Eagle Scout earns all 121 merit badges

BOUNTIFUL — Earning the Boy Scouts of America's Eagle Scout rank is no small achievement, but earning all 121 merit badges available ranks Parker Duncan of Bountiful among a very small and elite group of Scouts nationwide.

Each year, only two to three Scouts in the United States earn all 121 merit badges. Duncan earned his final two merit badges in April of this year at just 17 years old.

Duncan decided when he was 11 years old that his goal as a Scout was going to be to earn every merit badge offered by the Scouting program, including the composite materials badge, which was added after he began.

Attending a Boy Scout high adventure ranch in Philmont, N.M., with his family several years ago got Duncan fired-up about Scouts.

"Scouting really came alive for me there," said Duncan.

In 2005 Duncan, along his father and brother, attended the Boy Scout National Jamboree in Virginia, which kept him enthusiastic about Scouting.

"We got to see Scouts from all over the nation and world and even got to meet the president of the United States."

Duncan was just 13 years old when he earned his Eagle Scout award. For his Eagle service project, Duncan made 13 brick and mortar fire pits for This Is the Place Heritage Park in Salt Lake City. He also made the forms for the concrete pads to go under the fire pits and coordinated efforts with a local cement company to pour concrete.

Meeting his goal sometimes meant having to work hard just to find counselors for some of the less popular merit badges, such as whitewater, metalwork, horsemanship and farm mechanics.

His favorite merit badges were those he earned at camp, such as rifle shooting, canoeing and archery. Backpacking, archeology, gardening and American business merit badges were the most difficult and time-consuming for him to earn.

"I had to do lots of writing for my archeology badge," said Duncan.

Duncan is thinking of a possible career as a dentist as a result of his work on his dentistry merit badge, but for now he's remaining active in the Scouting program, working on earning his Eagle Palm awards and pursuing other interests in hiking, cycling, snowboarding and skateboarding.

Duncan's younger brother, James, 15, also has a goal — to get all 121 merit badges in less time than it took his brother Parker.

"It was seeing my brother's motivation and drive to earn all the badges that inspired me," James said. "I only have 19 more left to earn."

Duncan doesn't mind the competition from his brother. "I think it's good and I think he'll do it."

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