The Huntington Lighthouse has always fascinated Ronnie Carrillo. As a young child, the Huntington resident, 17, said he was obsessed with lighthouses, filling with excitement on family trips to Fire Island when its lighthouse would finally come into view. But Carrillo's favorite has always been the handsome Venetian-Renaissance style structure that sits in Huntington Harbor.
Numerous summer trips to the lighthouse — owned by the nonprofit Huntington Lighthouse Preservation Society — with his mother and brother, led volunteers to nickname Carrillo The Lighthouse Kid because he was there so often and knowledgeable about its history. "I've always had an obsession with lighthouses,” he said. From breaking news to special features and documentaries, the NewsdayTV team is covering the issues that matter to you.
By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . That obsession, coupled with a love for scouting, translated into Carrillo reaching the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America on May 3, an Eagle Scout . "I've always had an obsession with lighthouses," said Ronnie Carrillo, now 17, and shown in a family photo as a child.
Credit: Randee Daddona To attain this rank a candidate must conceive, design, manage and install a service project for the benefit of a community or nonprofit. His idea was to install a solar-powered-lighting system around the perimeter of the base of the lighthouse to better illuminate the nearly 50-foot structure. “The project’s main goal.