׉?4ׁB!בCט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://755OVXnk7CDcsbe0rfD8luuBcqIXMb29nXrriLnNjok%`)׉ 7cassandra://b92_GYj92yrXumfkuTKpm3Y0zTvBXwUHUE1RC6_cjps͕`J׉ 7cassandra://z3ripyqRkIlxe7kELoXBSNG9LM1FXoQ1Mg8-iyWH9w8.`̰׉ 7cassandra://KUiUI7IJWAq9UMjNDQXBb2czsbSiVVzPrHhhWs9SwHsvL͠der+`dנder+`i ہf 9ׁHhttp://www.angelosoil.comׁ ׁ Јנder+`h%H9ׁHhttp://CarpenitoRealEstate.comׁ ׁ Јנder+`g 9ׁHhttp://www.advocatenews.netׁ ׁ Ј׈Ede~r+`J׉E SAUGUS Your Local News in 7 Languages. Subscribe to Advocate Online! C TE D AT CAT Vol. 25, No.23 -FREE- www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday THE “WALKING IS OVERRATED” AUTHOR 781-233-4446 Friday, June 9, 2023 Cogliano pushes for Charter Commission Board of Selectmen chair initiates petition drive to get residents to vote to create a commission in november By Mark E. Vogler B oard of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano this week launched a petition drive to get a Charter Commission on the November Town Election Ballot – the first step in his quest to have the Town of Saugus converted to a city. “I started the process on Monday (June 4) and believe we will be at 1,000 by the end of the week, COGLIANO | SEE PAGE 2 In Loving Memory Joseph and Pam Silipigni – parents of the late Alan Joseph Silipigni – received an honorary diploma in their son’s memory from Luciana Lancellotta (center), one of Alan’s teachers, at the beginning of last Friday’s commencement exercises in Christie Serino Jr. Memorial Stadium. Please see inside for more photos and coverage of Saugus High graduation. (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) Saugus native Michael R. Maruzzi is making the most of his life after suff ering a devastating spinal cord injury in 1987 during a high school hockey game. He went to college, got a teaching degree, taught math at Saugus High School for 23 years, got married, has become an advocate for spinal cord injured people and recently wrote a book. Please see inside for more photos and this week’s “The Advocate Asks.” (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) ~ Home of the Week ~ SAUGUS....Desirable one-owner Ranch features 5 rooms, 3 bedrooms, spacious kitchen with dining area and slider to deck, large, unfinished lower level, walk-up attic for future expansion, laundry hook-ups in kitchen and lower level, wrap-around cement, circular driveway, gorgeous, gorgeous level yard!! Located in sought-after Iron Works neighborhood! Great opportunity to own this one-level home! Offered at $499,900. View all our listings at: CarpenitoRealEstate.com iht 335 Central Street, Saugus, MA 01906 (781) 233-7300 f th y View the interior of this home right on your smartphone. g ANGELO’S A FULL SERVICE 1978-2023 Celebrating 45 Years in Business! s! 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Mon.-Wed. 6AM - 6PM / Thurs. & Fri. 6AM - 7PM / Sat. 7AM / Sun. 9AM-5PM Prices subject to change DIESEL TRUCK STOP FLEET ׉ 7cassandra://z3ripyqRkIlxe7kELoXBSNG9LM1FXoQ1Mg8-iyWH9w8.`̰de~r+`Kde~r+`J PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://hG_Z4OD9k5y306orrYsLpKe5Je4Z38WEdkb4_3cBBj4f`)׉ 7cassandra://yWbGjm96Xj5ivfHCRKBmwQRShvGRqHO8MYpozrgwp8Q͊`J׉ 7cassandra://CZa7FUNzf8WZkw1LnHEY6f6xUmkDtosoNQn1ZSEIt2I'`̰׉ 7cassandra://yukcLTJM1BlNfwVe5lkEWG2FL4c-DZyLfy8hqmkOAlA/d͠der+`jט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://tWrgZEp5qdERBAP6lQy4MHe0myuF8kbydlRPkkYqv5s/`)׉ 7cassandra://zc9ncM7Zg3VcFeVpScafsXaidV334pRjnPxFq06UZKY͟i`J׉ 7cassandra://5Ut__nlv17arSQ7Xaqu8mR4Y1rw-1jl9IUZyTR6_Nqc,y`̰׉ 7cassandra://aHspAD91u-fN-QnSVnLmNFBd17Ic7ejWh-U22Almaaco;͠der+`kנder+`o)9ׁHhttp://www.roller-world.comׁ ׁ Ј׉EPage 2 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 9, 2023 COGLIANO| FROM PAGE 1 weather permitting,” Cogliano told The Saugus Advocate yesterday. “My goal would be to ramp up the pace as more people hear the message. People love the idea of having a say in who their Town Manager will be and that say will come every four years on election day,” Cogliano said. The petition that has been circulating throughout town this week makes a request for the Town of Saugus “to revise its present charter to adopt a new charter.” Cogliano said he’s been “knocking on doors” in precincts one and eight and noted that the response “has been incredible.” The goal is to get enough signatures to include the Charter Commission issue on the November Ballot. Cogliano said the petition drive would need 3,200 signatures to get on the ballot, but he is seeking 4,000. Once established, the commission would spend 18-24 months studying and modifying the town’s current charter with the input of town residents, according to Cogliano. “Saugus may not be ready for an overhaul of our present government, but they are definitely ready for an elected town manager over an appointed one,” Cogliano said. “The reason is simple, accountability at the top. The manager’s latest contract extension never sat well with me as it was done on the sneak. Scott’s contract didn’t expire until 2025, and any talks about an extension should have taken place with the next Board of Selectmen,” he said. “I want to make sure that never happens again in this town. The latest extension gives the manager the full pension he was seeking but not done in the proper manner. This charter change could be presented to the voters in the 2025 election where they can vote it up or down,” he said. If voters approve a charter change, Saugus could have its first elected town manager or town administrator in early 2026, Cogliano said. He noted that the roles for the Manager and Board of Selectmen would have to be redefined. “I t is also my thought that the Board of Selectmen should have staggered terms,” Cogliano said. “I held a roundtable discussion with about 75 residents and let them know my thoughts as I listened to theirs. We have a long way to go and a very short window to get there, but I’m confident we will. If we want to build a better Saugus, it has to begin somewhere, and I know this is what’s in our best interest,” he said. Cogliano praised Town Manager Scott Crabtree and his administrative team for maintaining a fiscally stable environment in town government. “It’s great to tout the financial stability of the town and the AA plus bond rating. The Manager and Wendy Hatch should receive high praise for that, taking Board of Selectmen Chair Anthony Cogliano says he prefers an elected town manager over an appointed one. (Saugus Advocate fi le photo by Mark E. Vogler) the town from where it was financially to where it is now was a major accomplishment,” Cogliano said. “However, the average person cares about their ever rising tax bills, water bills, sewer bills, cable bills, quality of education, sports, parks, playgrounds and a third fire station. The future of the Square One Mall,” he said. “We have to start working with developers to build what we want and need. Developers would love to get a chance to sit and talk about future projects, but getting a meeting with the present team in place is nearly impossible. Communication and accountability need to improve drastically if we want to advance Saugus, and it will never happen under the present leadership.” Town residents who would like to sign a petition “to study our Town Charter to help us build a better Saugus for everyone” can find the petitions at the following locations: Richdale, Flex Fitness, Sizzle Tanning, Fauci’s Sports Nutrition, Marina’s Mart, Sons of Sicily, Goodfellas, Tangles Hair Salon, Entyre Inc., Beat ConnXtionz, Rossetti Insurance and Russo Painting. 5.0 %APY* INSURED 9 Month CD Your nest egg just got an upgrade. A GREAT RATE AND INSURANCE? NO WAY. YES WAY! Here’s your chance to reach your savings goal faster than ever. Everett Bank’s 9 Month CD with an amazing 5.0% APY* gets you closer to those financial goals much faster. Easily calculate better earnings with Everett Bank’s 9 Month CD. Go to everettbank.com to easily open your account on-line in just minutes. Special Town Meeting set for June 26 By Mark E. Vogler S electmen have called for a Special Town Meeting on Monday, June 26, to consider a handful of articles – one of them called “the Responsible Employee Ordinance.” An article submitted by Pre*Annual Percentage Yield (APY) is accurate as of the date posted and is subject to change without notice. APY assumes that interest remains on deposit until maturity. A withdrawal will reduce earnings. A penalty may be imposed for early withdrawal. Offer may be withdrawn at any time. Minimum of $500 is required to open a Certificate of Deposit and earn the advertised APY. Member FDIC | Member DIF All Deposits Are Insured In Full. cinct 2 Town Meeting Member Robert J. Camuso sets standards pertaining to the hiring of contractors. “The Selectmen hereby fi nds and determines that taxpayer money is most effi ciently and productively spent by awarding construction contracts to fi rms that include and enforce provisions requiring compliance with state laws governing the payment of prevailing wages, the provision of workers compensation coverage, and the proper classifi cation of individuals as employees and not as individual contractors, as we as state law concerning health insurance coverage and state certifi ed apprenticeship programs,” the proposal stated. Another article would authorize the funding from free cash or the stabilization fund not to exceed $66,100 to complete the land survey needed to verify if the land located across the river from Riverside Cemetery is suitable for expansion of cemetery grounds for use of burial and additionally funding to initiate design and implementation process. That article was submitted by Saugus Cemetery Commission Chair Rick Thompson, who is also a Precinct 3 Town Meeting member. A third article would rezone the Palumbo property. The article seeks to amend the town zoning map by changing the zoning classifi cation of property located at 39R Forest St. from Residential 2 to the Business Highway Residential District. The meeting is set to begin at 7:20 p.m. in the second fl oor auditorium at Saugus Town Hall on June 26. ׉ 7cassandra://CZa7FUNzf8WZkw1LnHEY6f6xUmkDtosoNQn1ZSEIt2I'`̰de~r+`L׉EaTHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 9, 2023 ~ The Advocate Asks ~ Page 3 Michael R. Maruzzi talks about his book, “Walking is Overrated,” a story of overcoming life’s challenges 36 years after a hockey injury left him a quadriplegic Editor’s Note: For this week’s column, we interviewed Michael Maruzzi, a Saugus native who has become a mentor and advocate for spinal cord injured persons. He spent his early years growing up in Everett before his family moved to Saugus. Maruzzi, 54, suffered a devastating injury while playing in a hockey game for Saugus High School on Jan. 17, 1987, when he crashed into the boards head-on, leaving him paralyzed. Though confined to a wheelchair for the rest of his life as a quadriplegic, Maruzzi made the most of his opportunities to pursue a career. He is a 1987 graduate of Saugus High School. He went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Boston University (1992). Then he went on to spend 23 years as a math teacher at Saugus High School, retiring from teaching in 2015. He and his wife, Arlene, who was a teacher’s aide and a cheerleading coach for Saugus Public Schools when they met, have been married for eight years and live in Fort Myers, Fla. His parents – Robert and Diane Maruzzi – and his sister, Sandra Nigro, still live in Saugus. In 2015, he went to work remotely for an SAT preparation company in Florida that is headquartered out of Boston. He tutors students from all over the world. He recently helped develop a peer mentor program for teenagers who have suffered a spinal cord injury. The group discussions were designed to prepare teens for the challenges and opportunities they encounter in their journey. Maruzzi has taken up water skiing. In one of his latest projects, Maruzzi has authored a membasket. Many of the kids that I skated with back then are still my close friends today. Saturday at Stackpole Field to watch the high school football team – I can smell the fried dough that was served by the band parents – and listening to Mr. Mitchell and the school band play the Saugus High School fight song. Ice hockey games at Lynn Arena watching my older cousin ASKS | SEE PAGE 4 A book about Michael Maruzzi’s life and challenges. The title is “Walking is Overrated: Witnessing the World from Two Perspectives.” (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) oir titled “Walking is Overrated: Witnessing the World from Two Perspectives,” to show how any human being has the capacity to overcome any physical obstacle. The Kowloon Restaurant will be hosting a book launch from 6 to 9 p.m. on June 27. Food, drink, music, dance, comedians and a copy of the book are included in the $75 ticket charge to the event, which will be held on the outdoor patio. Highlights of this week’s interview, which was conducted online with Maruzzi from his Florida home, follow. Q: What was life like as a normal, healthy and physically able kid growing up in Saugus? A: I’m 54 years old and I was recently driving through the town of Saugus with my wife Arlene. We are up here to visit family and promote the publishing of my new book. We’ve rented an apartment building at the end of Fairmount Ave. This is part of the neighborhood where I spent most of my childhood in the town of Saugus. As we were driving down Fairmont Ave. towards Lynn and our new apartment, I kept Setting goals to help others helps Michael R. Maruzzi maintain a positive outlook on his life. (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate) pointing out the homes of so many of my childhood friends. It was close to a dozen houses that I was able to point out without even thinking on our short trip down the road. These were the areas where I played touch football, street hockey or chase through the different backyards. I remember skating with the Rinky Dinks at the arena in Revere behind the market 425r Broadway, Saugus Located adjacent to Kohls Plaza Route 1 South in Saugus at the intersection of Walnut St. We are on MBTA Bus Route 429 781-231-1111 We are a Skating Rink with Bowling Alleys, Arcade and two TV’s where the ball games are always on! 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Just a note before we begin, we will be taking the issuing 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 of diplomas out of order. We will do that before the student speeches. It is my pleasure to welcome you to the 152nd Saugus High School Commencement Ceremony. I want to welcome Town Manager Scott Crabtree, Representative Donald Wong, Representative Jessica Giannino, members of the School Committee, and members of the Board of Selectmen. I would also like to recognize all of the administrators, teachers, and staff members from around the district who have joined us here this evening. I want to thank all the parents, family, and friends who have come to celebrate this important milestone. Finally, I would like to welcome and congratulate the members of the Class of 2023, who we honor here tonight. Graduation ceremonies are a lot of work to put together. Throw in the uncertainty of the weather, and they get even more complicated. This year we set up both the stadium and the gym to be ready for both. I want to take a moment to thank everyone who worked so hard to make this event happen. I want to take a moment to thank everyone from the Town of Saugus, Our 50th Anniversary Dan - 1972 We Sell Cigars & Accessories! Chris 2023 * Travel Humidors * Desk Top Humidors * Many Types of Lighters * Ash Trays * Juuls * Vapes * Glass Pipes * Rewards Program * CBD Infused Products * GIFTS UNDER $30 - GIFT CERTIFICATES R.Y.O. TOBACCO & TUBES ON SALE! SPECIAL SALE! TRAVEL HUMIDORS & ALL BONGS! ASKS | FROM PAGE 3 ALL MAJOR BRANDS Singles * Tins * Bundles * Boxes CIGAR SMOKER’S DELIGHT! 15 Handmade Cigars - (incl. a Cohiba) $43.95 NEW STORE HOURS: Mon. - Sat.: 9AM - 7PM Sunday & Holidays: 9AM - 6PM A.B.C. CIGAR 170 REVERE ST., REVERE (781) 289-4959 play and eventually witnessing them playing the Boston Garden against Bobby Carpenter and Mike Barrasso, two Future NHL stars. Spending time at the age of 12 at Camp Leslie in Georgetown and thinking that was on the other side of the world so far from home. So much of my childhood was like a Norman Rockwell painting right up until January 17th, 1987 [the date of his hockey injury]. Q: As a student athlete playing hockey at Saugus High, what were your life goals and dreams after you graduated? A: I worked hard for 12 years to get a good education. I was an honor student and looked forward to going to college to become a mechanical engineer. I loved playing sports but I was never a dedicated athlete. My social and extracurricular experience in high school was full and some of the best moments of my life. I really didn’t have exceptional dreams other than to get a good job, get married, have children and lead a normal life. Q: Did you have plans of becoming a high school math teacher? ASKS | SEE PAGE 5 --------HUMIDORS ON SALE! STARTING AT $99. COMPLETE! --------Saugus High School Principal Brendon Sullivan (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) SCTV, Jimmy Waldaka, Complete Cleaning, and members of the junior class, for all their hard work. A special thank you to Acting Superintendent Michael Hashem, Steve Napolitana, Leanne Mottola, Jacqui Alongi, Terri Pillsbury, and the Clerical Staff for making this possible. Now, to the Class of 2023. It would be easy to focus on the challenges you have faced as a class. Changing schools and the pandemic provided you with many of those. But, I do not want to dwell on those matters. Rather, I want to focus on something that I believe that is more respective of your class: opportunity. As a class, you did not fixate on the challenges you faced, you found the opportunity in them. When the pandemic closed the schools, you seized the opportunity. You adapted to doing school online, and this will serve you well moving forward in a world where education is increasingly conducted online. You saw things in the world around you that needed to change, and you embraced the opportunity. You formed the Young Feminist Alliance and the Students in Action, and worked for positive change. You joined Student Council, National Honor Society, and Class Government and led important projects around the school and the community to improve life for all of us. For a time many of the things you loved were taken from you, such as athletics and the arts, but when they returned, you embraced them with gusto. You led our athletic teams on the courts, fields, and ice. You wowed audiences on the stage through the performing arts. You brought our brand-new art rooms to life. As you move forward into this next exciting chapter of your life, continue to embrace challenges as opportunities. You have left a wonderful mark on Saugus High School. It is a better school because of you. Continue to go forth and make the world a better place. Congratulations Class of 2023. ׉ 7cassandra://All4ohc5eYMtHTTc73rpcIAeiAEMWU34dAnUjDzAx0w/`̰de~r+`N׉ETHE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 9, 2023 Page 5 2023 Saugus High School graduation The Superintendent’s graduation speech By Michael Hashem G ood evening to all of the students, families, friends, staff, and invited guests. Thank you all for coming to honor our graduating class of 2023. As seems to always be the case, the indoor/outdoor decision for this ceremony came down to the wire. While I may not be sure of anything else, there will always be a 50% chance of rain with the possibility of thunder on our graduation day. The other thing ASKS | FROM PAGE 4 A: I’ve never thought of teaching mathematics. My fi rst experience in the world was going to college at Boston University. College came with a lot of anxiety and fear for me. I was just learning to live in a wheelchair. I had absolutely no idea what I could actually do for a career. I switched to teaching just because I didn’t know what else could have been possible. I know for certain is that no one wants to hear a long speech from me, so I will be concise. This has truly been a challenging time; for this class, myself, and society as a whole. But the past is prologue and now is the time to move forward. As Eleanor Roosevelt best described: “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I lived through this Once I had my fi rst experience in the classroom, I knew that was where I wanted to be. Q: Please share with our readers what you remember about the serious spinal injury you suff ered in 1987 while playing hockey for Saugus High School. A: My initial feeling was shocked when I was told that I would never walk again. The thing I remember most is the way that my mother looked at me. She looked at me with such horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’” It is almost as if she had predicted the past few years. But I have to agree with her; you have been a resilient group of students. You have taken on the obstacles and worked your way through high school. Now each of you are on to your next journey. Given your challenges that you each faced over these past four years, I am confident that you are prepared for whatever comes your way. I wish you all the best a sense of sadness and fear for my future. That was the greatest motivating factor for me. I never wanted my mother to have to look at me that way ever again. I was overwhelmed by the support of my family and community. It was like the entire town adopted me. So much of what I was able to accomplish came as a result of family and community support. I am so grateful to have grown up in and I will leave you all with a final quote that I think sums it all up from Sir Edmund Hillary: “While on top of Everest, I looked across the valley towards the great peak Makalu and mentally worked out a route about how it could be climbed. It showed me that even though I was standing on top of the world, it wasn’t the end of everything. I was still looking beyond to other interesting challenges.” Congratulations and best of luck. such a wonderful place. Q: For the benefi t of our readers, what is the extent of your injury? What does it mean to be a quadriplegic? A: I have what is called a complete severed spinal cord at the level C5. What that means is that I have no feeling or function below my chest. Losing the ability to walk is the most visual consequence of my injury. For me, personally, all of the internal aspects of my life and SAUGUS ACTING SUPERINTENDENT MICHAEL HASHEM: He calls this year’s graduates “a resilient group of students.” (Saugus Advocate photo by Mark E. Vogler) my body that I have lost control of are far more consequential than the ability to walk. The life of a person living with SCI [spinal cord injury] is an unpredictable and fragile experience. When you don’t have control of your own body, it is a diffi - cult mental battle every day to look beyond what could happen and live in the moment. Q: After the reality set in that ASKS | SEE PAGE 6 ׉ 7cassandra://nVkQprGXJitcSj0VCPLVOqqYPGhxlfl5HSPBGE4i4Tg)`̰de~r+`Ode~r+`N PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://qCAllbbFpbhER8IqJgOkLrnfuqb2tnGguY6IKSn4yBc`)׉ 7cassandra://RORp1prms4M1bMCTEtttkgsPf_nOrKyZekubQ8aSC8M͓n`J׉ 7cassandra://SGu0b4YVSt6n4YbH4AdpxE0uZQ0Iky14CcyEvB8AsRo) `̰׉ 7cassandra://7MQGVSxTXviM0n-VT_gGwElZr8E2P8KTEJyyWS2eocYD͠der+`tט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://CBNH3Rgd8xts0FQBTJxHyhUN9oX-JYGTKUQYGRovUm0`)׉ 7cassandra://SEd5Wi5bPnsZgR7BnG9i4i4vnDJNK8Llqy2uiuvaX94͕P`J׉ 7cassandra://6wia-22ZEwEa1J5zxrOLl_HdtV5CA2QYNDzrTB973pI*`̰׉ 7cassandra://473qsRzvCkFO2XgzQGeMxqlrv53W6WwrF2q4twdYwnAh2͠der+`uנder+`x/9ׁHhttp://www.everettaluminum.comׁ ׁ Ј׉EPage 6 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 9, 2023 The Voke’s Valedictorian Saugus resident Kenneth Suarez earns top student honors at northeast Metro Tech (Editor’s Note: The following article was submitted to The Saugus Advocate, courtesy of Northeast Metropolitan Regional Vocational High School.) K enneth Ibarra Suarez was 11 years old when his family immigrated to the United States from Mexico. He knew only three words in English: “chicken,” “bathroom,” and “chair.” But Suarez, who had always been good at math, nevertheless qualified for an honors math course, and was thrust into a classroom with an English-speaking teacher. “I had no one to translate for me so I just kind of had to observe what everyone else was doing and just go with the flow,” Suarez said. “I tried paying as much attention as I could and I did my best.” Suarez, who lives in Saugus with his family, finished the course with a grade of 87 despite not even speaking the language that the course was taught in. By eighth grade, Suarez was already fluent in English. He excelled throughout his ASKS | FROM PAGE 5 you would be confined to a wheelchair the rest of your life, how long was it before you came to peace with your situation and set new career and life goals? A: I don’t think I will ever be completely at peace as a result of my injury. I don’t feel anybody that suffers such a life-altering event can completely four years at Northeast Metro Tech, and is both valedictorian of the Class of 2023 and the school’s Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year. Suarez completed his senior year while taking four Advanced Placement classes and Honors Spanish III, and finished with the highest GPA in the senior class. He is an active member of the National Honor Society, the National Technical Honor Society, the Peer Mentoring Program, Students Against Destructive Decisions, and serves as historian of the Northeast Metro Tech Student Council. Suarez was also named the school’s Student Athlete of the Year in 2022, and was the captain of Northeast Metro Tech’s boys soccer team this season. He is also a recipient of the Electrical Craftmanship Award, the highest honor a student can receive from a technical shop at Northeast Metro Tech, and a recipient of a highly competitive John and Abigail Adams Scholarship. Suarez said he studies hard because of the sacrifices made by his parents, Kenneth Ibarbe at peace with their circumstances. That does not mean that I feel bad for myself or regret the life that I lived. I have found what I’ve always been looking for: living a normal life filled with purpose and happiness. Q: What was the turning point in your life after the injury? A: I don’t think I can pinpoint one moment that made me ra and Ana Suarez, who slept without warm blankets in the winter so that they could afford warm clothes for their children when they first arrived in America. “Seeing that and remembering how harsh those times were always kept me trying my best on every single project I did, whether it was in electrical or academics,” Suarez said. “That’s really my motivation. One day I want to be able to retire my parents and enable them to not work.” Suarez is working at Building Automation Systems in Weymouth through Northeast Metro Tech’s Co-Op Program, and he plans to continue working there this summer to save up money for college. This fall, he will attend the University of Massachusetts Lowell to study Electrical Engineering. Frank Barker, who was Suarez’s shop teacher for four years, said Suarez realized early on that he wanted to be an electrical engineer, and then worked passionately toward that goal and the pathway that Northeast Metro Tech crefind peace and move past my circumstances. For me it is the anticipation of the next good moment. That gets me through all of the challenging moments that are inevitably a part of my existence and always will be. Q: Looking back over that period of your life, what do you credit for maintaining a positive attitude and moving forward? A: My parents raised my sisated for him. “He’s very diligent, and he takes high school very seriously,” said Barker. “Kenneth is smart, respectful to everyone, humble, analytical, he has an excellent work ethic, is a team player, is likeable, and is a well-balanced student,” said Maira Mejia, a bilingual adjustment and guidance counselor who nominated Suarez as Outstanding Vocational Student of the Year. “He loves to learn and help others.” Jeffrey Lefave, Suarez’s AP Computer Science and Honors Precalculus teacher, said Suarez has a sharp mind, and always tries to understand more than just the answers to test questions. “He works really hard to ask thought-provoking questions, and to try to understand why we’re doing what we’re doing, and why the solution is the way it is,” Lefave said. “He’s got an inquisitive mind.” “Kenny is a bright, determined, humble young man. He loves to learn. I have had the opportunity to watch him develop from a quiet, unsure ter and I to be independent and work for everything that we achieved. It was easy for us to live this way because both of our parents had to live that way to make our lives better. My mother and my father worked two jobs throughout my childhood. This was on a much larger scale, but the foundation built by my family was an integral part of finding my way after my injury. Q: Was there a person or people in your life who gave you hope and were an inspiration to you? Please talk about the people who inspired you to go on and make something of your life. A: My mother and my father were my first inspiration and my reason for never letting my circumstances prevent me from achieving. I feel my greatest motivation came from young people. My life centers upon the fact that I need help with almost every aspect of life. That is one of the most burdensome aspects of my existence. That is why I felt such an inspiration from the students that I was able to engage with on a daily basis. As a teacher it was about my students needing me for assisKenneth Ibarra Suarez (Courtesy Photo to The Saugus Advocate) 9th grader into a confident, caring senior with a tremendous work ethic,” said Principal Carla Scuzzarella. “Kenny is a wonderful representative of all that is best about Northeast Metro Tech High School. His smile and positive attitude will be greatly missed by our school. I am not only proud of Kenny as his principal, but I have the good fortune of living around the corner from Kenny in Saugus, so I am extra proud of him as a fellow Saugonian!” tance. When I first began teaching, it was a distraction from my day-to-day existence. It wasn’t long that that distraction started to become an enjoyment and ultimately, where I found my purpose, personally and professionally. I will always live with the hole in my heart due to my injury. I also lived with the hole in my heart due to the fact that I would never find what every human being strives for: somebody to love. It took me a long time to let somebody in, and I am blessed to have found love in the beautiful eyes of my wife Arlene. Q: At what point did you decide you wanted to become an advocate and mentor for spinal cord injured persons? A: In recent years the pandemic and the Internet created a new world for people living with significant disabilities. I have gained friends and contacts throughout the country. As a result I was able to develop and be the director of a mentor program for teenagers living with spinal cord injuries. I would next like to create a nonprofit that is employing ASKS | SEE PAGE 20 ׉ 7cassandra://SGu0b4YVSt6n4YbH4AdpxE0uZQ0Iky14CcyEvB8AsRo) `̰de~r+`P׉E3THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, JUnE 9, 2023 ~ The Old Sachem ~ Page 7 Rollin On The Riva F rom the first time I heard her sing, I have been enthralled by the music of Tina Turner. I’m sure that you know the songs that she sang: “A Fool in Love,” ”River Deep – Mountain High,” “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” and the one I most admire, “Proud Mary.” “Left a good job in the city “Working for the man every night and day “And I never lost one minute of sleeping “Worrying ’bout the way that things might have been ing “Big wheel keep on turn“Proud Mary keep on burning “And we’re rolling rolling, rolling “Rolling on the river” The songwriter was John Fogerty and the lyrics are owned by BMG Rights Management Concord Music Publishing LLC. I have only listed a single verse here, but you can find the whole song under Google. Although you have heard her songs many times, I’ll bet you don’t know much about Tina Turner. She was born November 26, 1939, in Brownsville, Tennessee. Her birth name was Anna Mae Bullock, the youngest daughter of Floyd Richard Bullock and his wife Zelma Priscilla (née Currie). Her parents moved to Knoxville to work at a defense company during World War II. Anna was left with her strict, religious grandparents, who were Deacon and Deaconess at Woodland Missionary Baptist Church. After the war the family returned to the Knoxville area in a small farming community known as Nutbush. Tina was a young singer at the Nutbush Spring Hill Baptist Church. Her mother ran away from an abusive relationship, and Tina and her sisters were left with their maternal grandmother, Georgeanna Currie, in Brownsville, Tennessee. As a teenager she worked as a domestic worker. She was a member of the cheerleading squad and played basketball for Carver High School in Brownsville. When Anna was 16, her grandmother died, and Anna went to live with her mother in St. Louis. Upon graduating from Summer High School in Brownsville, she became a nurse’s aide at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital. Anna and her sister often attended night clubs in the area. She saw Ike Turner perform with his band, Kings of Rhythm, at the Manhattan Club in East St. Louis. She was taken by the talent of the band and asked Ike if she could sing a few songs accompanied by the band. He turned her down; the band played without a woman singer. One night in 1957 when the drummer, Eugene Washington, during an intermission left the stage, Anna grabbed his microphone and began singEverett Aluminum 10 Everett Ave., Everett 617-389-3839 “Same name, phone number & address for over half a century. We must be doing something right!” •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Decks •Vinyl Siding •Carpentry Work •Free Estimates •Fully Licensed •Roofing • Fully Insured • Replacement Windows www.everettaluminum.com •Free Estimates •Fully Licensed Now’s the time to schedule those home improvement projects you’ve been dreaming about all winter! ing B.B. King’s ballad “You Know I Love You.” Ike was impressed; he asked her if she knew any other songs and she sang a few accompanied by the band. She became a singing member of the band, and Ike began teaching her the fine points of vocal control and performance. In 1958 she made her first recording using the name Little Ann on the song “Boxtop” along with the band and the band’s male singer, Carlson Oliver. In 1960, she convinced Ike to let her sing “A Fool In Love” written by Ike. The tape was sent to Juggy Murray, President of R&B label Sue Records. Murray liked what he heard and presented Bullock with $25,000 to acquire the record and all rights. Murray convinced Ike to make her star of the show, and he renamed her Tina. During the sixties they married and their songs skyrocketed to the top 10 and number two in Rock and Roll. She went on to become a leading singer: appearing in television, cutting albums and records and doing stage performances. Their marriage became very harmful to Tina, and Ike became heavily addicted to cocaine. She filed for divorce in 1976. She continued her music career and died in May of this year. I often sing “Proud Mary” to myself and hear Tina in the background. We will miss the rockingest Celebrating 65 Years in Business! S Summer is Here! singer to perform during our lifetime. (Editor’s Note: Bill Stewart, better known to Saugus Advocate readers as “The Old Sachem,” writes a weekly column about sports – and sometimes he opines on current or historical events or famous people.) “The Old Sachem,” Bill Stewart (Courtesy photo to The Saugus Advocate by Joanie Allbee) ׉ 7cassandra://6wia-22ZEwEa1J5zxrOLl_HdtV5CA2QYNDzrTB973pI*`̰de~r+`Qde~r+`P PבCט(u׉׉ 7cassandra://SLSXjm0GrMyMJvQArpgAw-hxkFOZqWK3EOAkRdPvmG4ir`)׉ 7cassandra://dVOgG6R9wH9yduncRojs0x-56GNmNSCftDxH24jEnSw͜`J׉ 7cassandra://hFt-yrCDmWnvfqaIcxUpkMk9tkdVDzHp9ZcrcLrakis,h`̰׉ 7cassandra://YCvXceCBfogu0jCdSFaOcjg_3TZVDHAXIl0nrKJ5YkE4\͠der+`yט((u׉׉ 7cassandra://5OS69Dc5ICKf2poNHnCnItEHHeIXLBulaaFqz5YMS5g *`)׉ 7cassandra://2EfjEagkrAmzhwlBt9Li2blg9kNtfjB-HPPqBx1kEqQ͝`J׉ 7cassandra://wD5e6dIwDEjBpLP-ODTpRhieEeCsigRb_phj6c9Ixm4+P`̰׉ 7cassandra://gYUTeXvhOb3ZbZnoqwDmmJhXuAX9j53hP7jqpBev90U|͠der+`zנder+`с9ׁH%http://www.JandSlandscape-masonry.comׁ ׁ Ј׉E