Lake Area Boy Scout Joins Group of 600 Who’ve Achieved Eagle & Collected All Merit Badges

A lake area Boy Scout has joined some pretty lofty company…not only for achieving the rank of Eagle Scout but also for earning every merit badge available along the way…140 of them.

Talking on the KRMS Ozarks Today, John Hayes says that he had no doubt about his journey which had only been achieved by 621 others in the ranks of what is now referred to as Scouting America.

“I did my first aid merit badge, was the first merit badge I ever got, and then right after that I did my second merit badge. And I thought, I’m going to do all them all. I’m getting them all done. It was just like, Yep, this is what’s happening.”

John is the son of John and Amanda Hayes. Mom says it wasn’t too hard getting John started on his journey.

“We went to one of the backs to school night and there was a scout leader, the Cub master with a poster board and he had babies and archery and all kinds of cool stuff. And he looked at me over his little glasses, as serious as could be and said, Mama, I want to do that.”

Future plans for the younger John Hayes include becoming involved as a Scouting America leader to be able to pass along some of the learning and fun he’s been able to experience over the years.