SEYMOUR — Calling all Seymour High School Wildcats!

Do you know an SHS graduate from any decade who would be worthy of induction into the school’s newly established Alumni Hall of Fame? If you do, the school’s student council and administration want to hear from you by June 7.

The Hall of Fame will honor past SHS graduates who exhibit extraordinary achievement, outstanding character and good citizenship. A committee comprised of administrators and the student council has been working over the past year to develop the criteria for nominees to be considered for induction.

Student Body President Zachary Bracca said the committee is seeking names of past SHS graduates who would made an excellent addition to the Hall of Fame’s inaugural class.

“We really want to get the word out, and are hoping to get as many nominations as possible so we can consider them for induction into the new Alumni Hall of Fame,” he said.

Nominees must be graduates of SHS (of a minimum of seven years); have displayed creativity in or propensity to make a difference in his or her field and career; demonstrates exemplary character; have made significant community and humanitarian contributions; boast creativity, fortitude, entrepreneurship, dedication and integrity in their life’s endeavors.

Nominations are due by June 7.

Those interested in nominating someone who meets the criteria is asked to fill out a nomination form online here. You can also call the school at 203-888-2561 to pick up a paper nomination form or inquire about having one mailed to you.

The committee will then reach out to the nominees, who will be asked to submit a biography via a Google form which will be sent once nominated, or a standard biography can be written and emailed to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address), or can be dropped off in the main office of SHS, located at 2 Botsford Rd.

The inaugural class of inductees will be notified and announced at this year’s Class of 2021 graduation ceremony next month, which will be live-streamed for all to view.

Assistant Principal Paul Lucke said he and Teacher Stephanie Ciccone, along with some students, came up with the idea to create an Alumni Hall of Fame a few years back, but due to the pandemic, plans to develop it were put on the backburner until now.

Lucke and Ciccone brought the idea of honoring past alumni to the current student body representatives, and all were onboard.

“We all came to the same conclusion that it is extremely important to honor past SHS graduates in this way in order to celebrate our culture, our history and our traditions and to provide the current study body with the potential that they all have in themselves,” Lucke said.

Lucke said he’s looking forward to reviewing the nominations.

“We wanted all students who come from different family backgrounds and who have individual talents and ambitions to see that they can be outstanding people who reach the pinnacle of their chosen endeavor and who can positively impact those around them,” Lucke said.

Lucke recalled how former longtime Wildcats football coach and teacher, and an SHS Distinguished Alumni, Paul ‘Spoony’ Sponheimer embodied the spirit of what it means to be a Wildcat, and is excited to induct past graduates who do the same.

“Mr. Paul Sponheimer said the following statements numerous times on a daily basis while teaching at SHS…’Once a Wildcat, always a Wildcat,’ and, ‘It’s a great day to be a Wildcat,’” Lucke added. “Those two statements embody what we believe in.”

Bracca said he and his fellow seniors are excited about the newly established program.

“Those inducted will forever serve as role models for future classes who walk through the halls of Seymour High,” he said.

Bracca added that he and some of his classmates will remain active, post graduation, in running the Facebook page, as well as serving on the induction committee for future hall of famers.

SHS also annually names a Distinguished Alumni, who speaks at the annual graduation ceremony. Lucke said all those past alumni will retroactively be inducted into the new Alumni Hall of Fame at some point. The school also boasts an Athletic Hall of Fame, annually honoring the best and the brightest who shone on the grid iron, the baseball diamond, basketball court and in the classroom, as well.