Joe Pulio

Whether he is teaching Business Incubator to a bunch of juniors, directing a play, or accidentally yelling at Vince Vaughn, Mr. Joe Pulio is a force to be reckoned with at Lake Forest High School.

One place where his talent for directing and leadership abilities truly shines is in the Theater Department.

“I have seen Mr. Pulio explain to students the importance of understanding a character’s perspective and why a character would feel and act a certain way” said Student Activities Director Ashleigh Malec.  “He is always pushing students to empathize and share that understanding through their acting. These are the lessons students will carry with them, both on and off the stage.”

While Mr. Pulio can sometimes be an intimidating teacher, students  bond with him and have created many interesting memories.

“One fond memory I have of Mr Pulio is when we were in the middle of class, and he pulled me and two other students out of class to help him find set pieces for the current show that was being put on. We ended up running around the school for some kind of couch that looked ‘art deco,’ and we found one in a counselor’s office, so we just took it and ended up using it as a prop” said junior Cole Joseph.

Mr. Pulio also teaches the very intense Business Incubator and Business Accelerator courses, which just might be harder than some college business classes.

“Pulio is one of the best educators I have ever had. Incubator and accelerator are like no classes I have ever taken. He teaches you essential skills in the world of business and teaches you amazing communications skills and how to present” said senior Lillie Michael.

Lillie also shared a funny memory of  Mr. Pulio from Business Incubator.

“Close to the end of the school year, my team persuaded him to do a push up contest with one of my teammates, and he absolutely killed it. He ended up beating the student. Don’t underestimate the strength of Mr. Pulio!”

Mr. Pulio has also made a very lasting impression on  alumni who miss his help all throughout high school.

“I miss having his guidance since I have graduated. He was a mentor to me, and I want to tell him about all of the things I have learned about so far in college” said alumnus Zach Demet.