Less than .5% of Boy Scouts earn this honor. “I used to get bullied a lot,” stated 14-year-old Ben Hayes, “But when I got to Scouts, everybody was so kind to me.”
WHITEHALL, Mich. — Becoming an Eagle Scout is a good honor, the highest rank with Boy Scouts of America.
For Ben Hayes, changing into an Eagle Scout at simply 13 years previous final 12 months simply wasn’t a large enough accomplishment. Last week, he accomplished his aim to earn each single merit badge the Scouts have to supply.
That’s 139 badges; a feat solely half of 1% of Scouts accomplish.
“I feel amazed how much I accomplished over the past few years,” stated Hayes.
His favourite badge is the Railroad badge — incomes it sparked a love for locomotives, and due to it, he plans to be an engineer someday.
His mom, Rebecca Shannon, stated Boy Scouts modified Ben’s life.
“He was just kind of shut down to begin,” stated Shannon, “No one thought he’d do anything. He’s on the spectrum. Successful level wasn’t there. But merit badges are independence. You do it on your own speed.”
Ben additionally accomplished a challenge to place AEDs in outside areas, so households might take kids to play locations they could not earlier than, he stated.
“I used to get bullied a lot,” stated Hayes, “But when I got to Scouts, everybody was so kind to me.”
One of probably the most difficult badges to earn pressured him to face his worry: swimming. He conquered that and realized to swim, incomes him the badge.
Not solely does he have all the badges, however a guide filled with patches as properly.
He stated he had “all the people who encouraged me to keep going. My scout leader, my friends, even my mom.”
The remaining badge he earned final week was for golf.
“A lot of people say the ones who try to get them all are just trying to get them,” stated Shannon, “But he’s learned a lot.”
Ben is just not executed with Scouts now he has earned all the badges. Now, he plans to assist his troopmates make the identical accomplishment.
“It’s a Scout way to help things,” stated Hayes, “A Scout is helpful, curious, kind, obedient, cheerful, thrifty, clean and brave.”
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