THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2020 Page 3 ~ THE ADVOCATE ASKS ~ Amid the pandemic, an SHS student discusses her passion to help needy people Editor’s Note: Earlier this week, we received an email from a local teenager who wanted to “spread the word” about upcoming clothing and food drives she has organized. Alyssa Swible Martinez, 17, a junior at Saugus High School (SHS), has devoted hundreds of hours over the past four years working on humanitarian causes that initially began as student public service projects at the Belmonte Middle School. Soon after the outbreak of COVID-19 in March, Alyssa and her SHS friend Victoria Quagenti began spreading some uplifting chalk graffi ti on sidewalks throughout Saugus Center to inspire walkers who passed by. part of Alyssa’s extracurricular activities. She has been in the band since the fi fth grade, and she currently plays the clarinet in the Saugus High School Concert and Marching Bands. She also is on the Executive Board for the Saugus High School Drama Club. Other activities include the Saugus High Science Club, membership on the executive board for the Saugus High Class of 2020, enrollment in Honors and A.P. Classes, and being a member of Saugus Girl Scout Troop 62040. Highlights from this week’s interview follow: Q: Do you remember the fi rst time you did volunteer work? A: Yes. I remember I was six. I went with my mom to a police or fi re station in Reading. There [Middle School], I was picked to be Saugus’s ambassador for Project 351. After my year as an ambassador, I went on to be part of their alumni group. This year I am on the Alumni Mentoring Corps; I am assigned a group of current ambassadors, and I help them through their ambassador year with their collections, fundraisers and different ways to help their communities. Every year there is a statewide clothing drive and food drive facilitated by Project 351. In a normal year, all collections from the clothing drive go ASKS | SEE PAGE 8 Gerry D’Ambrosio Attorney-at-Law Is Your Estate in Order? Do you have an update Will, Health Care Proxy or Power of Attorney? If Not, Please Call for a Free Consultation. 14 Proctor Avenue, Revere (781) 284-5657 FOR THE LOVE OF IT: Ever since being introduced by her mother to a community beautifi cation event as a six-yearold, Alyssa Swible Martinez said, she’s had a deep passion for volunteerism that helps people in her community. Recently, she’s been organizing “COVID-friendly” food and clothing drives. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) Alyssa was born in Orange County, Calif., and lived there until she was three. Soon after she moved to Saugus with her mom, Kristine Swible, who is a 1985 SHS graduate. Alyssa, who is an only child, has attended Saugus Public Schools from the beginning of her education. She still lives in the same house that was owned by her grandmother in Saugus Center, which she and her mom moved into when they arrived here. Alyssa is an honor roll student who does a lot of volunteer work outside of school. She has volunteered at the Saugus United Parish Food Pantrysince fi fth grade. While a member of the National Junior Honor Society at the Belmonte Middle School, she volunteered as a homework helper twice a week at the Saugus Public Library, tutoring elementary school students. She has also helped in her spare time at the Saugus Tree Farm. She is on the board for a community service club called Helping Hands. Music and drama are a big was a beautify the town program going on, and we would go and plant fl owers there. We lived there for a short period of time. My mom has always done a lot of volunteering, and I’m sure that’s had a big infl uence on me. Q: So, please tell me about the latest good will project that you are trying to organize. A: For the past three years, I have hosted a clothing drive and a food drive in Saugus. In previous years I have collected at the Town Hall, the Library and Saugus High. This year things are quite diff erent as are most things, but the need for food and clothes is greater than ever, with poverty cases rising. Anyways, I am still hosting these two collections, but they will be COVID-friendly. I will be picking up collections from people’s front porches and taking monetary donations. Q: So, how did you get involved in this originally? A: This project started when I was in 8th grade at Belmonte
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