DECA Student Earns All 121 Scout Merit Badges – A Nearly Unprecedented Feat

When my phone rang at about 6pm on New Year’s Eve, the Caller ID said “unknown caller,” I hesitated before answering. But then I thought, “What telemarketer would be making calls now?” I took the call and to my surprise, I was glad that I did. It was Shawn Goldsmith calling.

Who, you ask?

Well until last spring I would have asked the same question. When I met him, Shawn Goldsmith was a remarkable, 17-year-old graduating senior at Oceanside High School, on New York’s Long Island. We met last April, when I had the privilege of representing the IFA at the DECA International Career Development Competition (ICDC) at Atlanta’s Georgia Dome. IFA invited me to present the award of their Don DeBolt scholarship to its 2008 winner, on stage and in front of a crowd of 18,000 at the Georgia Dome, as part of DECA’s annual Main Event. That winner was Shawn Goldsmith. (See more about DECA and the ICDC in previous blog posts or at www.deca.org)

Now, let’s fast forward the tape to Shawn’s phone call to me on New Year’s Eve. Was he just calling to wish me a happy new year? Well, sort of, but it was more than just that.

It was with incredible pride and enthusiasm that Shawn explained that he had achieved yet another amazing feat and wondered if I had seen or heard about it on the news. Seems that this young guy, now a freshman at NY’s Binghamton University has once again achieved something that few before him have accomplished. Shawn, a long time Boy Scout has gone on to the ranks of Eagle Scout, which in and of itself is an achievement to be proud of, but hardly remarkable. What is almost unprecedented though, is that while it takes 21 Merit badges to achieve Eagle Scout status, Shawn did not stop there. In fact, he achieved all 121 Merit Badges offered by the Boy Scouts of America, something that the local arm of the organization called, “an almost unheard of feat.” Now, that IS remarkable.

Given the news we seem to wake up to each day, telling us what's wrong with America, I proudly share this story with you here. Remember the name Shawn Goldsmith. This young man is a symbol of what’s right with our country. If you can think it, you can do it and Shawn provides clear and living evidence of that. I don’t know where or when you may hear his name again, but given his accomplishments to date, I'm confident that it will be sooner than later. Congratulations Shawn and Happy New Year to you too.