Alumni Feature: Chris Paolelli '02
The sudden passing of longtime English teacher, Br. Robert Ruhl, CSV, in 2008 served as a defining moment for the Saint Viator High School Community — and for one of its alumni, Chris Paolelli ’02.
At the time, he was student teaching in the English department at nearby Hersey High School in Arlington Heights and becoming increasingly aware of just how different it was from his own high school experience.
“There were aspects of my Catholic education that I hadn’t really valued before, like starting each class with a prayer,” Paolelli says. “That and I missed the community aspect, that we’re all in the same boat, working as a team for something that mattered more than us individually.”
It was at the wake for Br. Ruhl, that former English Department chairman, Jerry Leitner, told Paolelli about the opening and the rest is history.
Paolelli began his 12th year in August, teaching sophomore Literature and Composition II and AP Language and Composition II to juniors. He also added a new title as director of the Querbes Scholars Program.
The enrichment program for highly motivated students began in 2010, and over the course of last year, Paolelli served on a faculty committee that updated the program and its parameters. Under his leadership, the scholars now experience faith-based academic programs dedicated to fostering a dedication to service and lifelong learning.
Underscoring the faith-based aspect is a common theme that continues to drive Paolelli long after he made the switch to teaching at a Catholic school.
At last summer’s Service & Song Camp, Paolelli was the only participant — besides its founder, Fr. Corey Brost, CSV — who has returned every year. Campers gave him a rousing applause when Paolelli was the last one standing during introductions.
He also is a frequent adult leader on Kairos retreats, going on as many as two per year. For the last 10 years, he has given a presentation on liturgy, something which he describes is his “thing.”
“I go as often as they let me go,” Paolelli says. “I think it’s one of the most important things we do here. It’s transformative and is a major takeaway for students when they leave.”
Paolelli need only look at the popular senior edition of the Viator Voice newspaper, which he has moderated for 11 of his 12 years at the school, to see how much students value their Kairos experience, and its call to identify where God is active in their lives.
“I wish I could do a pie chart to show just how many times it turns out as a favorite memory of students,” he says.
Working on the newspaper is something Paolelli has been doing since he was a student. He started as a writer, advanced to features editor and eventually served as co-editor in chief.
At Northwestern University, he majored in English with a concentration in creative writing, but he ultimately decided teaching was the way he could share his passion for words and literature, and he hasn’t looked back.
Paolelli leads the “newspaper homeroom” and he calls one of the second-floor computer labs the newsroom. There, he and more than 50 students hold editorial meetings to come up with content, edit and lay out stories using Adobe’s InDesign software, and post them to the newspaper’s website before promoting its print edition.
What’s more, in the three years since Paolelli started entering the staff into the Illinois High School Association’s state competition, he has produced multiple state qualifiers and two state champions, one in headline writing and just last year in news writing.
On a broader level, Paolelli shares his love of writing with juniors working on their college essays. He and Mrs. Marie McGing co-hosted the latest workshop at the beginning of the summer, well before college applications were due.
Together, they pushed students to dig deeper and figure out what they should tell college admissions counselors about themselves. They worked with students on crafting an essay that grabbed the reader at the start, avoided trite expressions and was compelling.
Ultimately, Paolelli says they want each student’s essay to stand out on its own merit, something which he demonstrates day in and day out at Saint Viator High School.
Saint Viator High School
Located in Arlington Heights, IL, Saint Viator High School is a private, co-ed, Catholic school for grades 9-12. Students benefit from a challenging academic program, fine and performing arts, competitive athletics, and a wide selection of extracurricular activities.