R.S. Dominic Pistritto

The youngest of three, Dominic Pistritto is a Grassfield High School senior with aspirations to pursue writing. He joined The Virginian-Pilot high school journalism workshop in the hopes of turning his hobby of writing books into a talent he can apply to the real world.

Pistritto, 17, was born in Chesapeake. He enjoys writing novels, hanging out with friends, playing arcade games and going longboarding. He said “Ready Player One” by Ernest Cline is one of his favorite books. In his own work, “The Saviors,” Pistritto is writing about how teenagers are faced with superpowers that can be used for good or evil.

Friends call Pistritto loving and caring.

“Absolutely fun to be around and a whiz kid,” friend Elijah Moore said of Pistritto.

Pistritto’s best friend Malcolm Settle says Pistritto is “above all a good person. He’s always there as someone to talk to. He’s always in a positive mood even if only for a little, and his sense of humor never fails to be contagious.”

Settle has known Pistritto for three years. He says the two are like Drake and Josh from the Nickelodeon show “Drake and Josh.” How? “See for yourself,” Settle said.

“Words to describe him are so hard to come by, but in the end he is just him. He never really hides anything and he’s always himself 100 percent of the time,” Settle said.