Neighbor News
Local Scout does rare feat of 139 Merit Badges before Eagle Scout
Nicholas DePolo of Troop Devon 50 has accomplished something so rare, there are more Nobel Peace Prize winners, than what he did.
Scout Troop Devon 50 Announces an Extraordinary Achievement
DEVON, Pennsylvania- Seventeen-year-old Nicholas (Nicky) DePolo has
accomplished something very few Scouts ever have – completing 139 merit badges and recently
being awarded Eagle Scout. While Eagle Scout itself is an amazing accomplishment with only
about 5% of Scouts earning the rank, Nicholas has earned each of the 138 merit badges currently
offered, plus one that has been discontinued. Fewer than 1 in 200,000 scouts have achieved this
goal. For perspective, there have been more Nobel Prize winners than the number of Eagle
Scouts who have earned every merit badge.
Nicholas DePolo of Valley Forge is a Scout from Troop Devon 50. Scouting currently offers
138 merit badges in a wide range of subjects and topics, with 21 required as a prerequisite to
becoming an Eagle Scout; Nicholas has earned 139, one more than those currently offered. Out
of 130+ million scouts over the course of 115 years, only 597 scouts have accomplished this feat.
Nicholas has served in nearly every Leadership Position in his troop including Senior Patrol
Leader. He recently earned the Ad Altare Dei Scout religious award (Roman Catholic). A Junior
at Malvern Prep, Nicholas is the President of the Historical Debate Team and serves as one of the
editors of the school’s literary magazine. After graduating high school, Nicholas plans to attend
college to study game design and theology.
