Troop 21

Community service is important to Troop 21. Even though we are virtual at this time we can continue to make a difference in our community. Click here to find virtual volunteering opportunities.

As Troop Guide, Scout Adrianna has created a series of videos teaching knot tying. You can find them all at: https://troop21pasadena.org/links-and-resources/learn-your-knots/

Troop 21 likes to get together to celebrate rank advancements, merit badges earned and other notable achievements, but this August we had to go virtual. Despite all the obstacles the young men and women of Troop 21 still earned an impressive haul, including:

• 29 rank advancements, from Scout to Eagle
• 8 Eagle palms
• 104 merit badges
• 36 Greater Los Angeles Area Council high adventure awards
• 1 Messenger of Peace award
• 1 National Certificate of Merit

Everyone also received a very special COVID merit badge. Congratulations to all!

Congratulations to Life Scout Zacky Culver who became the first T21 scout (and first scout in the Rose Bowl District) in recent memory to earn a National Certificate of Merit after leaping into action to help another scout in distress. Great work, Zacky. We’re very proud of you.

Life Scout Christian Ortega organized a donation drive as his Eagle project to help get much needed personal safety supplies to the health-care workers at Huntington Hospital in Pasadena. It was a huge success. He collected face shields, shoe covers, hair covers, plastic bags, goggles, hand sanitizer, over 200 hand-made masks and 1,000 pairs of gloves. The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department even helped out by donating more than 500 N95 masks. He not only helped his community but he really demonstrated what being a scout is all about.

Graham Anich, one of T21’s only two-term SPLs, attained the rank of Eagle on July 31, 2020. His Eagle Board of Review included former Troop 21 Scoutmaster John Holmes. For his Eagle project, Graham developed a community website with information on the Coronavirus. Check it out here.

Troop 21 Eagle Scout Ethan Coe-Renner was highlighted in the “Bryan on Scouting” blog on the Scouting Magazine website. Ethan was one of four T21 Eagle Scouts selected to march in the 2020 Rose Parade as part of the honor guard. Congratulations, Ethan!

Read the full story.

Benjamin Cronin joined the ranks of Eagle on July 9, 2020. His Eagle Board of Review showed how strong the Troop 21 family is with Eagle Nathan Leong returning to serve on the Board. Ben’s project was to refurbish the miniature train at Travel Town.

Ian Wang became Troop 21’s latest Eagle Scout on June 29. Ian’s project, which he managed to finish before the coronavirus shutdown, was the renovation of the track team’s storage facility at South Pasadena High School. Ian completed his Eagle Board of Review via Zoom that included former ASM Brian Allin, the father of T21 Eagle Scout Kema Allin. Congratulations!

Even though our meetings are virtual, Troop 21 continued with its summertime tradition of Merit Badge Mondays. This year’s offerings included Game Design, Digital Technology, Genealogy, Photography, Pets, Mammal Study and Chemistry. Chemistry was led by our recent Eagle Scout Nico Symons-Galassi, who will be studying chemistry this fall at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Troop 21 was all set for adventure, with trips planned to Philmont, Cherry Valley, Camp Big Horn and the Sierras between May and August. Thanks to the Coronavirus, all those were canceled. But it wasn’t a completely bummer summer. In addition to attending virtual merit badge classes around the country, T21 joined Scouts from the Greater Los Angeles Area Council and the Western Los Angeles Council for “camp-ins” on May 2 and June 26.

Some Scouts managed to find real campsites…

Some pitched tents and hammocks in their yards…

And others made epic forts in their homes.

Troop 21 Scout Kevin Young had the troop’s very first virtual Eagle Board of Review on June 25, which included former T21 Scoutmaster Dwight Equitz. Kevin is the 160th Eagle for Troop 21. His Eagle Scout project was landscaping the front of Webster Elementary School in Pasadena. Congratulations!