Jocael Palominos: Stayton High’s Future First Citizen

By Kathy Cook Hunter

Preparing himself for his future work as a nuclear physicist, Jocael Palominos, Stayton High School’s winner of 2009 Future First Citizen, has served as the Science Club president for two years at Stayton High School. The 17-year-old definitely shows a bent for science – he’s participated in the club for four years and is a member of the Global Awareness Club as well.

SHS Science Club members go to area fourth-grade classrooms to spark interest in the students, he said. They conduct demonstrations and lessons, such as showing the reaction between chalk and vinegar or, as Palominos did, teaching about weather. “The goal of the club is to inform kids about science and get them interested,” he said.

Palominos attributes Mr. Dolman at Stayton Middle School for exciting him about science when he was a fifth-grader. “He’s the one who got me so interested in science,” he said.

He’s known since seventh grade he wanted to be a nuclear physicist working in the nuclear fission area. He plans to work for the U.S. Government or in France, the world leader in nuclear energy. He’s been studying the French language for four years, two of them in the classroom while studying independently, using the Rosetta Stone program. “I like it because of it emphasizes pronunciation,” he said.

Palominos has an Oregon State University achievement award of $2,000 and his high grade point average has earned him a tuition scholarship at Chemeketa Community College. He will attend CCC for two years under a joint plan with OSU, where he will finish his undergraduate physics degree. Then he wants to go on to University of Maryland for a master’s and doctorate degrees in nuclear physics. 

An all-around student with broad interests besides science, Palominos has cleaned up Oregon beaches for SOLV, acted in the fall play this year, is president of National Honor Society, and earned letters in academics and track and field.

His school counselor, Bonnejo Ixtucuy, said Palominos “excels in whatever he does. He is a great example; he is respected by both students and staff.”

“This year I participated in the leadership class,” said Palominos. “It was somewhat intimidating because you’re required to put in 40 hours of time, but I did 60. I’m proud of that. I had to put on events, and it makes me feel good when someone comments how good they were.” He co-chaired the Powder Puff Football and Walk-the-Walk events.

His family is important to him, particularly his mother, whom he counts as the greatest influence on his life. She has raised three children as a single mother, he said, and endured a number of medical setbacks, receiving a kidney transplant in 2005. “I kind of want to ‘pay it forward’ because she’s done so much for me,” Palominos said. “I want to take care of her.”

Grateful for the honor he’s receiving, he said, “It means to me that people recognize my values and acknowledge me as an example. I want to be a good example to those who go down a bad path.”