Current Boothbay Region High School junior Gabe Purin has just been elected student body president for the 2015-2016 school year.

“I love this community and school,” Purin said. “This is a valuable chance for me to improve things.”

Purin is passionate about work, community service and school spirit. He is a vice president of the YMCA Leadership Club, helps out with Boothbay Region Community Television during the winter, and is a big brother mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program to a local boy named Sammy.

“Working with Sammy, he inspires me,” Purin said. “I've seen such a change in him; when we first met, he was really shy. We connected over Pokemon and we are pen pals and talk over email; and as time has gone on, he's made lots of friends.”

Purin said he was inspired by former Student Body President Karl Alamo.

“He enjoyed the job he got to do,” Purin said. “He had a passion for the leadership role and did an amazing job. I want to do that, too.”

As a role model in the school, Purin said he plans to set a good example for all the other students by challenging himself in class, being dedicated to both schoolwork and sports, and by showing integrity in his actions. He also hopes to make it into Top 10 seniors next year.

One thing Purin wants to do as student body president is to have each class do a community project throughout the year. The project would help them earn service hours and contribute to the community as a whole.

“I think the community service requirement is a good thing,” Purin said. BRHS students need to earn at least five hours of community service each year to be eligible to move on.

“It can be something like creating a class garden, which they could commemorate with a plaque at the end of the year,” Purin said.

Purin also is interested in having students do announcements throughout the day and generally increasing student involvement in the school. He plans to continue with the revived tradition of the Homecoming Parade and hopes to create more opportunities for friendly competitions between the classes.

Purin also said he is looking forward to working with all the class presidents, especially his friend Hannah Morley, who will be senior class president.

“She's great and we work really well together,” Purin said.

Purin plans to work at Glidden Point Oyster this summer.

“I love it there. It's hard work, but it's great,” Purin said.