
SEYMOUR — It was eight years ago to the day on Nov. 1 that beloved Seymour High School cheerleader Nina Poeta lost her courageous battle with brain cancer.
But thanks to continued support from friends, family, the community and complete strangers, Nina’s legacy lives on in a scholarship fund aimed at helping local teens with college expenses.
Nina’s mother Dorie reached out to the Valley Indy Tuesday (Nov. 1) to announce the Nina Poeta Scholarship Fund is close to reaching its $40,000 goal at The Valley Community Foundation, where the fund is managed.
“We are so grateful to our amazing community for all the continued support of The Nina Poeta Scholarship Fund,” Dorie Poeta said. “Through the generosity of family and friends, and even strangers who have become forever friends, we are moving toward our goal to make the fund self-supporting and never-ending.”
Nina was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor just before Thanksgiving in 2013. She died at home on Nov. 1, 2014 surrounded by her family. She was 17.
The community and beyond rallied around Nina and her family, kicking off a “NinaStrong” campaign that included the creation of T‑shirts, bracelets, and numerous fundraising events. Dorie Poeta said Nina and the family were fortunate to take a trip to Italy courtesy of the Make-a-Wish Foundation, and Nina continued to cheer for SHS, having nabbed an All-State honor two years in a row. She was also crowned prom queen at SHS’ prom. Nearly $100,000 was raised to help the family with medical expenses.
“As soon as she was diagnosed, the entire community, near and far, wrapped themselves around us in a giant bear hug and supported us in every way imaginable-emotionally, spiritually and financially,” Dorie Poeta said.
Family friend Elizabeth Pisano created The Poeta Strong Family Fund, where donations began pouring in upon news of Nina’s diagnosis. The family created the scholarship fund on Nina’s behalf, rolling money over from the family fund.
Fundraising events for the scholarship continued, including the creation of more NinaStrong T‑shirts and bracelets, along with casino trips, dog biscuit-making and the sale of “Poeta Porketta.” Anderson said Nina’s dad, John Poeta, started making porkettas from the family kitchen and selling them around the holidays. She said the demand for the tasty porkettas remains brisk to this day.
The SHS Cheer Spririt Club holds an annual competition in honor of Nina and donates a portion of the proceeds to the fund. The SHS Wildcats Football team also holds annual Poeta Porketta raffles, Andersons said.
Dorie Poeta said the scholarship fund was turned over to VCF in 2017 to manage, and to date, more than $15,000 has been given out to members of the Boys and Girls Club of the Lower Naugatuck Valley, SHS and Connecticut CIAC Cheerleading students.
Dorie Poeta noted that VCF helped the family set a goal of $40,000, at which time she said the fund would become self-funded from interest earned, in order to become a perpetual (never-ending) scholarship fund.
Combined with donations from family and friends, including a very generous donation last year ($13,000) from Nina’s grandparents, Fran and the late Al Poeta, Dorie Poeta said that the fund is close to reaching its goal of $40,000. She said there’s about $36,000 in the fund now which has taken a bit of a dip due to the fluctuating market.
“This will ensure the scholarships will be funded forever,” Dorie Poeta said.
To celebrate the continued support for Nina’s scholarship fund, the Poeta family is inviting folks to march alongside them and a special float in the upcoming Seymour Christmas Parade, which steps off at 2 p.m. on Nov. 27.
Marchers will hand out “NinaStrong bracelets” and candy to parade-goers along the route. Those interested in taking part in the parade with the family are asked to visit the event’s Facebook page.
Anderson said the continued support from the community is a testament to just how much Nina was loved.
“It’s such a reflection of what a wonderful person Nina was, and her spirit is with us still,” Anderson said. “Her spirit lives on through the scholarship fund.”
More information about the Nina Poeta Scholarship Fund can be found online at The Valley Community Foundation’s website.