East Islip Native, SUNY Binghamton Student Earns Eagle Scout Rank

EAST ISLIP, NY — Jack Gravano, an East Islip native and freshman business major at Binghamton University, has officially earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest achievement in Scouting.

Gravano completed his Eagle Board of Review on Sept. 23, becoming the 118th Eagle Scout in the history of Troop 205, which serves Great River, East Islip, and Islip Terrace.

His Eagle Court of Honor will be held Tuesday, Jan. 13, beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Timber Point Elementary School, located at 200 Timber Point Road in East Islip.

Gravano is a member of Troop 205, sponsored by the Great River Fire Department and led by Scoutmaster Mark Businski. During his “Road to Eagle,” he held multiple leadership roles, including senior patrol leader, patrol leader, quartermaster, historian, and troop guide, where he helped mentor younger Scouts through their rank advancements.

“These positions have taught me to be a leader, not a follower,” Gravano said.

Throughout his Scouting career, Gravano logged 97 camping nights and participated in a wide range of high-adventure and national Scouting experiences. Highlights included a seven-day mountain cavalcade at Philmont Scout Ranch in Cimarron, New Mexico; a weeklong Florida Keys Sea Base adventure involving scuba diving, snorkeling, swimming, and fishing; attendance at the Scouting America National Jamboree at the Summit Bechtel Reserve in West Virginia; multiple summer camps across New York State; and a Virginia spelunking trip with Troop 205.

To earn the rank of Eagle Scout, a Scout must complete six rank advancements, earn at least 21 merit badges, and plan, develop, and carry out a significant community service project. Gravano exceeded the merit badge requirement, earning a total of 38.

His Eagle Service Project focused on renovating and improving storage areas for the Islip Arts Council at the South Shore Mall. The project included building and installing shelving units, relocating bookcases from Brookwood Hall in East Islip, and constructing poster board holders, with assistance from fellow Scouts, friends, and family members.

In addition to Eagle Scout, Gravano has earned several Scouting honors, including the Webelos Arrow of Light, Firem’n Chit, Tot’in Chip, and the National Outdoor Award Camping Gold Award.

Gravano is a June 2025 graduate of East Islip High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and World Language Honor Society, served as acting president and treasurer of the Interact Club, and participated in multiple academic, leadership, and service organizations. He was also president of the robotics team and a member of the winter and spring varsity track teams, serving as captain of the varsity cross-country team during the spring 2025 season.

During high school, Gravano earned numerous academic and athletic honors, including High Honor Roll recognition, the High Minds in Motion Award, the All-Academic Track Team Award, the Ron Rouieau Physical Education Award, the Scholar Athlete Award, the Technology Education Award for Robotics, and several leadership and coaching awards.

In total, Gravano logged 135.8 hours of community service through Scouting, in addition to the more than 80 hours dedicated to his Eagle Service Project.

Gravano is the son of Karen and Carl Gravano and the brother of Matthew Gravano, a Life Scout with Troop 205.

“Scouting has taught me the importance of volunteering my time,” Gravano said. “This has proven to be a very important aspect of many of the clubs that I have participated in throughout high school.”

He added that Scouting instilled perseverance, organization, and leadership skills that he plans to apply toward his long-term goal of starting his own business.