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Robert DeStefano

By Robert DeStefano

You don’t have to walk too far along the Setauket-Port Jefferson Station Greenway Trail before you notice an Eagle Scout project. Maybe it’s a bench, or perhaps some bat houses. Look closely and you might see the modest plaque that names the Eagle who led each project.

In fact, all around us, local Scouts deliver valuable service projects benefiting various local organizations and our residents at-large. In recent months, I’ve had the pleasure of witnessing several of these wonderful implementations of community service in Port Jefferson Station.

Outside Boyle Road Elementary School, João Ferreira’s Eagle Scout project created an outdoor workspace for students and local organizations that use the facility. The concrete work table is roughly 14’ x 6’, offering space large enough for an elementary class to spend time learning in an outdoor classroom. His project complements existing benches in the same space, an earlier Eagle Scout project led by Jordan Roche.

Over at Comsewogue High School, Ethan Matz organized a renovation to room 123, the Courtroom classroom. His Eagle Scout project returned the space to a style reminiscent of its décor a generation ago. Comsewogue alumni may recall the courtroom that served as the classroom for now-retired educator Mr. William Bodkin. The return to that style looks fantastic, and echoes the uniquely American history taught over the years.

At the Comsewogue Community Garden, many volunteers, including several local scouting organizations, have invested time to resurrect the garden. Their efforts have been bearing fruit for a couple of seasons now. With community volunteers regularly working the vegetation, the need for more storage space was addressed through another local Eagle Scout project. Danny Cappiello project-managed the development of a new storage shed at the back of the site. At roughly 100 sq. ft., the additional storage space invites plenty of helping hands who are growing vegetables that help feed others in our community. Volunteers helping volunteers; how wonderful is that?!

Not all Eagle projects are visible in the public, but the value they provide matters to the organizations they support. Within the courtyard at John F. Kennedy Middle School, Massimo Olson has led the charge to build composting bins. The compost from these bins will help feed Jackie’s Garden (in memory of Mrs. Jacqueline Rella, wife of late Superintendent Dr. Joseph Rella), and will provide nutrients for the work of the middle school’s Greenagers club, which recently planted several young trees near the bleachers to share the athletic fields.

Most recently, Spencer Aron unveiled his Eagle Scout Project, a big Adirondack chair painted in red, white and blue for all to enjoy, at the Port Jefferson Station-Terryville Chamber of Commerce’s tree lighting event at the Train Car Park.

Failure to mention how these projects are funded would be an oversight. Scouts working on their Eagle rank are required to project-manage a community service project. That includes not only planning and building, but also fundraising. This is where our wonderful community comes in. When you make a donation or attend an Eagle Scout fundraising event such as hosted by generous local restaurants, this is where your contribution goes. It enables our local youth to execute projects that give back in our local community. It lets them know that our neighbors care and support the service they do as they grow. 

So, in thanking them for their work, we also thank you for supporting them on their Trail to Eagle: a rank only about 6% of Scouts earn, nationwide. An investment in them is an investment in a future that will undoubtedly inspire future leaders in our community!

If you’re interested in signing your child up for Scouting, please feel welcome to contact me at [email protected] and I’ll help you get connected with information and the Pack or Troop in your area.

Author Robert DeStefano is an Assistant Scoutmaster with Scouting America (BSA) Troop 354 and serves as trustee for the Comsewgoue School District Board of Education.

A closer look at some of the candidates

Comsewogue High School, above, will serve as the polling site for this year’s board of education election. File photo

By Raymond Janis

Next week, residents of Comsewogue school district will decide upon the election of two candidates for school board.

The terms for trustees Robert DeStefano and Francisca Alabau-Blatter are expiring and both are running for reelection. On Tuesday, May 17, voters will determine who will fill these seats for the next three years.

TBR News Media reached out to the declared candidates, asking them why they are running, what are the most important issues facing the district in the coming term and what they hope to accomplish if elected. Meghan Puleo and Alabau-Blatter could not be reached for interviews. We welcome Puleo and Alabau-Blatter to reach out to us and we will update this story on our website to include these interviews.

Robert DeStefano

DeStefano said he is running for reelection out of love for his community. He added that he and his wife grew up in the community, bought a house there and believe in the importance of giving back. 

“To serve this community in this capacity is something that I had the honor of doing for the last dozen years,” he said. “There are still a lot of good things to continue to do, and there are always things that we can be working on to improve.”

According to him, there is still much to be done in terms of recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. He said this is still the greatest issue facing the district. 

“Right now it’s all about making sure we get the kids recovered from the last couple of years,” he said, adding, “We’ve all been through a lot in getting through the pandemic and making sure that for any students that are still feeling the effects of learning loss, we catch them up.” 

If elected for another term, DeStefano said his principal objective is, aside from what was previously stated, to help introduce the new programs coming to the district.

“We have a lot of exciting things coming into the district,” he said. “We are introducing a nine-period day in our high school. We have plans to bring that into our middle school to give our students more options for additional classes.” He added that he intends to perfect these programs as they are implemented by “making sure that these initiatives thrive and become part of the curriculum, so that our younger students and our future students can count on them beyond the life of just this term.”

Joseph Borruso

Borruso said that a number of people throughout the community are seeking change in the school district. 

“A lot of the candidates have been there for 10-plus years now, so they just want some fresh people in there,” he said. “My background I think is a perfect fit. I have a bachelor’s in finance and accounting, so I think I would be a good addition to help out in all aspects of the school board and the community.”

If elected, Borruso intends to focus on the curriculum and academic programs throughout the district. “We’re ranked well below some of the similar-sized schools, like Mount Sinai, Rocky Point and Miller Place,” he said. “I don’t think we’re as bad as the rankings show but I’ll dig deep into how these rankings are done and processed, and see what we can do better to get our rankings up.”

Borruso said active participation on the school board will be his principal objective. “I want to go there with a fresh way of thinking and utilize my background and skills to help push a positive agenda forward,” he said. 

Gary Bodenburg

Bodenburg said he has served the community in various capacities through committees throughout the district. According to him, he is currently the director of curriculum and instruction for a nonprofit organization that helps women and children who are victims of domestic violence. 

“It’s safe to say that I am really doing this to move together as a community, enrich the lives of all of our children and support our staff and teachers to the best of my ability,” he said.

Bodenburg emphasized the importance of costs and fiscal responsibility. At a time of great uncertainty, he suggests thoughtful consideration of budgets to be paramount. 

“It’s important to be mindful and to make sure that our budget is very tight,” he said. “We need to be extremely mindful of the circumstances surrounding what’s happening in our world and our fiscal responsibilities to our constituents.”

Bodenburg said his principal objective is to improve communication and transparency among all stakeholders and constituents throughout the district, adding, “And with that, our goal is to advocate for children. That is the most important thing that we need to do as board members.”