Brothers in scouting

For Wantagh graduate, and newly celebrated Eagle Scout, Matthew Seaman — scouting is all in the family.

He has an older brother who became an Eagle Scout in November 2016 and a younger brother who’s about to start his Eagle Scout project.

Matthew, who turned 18 this month, was the 100th scout to have his Eagle Scout Court of Honor at Christ Lutheran Church on Island Road in Wantagh, where it was held on June 3.

His parents Diane and George Seaman moved the family from Massapequa to Wantagh 15 years ago, so all three boys are products of Wantagh schools.

“We love Wantagh, it’s such a nice community,” Diane Seaman said. “We love the schools, and everybody knows everybody.”

All the couple’s three sons completed or are working on projects that benefit the Wantagh community.

Matthew’s project was born out of his and his brothers’ love of running, especially on the bike path along the Wantagh State Parkway. The boys all ran that path every day in Cross Country and Track throughout middle and high school. Early on, they discovered that there’s a trail from the bike path that leads to the Wantagh Train Museum on Wantagh Avenue. It’s near the school, between Sunrise Highway and Jerusalem Avenue. So, Matthew decided to make and install a big sign to let people know the museum was there. He also added smaller signs nearby to warn runners and walkers about poison ivy.

“After years of running past it I didn’t even notice it was there,” said Matthew. “I thought it would be nice to label the trail connecting the Wantagh Train Museum and the New York State Bike Path to inform people that this trail exists.”

As part of the project, Matthew built a 7-foot tall and 5 ft wide wooden kiosk, with a roof, to mount two aluminum signs – one with a map and one that says the train museum is behind the trail. At the bottom of the structure is a flower box in which he put in Hosta plants. Matthew also repainted the “mail tower” at the museum, on which mail bags used to hang.

In September, Matthew will be attending Nassau Community College and wants to become a police officer.

But scouting has always been his biggest passion. He started in the 1st grade as a tiger/cub scout. Every year, he’d attend the Onteora Reservation Boy Scout camp in upstate Livingston Manor. This summer, since he’ll be an adult, he will return to the camp with his troop but as an assistant scout master or leader.

“It’s absolutely the best thing that they ever chose to do so far with their lives,” Diane Seaman said. “It taught them a lot - leadership, working together. And they’re friends outside of Scouts.”

Matthew’s older brother Robert, 19, attends the Honors College at SUNY Stony Brook where he is studying civil engineering. He started scouting in 2nd grade and had his Eagle Scout ceremony on Nov 2, 2016 – also at Christ Lutheran. This summer, he’ll work at the boy scout camp as Director of the STEM Program for 7 weeks. For his Eagle Scout project, he built a 5-foot tall and 5-foot wide bird cage or aviary, for a Screech Owl at the Theodore Roosevelt Nature Center at Jones Beach.

His younger brother James, 16, is on his way to becoming an Eagle Scout. His project has been approved, and he’s planning his fundraiser in 2 weeks. He’ll be building a flag-return box for old flags at the American Legion Hall on Park Avenue in Wantagh. He served this year as Senior Patrol Leader of the Troop and was elected to continue in that position through his senior year next year. He is also Troop Bugler and plays Taps at most of the ceremonies at the American Legion, such as its 911 and Memorial Day ceremonies.

In addition to running Cross Country and Track at school, he swims and will be the new drum major in the high school band for his senior year.

“I’m very proud of my boys,” Diane Seaman said. “Becoming an Eagle Scout is not a journey that a scout takes by himself. They would not become Eagle Scouts without the help of the Scout leaders, family, friends and most importantly his fellow scouts.”