Joseph Paolillo admits he’s not a big city person and he emphatically said, “I love Boothbay,” during this interview. 

That’s one of the reasons why he has chosen to attend St. Lawrence University in Canton, New York this fall after graduating from Boothbay Region High School. Located in the upper Adirondacks, not far from the Canadian border, St. Lawrence University is surrounded by farm country, is near the St. Lawrence River and “there’s plenty of outdoor things to do,” said Paolillo.

Joseph, the son of Dana and Joseph Paolillo of East Boothbay, also said he chose St. Lawrence for its academic programs. He said he would like to study business and take courses in philosophy and writing.

While attending BRHS, he feels he’s gotten a good education and has taken the right challenging courses for his field of college study.

“By attending a small school like BRHS, I don’t feel like I’m just a number,” he said. “I’ve been able to work closely with the teaching and coaching staffs.” He made special mention of the help he received from teacher Mark Gorey, who “helped me with a different way of learning.”

“As a sophomore in the AP Language course (usually taken by juniors),” said Gorey, “Joey already appreciated the profound implications of Noam Chomsky's book about propaganda and U.S. media conglomerates, ‘Manufacturing Consent.’ In AP Literature, for his senior thesis, Joey explored the American public's increasing propensity for wilderness travel and survival living, as our working lives are increasingly spent in glass towers. I also taught Joey in a creative writing independent study; with an acute attention to language, he wrote original short stories with protagonists preoccupied by the call of travel's freedom. I hope he continues to pursue his interest in writing fiction, even as he considers business in his college studies.”

Joseph said he will miss his favorite teachers the most, but that he will be back to visit. He said he'll also miss the sports — he has participated in cross-country, Nordic skiing and track and was an assistant coach for the girls soccer team last fall. He also was a member of the Outing Club as a sophomore.

When asked to give some advice for the underclassmen, including his sister, Olivia, who is a sophomore at BRHS, he said, “diversify your courses and interests, to get a well-rounded view. It will help you decide where your interests lie.” He also recommends that underclassmen should use their time wisely.

This summer will be Joseph’s fifth season working at Cabbage Island Clambakes. He started as a jack of all trades and moved to a waiter.