SEYMOUR — Twelve of Seymour High School’s past graduates who’ve made their mark on their hometown to Hollywood were recently named to the school’s inaugural Alumni Hall of Fame.
The 2021 Alumni Hall of Fame recipients made contributions to the community through service to others.
The first class was actually announced during SHS’ 2021 graduation ceremony, but COVID-19 caused some delays, and the inductees were formally honored this year. The Seymour Board of Education, in June, unanimously approved a resolution recognizing the inaugural class “who have achieved personal success and have made significant contributions to society, thereby serving as role models to inspire current and future generations of Seymour students.”
Plans are in the works to seek nominations for the Alumni Hall of Fame’s Class of 2022. People can look for nomination forms online on the town and school’s websites and Facebook pages next month.
The inaugural class that made the cut:
Peter Klarides (Class of 1950) and his daughters Themis Klarides (Class of ‘83) and Nicole Klarides-Ditria (Class of ‘86), along with Pamela Finkle (Class of ‘67); Brent Campanelli (Class of ‘08), Erik Baker (Class of ‘87), Ernie DiStasi (Class of ‘98) Karen Stanek (Class of ‘66), Fred Stanek (Class of ‘72), Leonard Greene (Class of ‘76), Leonard Greene, Jr. (Class of ‘98) and Kurt Miller (Class of ‘88).
Superintendent of Schools Susan Compton is a firm believer in feting former students who’ve really made the grade.
“It gives our students an opportunity to see and reflect that someday some of them could be selected in the future, as well,” Compton said. “These 12 alumni have left a wonderful legacy for Seymour High School, and that their contributions have been outstanding.”
The Class of 2021, along with future Alumni Hall of Famers, will have their names on a plaque displayed at the school. Future plans call for creation of a digital yearbook, where the names and biographies of all inductees will be featured.
SHS Assistant Principal Paul Lucke initially came up with the idea to create an Alumni Hall of Fame a few years back, but the pandemic put the plans on hold. When things began returning to normal, Lucke, along with teacher Stephanie Ciccone, some students and others created a committee that developed the criteria and nomination process.
“We were truly looking for people who demonstrated fortitude, creativity, ingenuity and who have made a difference in their own career or field,” Ciccone said.
The Class of 2021 checked all those boxes, Ciccone added.
“It is so important that students see that this level of success shows them that as a Seymour graduate, you can make a difference in the world whether as a state representative, a teacher, a business executive or in the film industry,” Ciccone said. “It shows that if they work hard and follow their passions, they can be just as successful. It gives them something to strive for.”
Here’s a look at the Class of 2021:
*Peter Klarides (deceased): Class of 1950. Proud of his Greek roots, Klarides found success with his two brothers by creating the Klarides grocery store chain. He was a firm believer in giving back, donating to first responders, food drives and his beloved SHS.
*Themis Klarides: Class of 1983. The former leader of the Connecticut House of Representatives (and the first woman to hold that position) and current candidate for the U.S. Senate, as well as an outspoken advocate for first responders and public safety personnel.
*Nicole Klarides- Ditria: Class of 1986. Current state Rep. in the 105th District, where she serves on several legislative committees, including the Finance, Revenue and Bonding Committee and Public Health Committee. She also served as a former Deputy First Selectman.
*Pamala Finkle; Class of 1967. A graduate of Bungay School in 1954 who went onto become a Seymour teacher for 47 years, with 28 years spent at Seymour Middle School. Named Teacher of the Year in 1999, and a runner-up for the Connecticut State Teacher of the Year.
*Brent Campanelli: Class of 2008. Works in the commercial, film and music video industry, having found success working with brands like H&M, T‑Mobile, Red Bull, McDonalds and Pepsi. He has created music videos for major record labels, some of which have aired on MTV, and hopes to one day direct his first feature film.
*Erik Baker: Valedictorian of the Class of 1987, and former member of the varsity football, basketball and track and field teams. In 2021, Baker was named the Distinguished Alumni of Symour High School. He is a co-founder and managing director of GF Capital Management & Advisors, a private equity firm.
*SHS Assistant Principal Ernie DiStasi: Class of 1998. President of his class all four years, DiStasi has worked for the school district for the past 19 years as both a teacher and administrator. He was instrumental in creation of the Bound for Success and Rise Up mentoring programs.
*Karen R. Stanek (deceased): Class of 1966. A teacher in the district for 35 years, who created the Mock Trial Competition and Mr. Seymour Contest with a fellow colleague, and also served as a Seymour Selectwoman, was a member of the Valley Community Foundation Board of Directors and the Seymour Historical Society.
*Frederick D. Stanek: Class of 1972. The 2022 SHS Distinguished Alumni, local attorney and current member of the Board of Selectmen. Stanek served as co-editor of the 1972 SHS school yearbook, has practiced law for 41 years and served on many committees including the SHS expansion committee.
*Leonard Greene: Class of 1976. A former longtime state Rep. serving the 105th District, who helped secure funds to renovate DeBarber Field, the police station and Seymour Ambulance headquarters.
*Leonard Greene Jr.: Class of 1998. Former state Rep, for the 105th District, like his dad, as well as former SHS football player and Seymour selectman, whose work helped improve town roads, sidewalks and parks.
*Kurt Miller: Class of 1988. Former five-time Seymour First Selectman currently serving as Chief Fiscal Officer for the City of Ansonia. At SHS, Miller was Class Vice-president and Student Council Vice president and the first ever captain of the Seymour Soccer team named in 1986. He is the third generation of the family-owned Miller-Ward Funeral Home.
Reaction
Finkle said she’s thrilled to be part of the inaugural class.
“I spent 66 of my 73 years in Seymour classrooms from the first day of first grade until the year I graduated with the SHS Class of 2018 concluding my 47 years of teaching in Seymour,” Finkle said. “I taught children and their children and loved every minute of it.”
Stanek said being inducted alongside his late wife, Karen, was an honor.
“I am humbled and honored to have been selected as a member of the SHS Hall of Fame with Karen and such a distinguished and accomplished group of alumni,” Stanek said. “She so loved her years as a student at SHS, and she loved her students during her 35 years as a teacher at SHS. She worked enthusiastically to further her students’ educational and extracurricular experiences.”
