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Scout Earns 132 Merit Badges

Nate-Christensen-is-17-years-old-He-plays-theManaging Editor's note: What a great story of success. Congrats to Nate and his family.  Photo credit goes to his Mom. KS

Nate Christensen seems like a typical almost-18-year-old boy. Now in his senior year at Bingham High School in South Jordan, he plays the trumpet in the marching band. He took a longtime friend to the school’s homecoming dance. He loves popular music artists from Justin Bieber to Owl City. He enjoys playing “Just Dance” on his family’s Nintendo Wii and writes a blog in his free time. He admits that his favorite class at school is his sports class.

Nate Christensen is 17 years old. He plays the trumpet in his high school marching band and loves playing "Just Dance" on the family's Nintendo Wii. He took a good friend to the homecoming dance. He looks forward to graduating from high school. He completed 132 merit badges in the Boy Scouts of America scouting program. He also happens to be autistic.

But two things set him apart. One is that he’s earned 132 merit badges — every possible Boy Scout merit badge he could earn. The other is that Nate is autistic.

Nate's mother, Sandy Christensen, said that Nate tests somewhere in the middle of the autism spectrum. One wouldn’t easily guess that when talking to him.

Autism is known for causing marked impairment in social interaction and troubles with communication. But once you get Nate talking about anything that has to do with the Boy Scouts of America, the conversation flows with ease.

“Did you want to see two badges that I liked most?”

“Don’t you notice the badges that are gold framed?”

Nate’s 6-foot-3 frame might be intimidating at first, but he’s anything but. He sits on the sofa in his living room, holding his hands together in his lap, proudly wearing his Scout uniform and sash. He points to a grape soda pin, a tribute to Disney/Pixar’s “Up,” talking about how that’s actually his personal favorite even though it’s not an official badge.

Read the full story at Deseret News.

Comments

oneVoice

Congratulations Nate,job well done.

Benedetta

Love this story! Nate you really are a handsome guy in your boy scout uniform, with all those badges!

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