7 Scouts take home medals at convocation

Seven Boy Scouts from Baldwin were awarded medals at the 2015 annual Boy Scout Convocation at the Cathedral of St. Agnes in Rockville Centre.

The seven — all from Baldwin Troop 824 — received the Ad Altare Dei, or “to the altar of God,” emblem for Catholic Boy Scouts. The program aims to help Scouts develop a Christian way of life within the faith community. The program is organized in steps based on the Seven Sacraments, a Catholic’s primary means toward spiritual growth.

The recipients — Jacob Neumann, Thomas Hopkins, Robert Llompart, Shane Jackson, LJ Vodopivec, Stefan Schmitt and Kenny Bradley — all are members of Troop 824 based out of St. Christopher’s. The boys, who range in age from 13 to 16, met weekly over several months to complete the necessary requirements. Cathy Vodopivec, Cecilia Bradley and Robert Llompart taught their class, and their Scout Master was Larry Vodopivec.