Palatine Boy Scout Earns Every Merit Badge

In the summer of 2012 a young man visited a community event held in his hometown and was given the opportunity to meet some other young boys that were part of this organization called Boy Scouts of America and shoot marshmallows at a target. Who knew that from that day forward a journey like no other was to be had?

In June of 2013, William Ottenfeld became a member of Troop 188 of Palatine, IL, which originated in 1964, and is chartered by Christ Lutheran Church. Over the course of the 55 years of its establishment, there has never been a scout that has accomplished the feat of earning each and every merit badge that BSA has to offer.

But……Will did it!

Will set his sights high, not only to achieve the rank of Eagle, but to earn every merit badge available. Plus there was a family incentive, if, no - WHEN he did, he could get a dog! We all knew that earning the Pets Merit Badge would be a great tool for that!

He was elected into Order of The Arrow in 2015, and completed his Ordeal in the same year - then achieved Brotherhood in October of 2017.

Will's level of determination and hard work in Boy Scouts helped on his journey. Six years in the making, Will earned the rank of Eagle in July 2017.

Only to be followed by him earning merit badge number 139- Backpacking - in August, 2019. If you check the Boy Scouts of America website, you'll notice there are "only" 137 merit badges available. Will earned computers and cinematography before they were discontinued.

Earning every merit badge is difficult enough on its own. Earning the 'special' 50 miler award after earning Eagle while working towards his merit badge goal, added more to his to do list. He accomplished that award in March 2019!

What next you ask? Well - - now it was time to follow the family tradition of serving as a Camp Counselor at one of his councils Boy Scout Camps. The first step was when he volunteered as a Counselor In Training (CIT) at camp in 2016, where he got a feel of the life of a counselor, and he liked it so much that he went back for more! Will was hired as a Counselor at the age of 15, and has since played a crucial role in initiating and counseling the Fishing Outpost of Camp Napowan in 2019.

Will is a senior at Palatine High School and is a member of the PHS Diving Team. After graduation, he wants to study biology in college.