WESTWOOD, N.J.—Congratulations to Christian Santamaria, a Boy Scout with Troop 47 and a senior at Westwood Jr./Sr. High School, who recently earned Eagle Scout, the highest rank in scouting.
To earn Eagle, the Westwood resident sent 75 backpacks filled with school supplies to orphans in Milot, Haiti.
He told Pascack Press on Dec. 18 that he chose this project in part because his father visits Haiti on medical missions three times a year with Holy Name Medical Center.
“He’s spoken often about the children he sees who don’t even have supplies to go to school. The idea that a child doesn’t even have a pen to write with or paper to write on made me very sad,” Santamaria said.
The scout explained he was in contact with Sister Ann, who runs the orphanage, and she told him which school supplies would be helpful.
“Through donations I was able to make 75 backpacks filled with notebooks, pens, pencils, pencil case, erasers, rulers, crayons, water bottles, uniforms, and socks. Holy Name Medical Center them shipped the supplies over to Haiti for me and made sure Sister Ann and the children received the supplies,” he said.
Asked what his plans are after high school graduation, Santamaria said he looks forward to going to college and pursuing a career in physical therapy.