Name: Paul Castelli - Age 17
School: - 2011 Graduate
Whiz Kid's Accomplishment: After graduating from high school in June, Castelli joined the United States Merchant Marine Academy on July 7 with the ultimate goal of serving his country as an officer in the US Military. He received the Congressional nomination to enter the Academy from U.S. Rep. Tim Bishop.
Castelli also earned the rank of Eagle Scout by constructing two picnic tables and a gravel picnic area at The First Baptist Church of Patchogue. He also worked in the church's nursery doing childcare and painting the nursery and has also volunteered at in Rocky Point in the soup kitchen.
Key to Awesomeness: In high school, Castelli was on the Junior Varsity and Varsity Football and Varsity Winter and Spring track teams where he was recognized as a Scholar/Athlete.
He earned the President's Award for Academic Excellence, Principles of Engineering Award, Executive Council Award and the Christopher D. O'Connell Memorial Scholarship for football. He was also in the National Honor Society, the National Foreign Language Honor Society for Italian, the treasurer for student government in his junior year and treasurer for executive council in his senior year. On top of all that, Castelli was in the United States Sea Cadets Corp and a member of Rep. Bishop's High School Advisory Board.
Castelli, the oldest of four children, attended the American Legion's Boy's State program in 2010, played the trumpet all four years of high school and has been a certified lifeguard, tutor and junior counselor for the .
