Paul Duerr is a 17 year old Hawthorne High School student. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Paul used his free time to write books and publish them on Amazon.

With this not being enough for Duerr, he decided to give back to our school by using the money he made from his books and purchasing school supplies for the teachers here at HHS. These supplies included complete sets of Expo Dry Erase Markers, boxes of tissues, and even autographed copies of Duerr’s book, “Steel and Bone.”

We here at the Clarion found this story to be remarkable, considering the accomplishments and the fact that Duerr is only 17 years old. Eager to know what his thought process was, the Clarion interviewed this amazing HHS senior. 

The Clarion :Tell us something about yourself? 

Paul Duerr : I am a Senior at Hawthorne High School, author of five books, participant in over a dozen extracurriculars, and 1st Place NJCSS High School Student for Northern New Jersey.

The Clarion :Tell us something about your books? 

Paul Duerr : They are all historical fiction and are all completely self-published. All of them are on Amazon…and available for purchase.

The Clarion : Has writing always been your passion? 

Paul Duerr : History has always been my passion…writing was always the avenue or expression.

The Clarion : We know you bought the school some supplies with your money. What was it that made  you want to do that? 

Paul Duerr : My appreciation, respect, and care for the staff and faculty for which I owe who I am.

The Clarion : How did it make you feel giving back to the school?

Paul Duerr : It was one of the best feelings in the world to be able to do what I did.