Two OFA students achieve Eagle Scout rank

Two OFA students achieve Eagle Scout rankFrom left, Dylan Feliciano and Zachary “Zach” Krassin, both seniors at Owego Free Academy (OFA) and scouts in Troop 38, recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, a designation that was founded over one hundred years ago, and still seen as a prestigious accomplishment in the scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). (Provided photo)

Zachary “Zach” Krassin and Dylan Feliciano, both seniors at Owego Free Academy (OFA) and members of Boy Scout Troop 38, recently achieved the rank of Eagle Scout, a designation that was founded over 100 years ago, and still today seen as a prestigious accomplishment in the scouting program of the Boy Scouts of America (BSA).

For both Zach and Dylan, pursuing the Eagle Scout was a personal endeavor that began in grade school. It takes years to fulfill the requirements for the rank of Eagle Scout, which includes the completion of an extensive service project.

Zach’s project encompassed creating and designing a database for the Tioga County Historical Society, which focused on preserving genealogical records and involved organizational skills, communication and leadership to prioritize and define the most relevant information.

Reading hundreds of index cards to identify birth date, death date and how an individual died, place of residence and various clues of family history was a time consuming task for Zach, yet he said very rewarding. Additionally, the project ensures that records are now kept safely, since many records were damaged during the flood of 2011.

Zach explained that some of the notations on the index cards were difficult to interpret and required further research, but in the end, he said, “It helps the Historical Society maintain a computerized database.”       

Besides scouting, Zach plays alto saxophone in the OFA concert and jazz bands, and is involved in the National Honor Society, Key Club, the athletic leadership council, and the varsity bowling team, among other activities. Zach has plans to attend West Virginia University with a goal to study biomedical engineering.

Dylan’s project involved building six raised garden beds for Tioga Opportunities, which will make gardening easier for senior residents who use the community garden in Owego. The entire project took nearly a year to complete, from the initial planning process to working with various individuals, including master gardeners, and helping coordinate the receipt of donated materials from nearby businesses.     

Dylan also participates in other school activities such as the music program, where he plays trombone and tuba in the jazz and concert band, as well as plays in the orchestra and pep band. His first goal is to attend SUNY Broome, and then plans to move on to a four-year school to study computer technology or become a teacher, with an ultimate goal of getting involved in politics and government.   

Both Zach and Dylan explained that, in addition to scouting and completing their Eagle Scout projects, they both take pride in being good stewards of the community. Zach shared that he has enjoyed scouting activities such as bussing tables at the Elks Club and working at the Strawberry Festival, and for Dylan, helping residents clean basements after the flood of 2011 and cooking dinners at his church was a very fulfilling effort.

Dylan also shared, “I hope to become a public servant in the future, such as in the Peace Corps or AmeriCorps.”  

Both Zach and Dylan also encourage other young people to join scouting.

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