In November, I earned my 139th merit badge, which is all the merit badges a Scout can possibly get. It is something that only 1 in 26,000 Scouts accomplish.
I decided to make this my goal while I was still in Cub Scouts. I loved to wear my brag vest, but there wasn’t anything like it in Boy Scouts, except for merit badges. I asked my dad, “What happens if I do not earn every merit badge?” He responded, “Then you don’t earn all the merit badges.” At that moment, I committed myself to earning every merit badge so I would not miss any adventure, any diamond in the rough, on my Scouting journey.
Among my favorite merit badges were Whitewater, Scuba Diving, Water Sports, Welding, Metalwork, Mining in Society and Drafting.
The most challenging merit badges were my last two: Bugling and Backpacking. Although I have played the piano for 14 years, for Bugling I had to develop my embouchure [learn to use the mouthpiece] to create music through the trumpet. While the Backpacking requirements themselves are not difficult, gathering a crew to complete a five-day, 30-mile trek safely along the Appalachian Trail was.
When I was 13, I earned my Eagle award with Troop 303 in Grayslake, and I have earned 23 Eagle palms since then. I am also about to finish my fourth Supernova award and the National Medal for Outdoor Achievement. As a Cub Scout, I sold $101,000 in popcorn and was the Northeast Illinois Council’s top seller for several years.
My favorite part of Scouting is the adventure and my growth as a leader. Through the merit badge process, I learned to be proactive and take the initiative to achieve my goals.
I would tell younger Scouts that you will get out of Scouting what you put into it. You cannot procrastinate until the last second. Set a goal for yourself and work toward that goal every year.