THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, April 19, 2024 Page 17 An early “Earth Day” project helped a Saugus teenager earn his Eagle Scout Badge By Mark E. Vogler A nyone who enjoyed the beauty of Prankers Pond this spring benefited from a public service project that enabled 18-yearold Emmitt Lozano to earn his Eagle Scout Badge. It was a project that Emmitt planned, organized and supervised last fall. He completed a landscape beautifi cation project at the Prankers Pond welcome memorial. His goal for this project was to make Prankers Pond a more welcoming and friendly environment for people who want to go enjoy the area. “For the project, we cleaned up the area by raking leaves and remodeling the flowerbed,” Emmitt said in an interview earlier this year, after the Saugus Board of Selectmen honored him with a citation that recognized his personal accomplishment of earning the Eagle Scout Badge – Scouting’s highest honor. He earned the rank of Eagle over the winter as a member of Lynn Boy Scout Troop 34. “The welcome sign was also SOUNDS | FROM PAGE 16 Brick program for Saugus War Mon ument The Saugus War Monument Commit tee, once again, is sponsoring the Buy-A-Brick Program to honor all those who have served their country. If you would like to purchase one in the name of someone who is presently serving or has served, in the memory of a loved one, or just someone from your family, school, etc., the general pricing is $100 for a 4” X 8” brick (three lines) or $200 for an 8” X 8” brick (fi ve lines). Each line is a maximum of 15 characters. The improvement and upkeep of the monument on the corner of Winter and Central Streets rely on the generosity of donors through fundraising. The brick application must be in by Sept. 10 to ensure the bricks will be ready for Veterans Day. Please contact Corinne Riley at 781-231-7995 for more information and applications. Welcome to Cliftondale The Meg Foundation Board of Directors is inviting former students, family members, friends or anyone interested in attending an “Open House” event at The MEG Building, formerly known as the Cliftondale School, on rebuilt and repainted as well. The memorial stone was also washed, too. I funded this project through a GoFundMe that I created,” Emmitt said. “The volunteers for the project were composed of my friends from my school as well as members of my troop,” he said. Emmitt is a standout student at The Voke in Wakefi eld, where he is a member of the National Honor Society and National Technical Honor Society. “In school my trade shop is drafting and design where we learn architectural and engineering drafting,” he said. “After High school, I plan to go to college to study architecture. I haven’t fully committed to one school yet, but I plan on staying in the Boston area,” he said. The lifelong Saugus resident is the fifth member of his family to earn the Eagle Scout Badge. Four of his cousins achieved that honor previously. He has spent a dozen years in scouting, beginning in the fi rst grade. He was required to earn 21 merit badgMay 4–5, 2024. Many of our visitors to the school – located at 54-58 Essex St. – have shared with us incredibly special memories of their childhood while attending the fi rst, second, third and fourth grades. Oftentimes they bring their grandchildren as well to take a tour of the building and view fi rsthand what an elementary school looked like those many years ago. The purpose of this event is to highlight Cliftondale, the school, the people and the businesses that have made this part of Saugus special. Presently board members are in the process of gathering historical items, class pictures, schoolbooks and handwritten letters of young students. If you have any class pictures or school memorabilia that the committee could borrow to display, or if you have any questions, please contact Paula Walsh at 781520-2122. Kindergarten enrollment 2024-2025 Open enrollment for kindergarten will begin on Monday, April 22, and continue through Friday, April 26. Kindergarten is free and full day (8:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.). Families can pick up a kindergarten registration packet at THE SOUNDS | SEE PAGE 21 REBUILDING AND REPAINTING THE WELCOME SIGN: This was a key part of Emmitt Lozano’s public service project in which he beautifi ed Prankers Pond. Here he stands near the fi nished sign. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) es to make Eagle. “For me, being an Eagle Scout means that I have achieved my goal in scouting of learning how to use the tools scouting has taught me,” Emmitt said. “With these tools I can apply them to be a better version of myself and learn how to be a positive member of my comTHE REMODELED FLOWER BED: This was the centerpiece of Emmitt Lozano’s Eagle Scout public service project. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate.) munity,” he said. Troop 34 Scoutmaster Richard Bucko praised Emmitt as “a great young man.” “You should be glad to have him in Saugus,” Bucko said. Board of Selectmen Chair Debra Panetta recalled that her son got his Eagle Scout Badge about 10 years ago, noting that it helped him fi nd his fi rst job and also apply to colleges. “This will stay on your resume forever,” Panetta told Emmitt. “It is a significant accomplishment. I’m sure your parents are incredibly proud of you as well as your scoutmaster and all of us Saugonians. We appreciate the work you did at Prankers Pond,” she said.
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