‘The world suddenly seemed so much bigger’

JOLIET – Joliet West High School senior Alex Paramo was walking out of work when his cellphone rang. Paramo saw the Connecticut phone number and thought, “Wow, I messed up my application to Yale,” and took the call.

Paramo was wrong.

It was an unofficial acceptance to the university and an invitation to attend its Engineering and Science weekend April 21 to 23, which Paramo did. When that event was over, Paramo flew to Stanford University in California to tour that campus from April 24 to 27, as he also had been accepted there.

“All of a sudden, people were taking notice of what I had done,” Paramo said. “The world suddenly seemed so much bigger than it had before.”

That trip convinced Paramo – also accepted at the University of Chicago and the University of Illinois – that the “off the charts” entrepreneur spirit at Stanford was appealing to him, a boy who had grown up with parents who spoke little English, picked up the language from daycare and now plans to study bioengineering.

“I like being able to go in-depth into subjects,” Paramo said. “I’d like to have the freedom to research topics that interest me. I felt that if I went to Yale, I could become a well-learned person and observe all this knowledge, but I saw Stanford as a place that would push my limits.”

Calling Paramo an “intrinsically motivated, incredibly poised and articulate young man,” Joliet West Principal Teresa Gibson said she met Paramo during his sophomore year and thought, “Gosh, this kid is awfully mature.”

Over the next few years, Paramo proved her right. He enthusiastically seized every opportunity Joliet West High School offered to him and excelled in every one of them.

“He knows which direction he wants to go,” Gibson said, “and the steps it takes to get there.”

Paramo began his formal schooling at Forest Park Individual Education School in Joliet, where he soaked up the school’s motto of “responsibility, respectfulness, resourcefulness and responsiveness.” Paramo feels the opportunity to work at his pace contributed to his academic success.

“If I wanted to get ahead, I could get ahead. If I needed to fall back, I had the time to fall back and then catch up,” Paramo said. “Some classes, like math and science, were easier, so I was always ahead, but I was never amazing at English.”

By fifth grade, Paramo, who didn’t enjoy baseball, was playing soccer through the Joliet Park District. From Forest Park, Paramo entered Hufford Junior High School’s individual education program, continued to play soccer and even volunteered with a church food drive once a month.

“I had nothing else to do,” Paramo said, “except play video games.”

But if felt good to help out, to do something worthwhile, he said. So as Paramo prepared to enter Joliet West, he made himself a promise: He would not waste time. Paramo put down the controller, and he kept that promise.

When Paramo saw a flier for the math club, he signed up. And when he learned about the Leo Club, a service club, he joined. He created – and delivered – Power Point presentation about the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Academy, of which Paramo is a member.

When Paramo, at Joliet West High School, was asked to serve as the student representative for the Joliet Township High School strategic planning committee, Paramo accepted. He then joined its action team and devised a mentoring plan for incoming advanced placement students. He learned, to his surprise, that his opinion held the same weight as the committee’s adult members.

“That was new to me,” Paramo said. “It was a real eye-opener.”

For eight weeks last summer, Paramo commuted two hours one way to participate in the University of Chicago Young Scientist Training Program and work on a plant composition project.

This spring, with National Honor Society co-president Franchesca Alejo of Plainfield, Paramo helped organize the second Tiny Tigers Fun Fair, which raised money for local, severely ill children.

He audited a justice class from Harvard University. He played on the tennis team. He played on the soccer team. That’s how freshman English teacher and part-time soccer coach Anthony Romanelli met Paramo. He was a good role model on and off the field, Romanelli said, and that “kids really vibed with him.”

“He’s really positive and extremely helpful,” Romanelli said. “Honestly, he’s about as good as they get.”

What does Paramo do for fun? He works out at a gym and reads: Ayn Rand, Malcolm Gladwell and biology-related research.

“I like to go on Reddit,” Paramo said, “and read all the science posts.”

KNOW MORE: ABOUT ALEX PARAMO

• Co-president of the National Honor Society
• President of Leo Club
• Secretary for the science team
• Competed as an oralist presenter for the math team, where he placed first in a conference math meet.
• Played both varsity soccer and tennis
• Served as the student representative for the Joliet Township High School strategic planning committee
• Member of the Business Management and Informational Systems/STEM Leadership Council
• Participated in the Young Scientist Training Program at the University of Chicago
• Attended the Yale University Engineering and Science Weekend
• Has taken 14 advanced placement and dual credit courses
• Current GPA is 4.53
• Has been awarded 2nd Team Chicago Fire All-State All-Academic
• Is an Illinois Scholar
• Is an AP Scholar with distinction
• Was offered full-tuition scholarships to the University of Chicago, University of Illinois, Yale University and Stanford University.

Source: Information supplied by Joliet Township High School