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17-year-old Chris Dmytruk has received his official Eagle Scout Award for his energetic work on the grounds of the Sound School, where he’s a senior. His family, which lives in the Heights, sent in this write-up:
Right after Chris completed his Eagle Scout project at the Sound School, Storm Irene ran her course and nearly destroyed the school, never mind his project. But his Eagle Project with held the storm and was not damaged although some of the landscaping part of it was due to the salt water from the ocean. His picnic table stood undamaged while the deck they stood on were completely damaged.
Chris belongs to Boy Scout Troop 401. He has been involved in scouting for the last 12 years, between Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts.
Before becoming Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Boy Scouts, each boy must do an Eagle Scout project. Only 4 percent of boys who start scouting actually make it to Eagle Scout. Chris decided to do his project at the Sound Schoolfirst because he’s from New Haven and second he attends the Sound School.
Chris was in charge of the whole project, starting from the inception, to getting donations from many local businesses, to getting other Boy Scouts and volunteers to help complete the project. Many boys will get about 100 volunteer hours but Chris’s project had almost 600 hours.
Chris made four new picnic tables including one for the handicapped, repaired one that was dedicated to a former student who had passed away, did landscaping in front of the main office, replaced bricks in three small walk areas and put lattice on the bottom of three buildings. This project will benefit the students, teachers and facility, and also neighbors changing the appearance of the school dramatically.
His principal, Steven Pynn, wrote in his yearbook “In thirteen years at the Sound School, no student has done more to improve the campus and made such a positive contribution.”
In Christopher’s Eagle letter, he stated, “I learned some very important skills that will help me with the rest of my life. It is amazing how much hard work and dedication it takes to do something like an Eagle Scout project. When Hurricane Irene hit Connecticut, there was some serious damage to my school, but since my project was built so well it was the only thing that didn’t get damaged during the storm. I appreciated how much all the people had helped, and I felt so happy that all the hard work had paid off.â€
Christopher received many letters and certificates from: Principal Pynn, Mayor John DeStefano, Jr., Pope Benedict XVI, Archbishop Henry J.
Mansell, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson, Senator Martin M. Looney, President George W. Bush, President and Mrs. George Bush, New Haven Board of Aldermen; Brenda Jones-Barnes, Governor Dannel P. Malloy, President and Mrs. Barack Obama, U.S. Richard Blumenthal, President Jimmy Carter and the State of CT General Assembly. “
Chris is very involve in the community, not only with Troop 401 Boy Scouts also with Knights of Columbus Rodrigo Council #44; 3rd Degree Knight, an Altar Server at St. Bernadette Church, Volunteers cooking and serving at Immanuel Baptist Shelter on Grand Avenue in New Haven, donates blood to Red Cross every 2months, volunteers at Goodwill/Easter Seals Fantasy of Lights, and St. Bernadette Church/carnival. He has a passion to help others.
On Feb. 9 Chris attended his Eagle Scout Court of Honor, and received his Eagle Scout Award with the Boy Scouts of America. His brother, Maks, also received his Eagle Scout Award in 2009 after doing his Eagle project at the Ronald McDonald House in New Haven.
Christopher plans to attend college in the fall and continue to volunteer his time to helping other Boy Scouts and others in our community.