Local Scout Attempts To Achieve Goal Of All 141 Merit Badges

Bloomingdale High School senior Jacob Townes is working to achieve all 141 merit badges from Scouting America (formerly called Boy Scouts of America). Scouting America was founded in 1910. In the last 115 years, only 1 percent of Scouts (less than 1,000) have earned all of the badges. What makes that statistic even more impressive is that the organization started with only 14 badges and continues to add badges every year.

Approximately 6 percent of all Scouts earn the Eagle Scout rank, the highest rank attainable. To be an Eagle Scout, a Scout must earn a minimum of 21 merit badges. Townes will achieve the Eagle Scout rank in January 2026.

Townes started in scouts when he was 11 and began focusing on merit badges in high school. His goal of earning all of the merit badges must be completed by July 2026, when he turns 18 and ages out of the program. He has 21 more to earn. His favorite badges have been water-based badges. He believes the hardest left are the snow badge, because it doesn’t snow in Florida, and the bugle badge, because of the difficulty to master playing a bugle.

“I don’t have doubts that I can do it. I just need to focus and get it done,” Townes said.

Townes is inspired by his dad, who is his current Scout master, and a little bit of bragging rights.

“My dad influenced me to do more. I started doing more and I started loving it. Then, I realized I had the most merit badges in the troop. So, I kept pushing,” Townes said.

To other Scouts working on badges, Townes’ best advice is to stay focused and work on them regularly.

“Certain badges are going to be easier than others because some of them have time restraints. Work on it for an hour every so often. It doesn’t have to be every day, but you have to be focused,” Townes said.

Townes loves the leadership skills he has gained from Scouts. Not surprisingly, Townes is a stand-out student, finishing high school while taking multiple Advanced Placement (AP) classes. He intends to earn a psychology degree in college.

Townes is part of Boys Troop 610, which meets at St. Stephen Catholic Church, located at 10118 St. Stephen Circle in Riverview. For more information about Scouting America, visit www.scouting.org.