Page 16 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 15, 2022 STUDENT ACT | FROM PAGE 4 right to be chair two more years and follow up with his pledge to invite Jacob to a School Committee meeting and publicly honor the boy. “You are a hero,” Whittredge told Jacob at the Nov. 18 meeting. “You’re a hero to me. … I’m just really impressed by what you did. A lot of people wouldn’t have done the same thing you did. You didn’t even think twice,” he said School Committee Member John Hatch presented Jacob with a challenge coin, as a special token to recognize the boy’s heroic deed. “The second that you decided to do what you did that day, you joined a wonderful and incredible family of first responders – and they’re such amazing people – police, fire and EMTs. And I’ve been working with them for 30 years,” Hatch said. “And the service that you did is incredible, and you really should know that we sometimes award each other with challenge coins. From one first responder to another, we thank you for what you did, Brother,” he said, handing Jacob the challenge coin. Then Hatch presented Jacob with a plaque with the inscription: “In recognition for your life-saving efforts on a classmate in the cafeteria at the Saugus Belmonte Upper Elementary School STEAM Academy.” Hatch explained that the School Committee was influenced to award Jacob with the plaque to express its gratitude “for your actions, quick thinking and wonderful teaching by your parents.” They taught him to be prepared to respond in an emergency, and specifically how to do the Heimlich maneuver. “We’re all super excited that you are here,” Hatch said. “This committee is so proud of what you’ve done. It’s amazing what you did,” he said. Espelin, Mejia returning to North Shore Navigators in 2022 YNN – Two of the North Shore Navigators’ recent additions will be familiar faces to “Navs Nation” as they return to Fraser Field for the upcoming New England Collegiate Baseball League (NECBL) season. Left-hander Nate Espelin reL turns to the Navs for the second time after pitching for the NECBL’s Winnipesaukee Muskrats last summer. The current University of Dayton junior has worked in four games out of the Flyers’ bullpen this season, striking out six batters in six innings. After appearing in five games last spring, the former Middlesex League MVP from Belmont held his NECBL opponents to a .268 average and fanned 18 batters in 16 frames over the summer. Espelin made five starts for North Shore back in 2020. Returning to the outfield will be University of Maine senior Jeff Mejia, who first played for the Navs at the beginning of his college career in 2017 and 2018. The North Reading native is off to a hot start for the Black Bears this season, sporting a team-leading .376 average and .487 on-base percentage with three doubles, 15 RBI and 20 runs scored through his first 23 games. Mejia, who has been Maine’s leadoff hitter of late, transferred to Maine in 2021 after captaining his father’s team at Northern Essex Community College. The Navs kick off their 15th summer of collegiate baseball on Tuesday, June 7 with the home opener at Fraser Field set for Thursday, June 9. Stay up to date on the latest Navs news by visiting nsnavs. com and following the team on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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