gaithersburg, 200 W. Diamond Avenue.
Only four percent of Scouts attain Eagle Scout, the highest rank of the Boy Scouts of America.
Isaac Blaker, Brandan Dayton, David Dayton, and Matthew Palmer earned their Eagle badge for planning, developing and providing leadership in a community service project.
Isaac Blaker, a freshman at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on Jan. 29, having earned 31 merit badges and completed his service project. Isaac has been recognized as the youngest Scout to earn the rank of Eagle in the Troop’s history. His project was to construct and install a 45‐foot long hiker/biker bridge over Rock Creek for a new trailhead at 6316 Muncaster Mill Road in Derwood. His project was sponsored by Montgomery County Parks, who provided over $30,000 in materials. As noted by the Scout, “It was like an Erector Set on steroids.” The bridge was constructed using pre‐engineered sections of fiberglass and wood planks ranging from 5 ‐ 45 feet in length. It was assembled in place approximately 5‐feet above the water using pulleys suspended from trees and about 30 volunteers over a two‐day period last November. Isaac plans to pursue a career in structural engineering upon completion of his education.
Brandan Dayton, a senior at Northwest High School in Germantown, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on Sep. 25, 2015, having earned 23 merit badges and completing his service project. Brandan’s project was to design and build a Mobile Pig Shelter for Button Farm Living History Center located in Germantown. Brandan’s project provided multiple pigs a place for shelter on this working farm. This farm is a living replica of Montgomery County’s community during the 1800’s.
David Dayton, a freshman at Northwest High School in Germantown, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on March 18, having earned 25 merit badges, demonstrating leadership skills, and completing his service project. David’s project was to help bring birds into the park and to keep invasive bamboo out of Constitution Gardens in Gaithersburg. The benefit of building birdhouses is to bring the birds back to the park by providing them with a suitable place to nest and rear their offspring. Bamboo is an invasive plant that grows very tall like a tree but isn’t used by the birds to make nests. With the bamboo starting creeping into the park, the new wildlife/trees that are there will no longer be able to grow. By installing an evasive plant barrier to block off the bamboo, this will allow the new plants to grow so the birds can begin making their nests.
Matthew Palmer, a sophomore at Quince Orchard High School in Gaithersburg, was awarded the rank of Eagle Scout on April 15, having earned 29 merit badges and completing his service project. Matthew’s project consisted of building a sturdy 8‐foot bridge, 5 steps up a small hill and a 60‐foot pathway to a bonfire area in Seneca State Park near the Nature Center. During construction, several artifacts were unearthed and given to the park for preservation. The artifacts dated back as much as 100 years that remained from an old homestead on the property that has long since been demolished.
Way to go guys! We’re proud of you.
Very proud of all 4 boys. We know how hard they work for this wonderful accomplishment.