Eagle Scout Josh Leshinskie, 18, of Boy Scout Troop 36 in Gilbertsville received his final merit badges at his troop’s Court of Honor on Aug. 21.
In total, Josh earned all 137 merit badges.
“It feels good to have gotten them all completed,” said Josh, a resident of Douglass Township, Montgomery County. “Each merit badge showed me an introduction to a career, and that helped me realize that I liked the problem-solving aspect of work, and that a career in engineering is for me.”
The Boyertown Area High School senior earned his last badge, roller skating in June, before he celebrated his 18th birthday.
“In the world of Boy Scouts, merit badges are a huge part of a Scout’s journey,” his sister MaryAnn Leshinskie wrote in an announcement to media. “From a Tenderfoot to an Eagle Scout, merit badges are awarded to symbolize skills learned and mastered by each individual.”
Some merit badges are required to achieve the next level in Scouting while 21 are required to become an Eagle Scout.
In total, there are 137 merit badges, but few Scouts ever reach the accomplishment of earning them all, she wrote.
“In fact, out of the millions of Scouts in the Scouting program, only about 500 have ever accomplished this task. This pinnacle of achievement is reserved for those Scouts who are extra hardworking and determined, and who give 150% in every challenge,” MaryAnn wrote.
Josh earned his Eagle Scout required merit badges, then moved onto badges offered in his troop and at summer camp, followed by those that interested him, such as anything related to engineering and then nature-related badges such as sustainability.
“After that, I realized that I only had a couple left to complete, so I became more focused on reaching the goal,” said Josh.
Josh found support in achieving his goal from the Cradle of Liberty Council programming, events at the Western Montgomery Career and Technology Center, several local scout reservations, as well as many merit badge colleges in the tri-state area.
Josh continued earning badges amid COVID-19 in summer 2020 attending virtual summer camps at Resica Falls in Pennsylvania and virtual programming in Massachusetts, North Carolina and Hawaii.
“It takes a community to complete goals, whether it was my troop community planning and executing a backpacking trip or my larger community where my neighbors worked together to clean up a park that is littered with trash,” said Josh about earning all 137 badges.
Overall, the experience provided career exploration, life-skills knowledge and survival skills.
“The experience broadened my love of learning about how things work,” said Josh. “The merit badges give you opportunities for new experiences. It allows for hands-on learning outside of school. It opened my eyes to different careers and focused my love of learning in the fields of STEM careers.”
Earning merit badges gives Scouts exposure to a lot of skills, said his father, Matt Leshinskie, assistant scoutmaster.
“Scouts feel a sense of achievement; boosts their self-confidence; increases their communication skills due to the interaction required to earn them. Most importantly, it exposes Scouts to things that are longer taught in school,” said Matt.
His father said this experience was a great lesson in goal setting.
“Josh made his mind up to reach this goal after a relative cut out an article of another scout reaching this accomplishment,” said Matt. “But the journey wasn’t without obstacles.”
Some merit badges had to be completed virtually while others required early morning travel and some required getting over the fear of trying new things like water skiing, he said.
“To earn some of his badges, he couldn’t give up, even though he had fallen down countless times while trying to ski. These were all important lessons. Also, I feel he realized there are many people in our community with different skills who give their time and talents back to the community.”
The community that supported his merit badge journey led him to want to give back as a Summer Camp Counselor this past summer at BaShore Scout Reservation in Jonestown, Lebanon County.
“He loved instructing and inspiring others to learn new skills, especially in STEM fields,” said Matt.
In regard to Josh earning all 137 badges, his father said, “It is an impressive achievement. It also offered Josh a chance to try things that he didn’t consider trying before such as horseback riding, scuba diving, dentistry, surveying.”
Source: Berkshire mont
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