Aaliyah Corley, a 16-year-old Scout from Troop 163 in Rockville Centre, has earned every one of the 139 merit badges offered by Scouting America for boys and girls, a rare achievement that is the result of years of perseverance, curiosity and service. She is the first girl on Long Island, and the second in New York state, to mark the accomplishment.
Corley is originally from Brazil, but moved with her family to Long Island four years ago and is homeschooled. She began her scouting journey after a video game sparked her curiosity.
“When I was in Brazil, I used to play League of Legends,” she said, referring to Riot Games’ popular multiplayer online game, “and one of the characters is a Scout. So I was curious about what it was like being a Scout.”
Corley’s interest grew into a full pursuit of the entire Scouting America badge catalog, from common ones, like Camping and First Aid, to more obscure ones, such as Nuclear Science and Bugling.
“There are so many subjects that I would never even think about otherwise,” she said. “Like surveying, welding, mobile selling, awareness, survival, metal work — like, a lot of stuff — and you just get a survey of each of these things.”
Corley worked with a number of merit badge counselors, who guide Scouts in meeting the badges’ requirements. Some of her counselors are from Rockville Centre, which led her to Troop 163. She was invited to join in 2022, at which point she had already earned 36 merit badges.
“She’s been terrific, kind of like a role model for the other Scouts,” Steve Bo, scoutmaster of Troop 163, said. “You might think that someone who’s trying to achieve something so big, get so many merit badges, would try to cut corners, but she never did. In fact, it was the opposite. Every time she would do a merit badge, she was always doing extra. The merit badge would introduce her to something and have some kind of requirement, and she would take it always one step further. So it’s really incredible what she’s done in these past few years.”
Corley described Hiking, Cycling and Backpacking as some of the most physically challenging badges. The Hiking badge required a 20-mile hike in one day, and the Backpacking badge required a five-day trip and overnights at three different campgrounds.
Her final badge was Water Sports, which she earned earlier this year, making her the 10th girl nationwide to check off all 139.
“It was a long journey to get there,” she said, “so I feel very accomplished.”
She continues to be active in her troop, and now serves as an instructor and mentor, helping younger Scouts with rank advancement and merit badge advice. Earlier this year, Bo said, Corley was elected by the other Scouts to be a trip guide as well.
Bo praised her for being a role model who consistently does more than is asked of her. “We’re just really proud of her,” he said. “She went above and beyond for everything. It’s just her nature. So it’s been a pleasure to have her in the troop, and she’s come on almost every camping trip or event that we’ve had.”
Corley emphasized the importance of determination, especially for Scouts who don’t rely on summer camps to complete badges. She highlighted the effort it takes not just to complete the requirements, but also to connect with the right people and find merit badge counselors to help.
“If it’s your first badge, and you’re scared to do this first phone call, it’s OK,” she said for the benefit of Scouts looking to get started on their merit badge journey. “After you do 30 of them, it’s not hard at all. A lot of people just want to help.”
Aaliyah’s father, Andrew Corley, said the achievement was driven entirely by her own motivation.
“It takes an incredible amount of perseverance to do it, and it’s really impressive,” he said. “It’s not something that a parent can really push on their kid. They have to have the motivation themselves to do it, because the journey is just so long.”
From ski trips to surveying outings and orienteering challenges, Andrew said, the experience became a family journey as well.
“The great thing about being a parent to someone doing it is that she takes me on all these adventures that she’s planning,” he said.
Now Aaliyah is channeling her passion into a creative project: a novel titled “Plum Candy.” It’s a few months away from completion, but she balances her time in Scouting with her novel writing.
Her journey, though rare, has already inspired her fellow troop members, and she hopes it encourages others too.
“If I could do it,” she said, “I could also show other Scouts that they could do it, too.”
