Q&A: Derby High School’s Nick D’Antona

Nick D’Antona, a 16-year-old junior at Derby High School, was honored March 7 for raising $30,000 for the annual Swim Across the Sound,” an event organized by the St. Vincent’s Medical Center Foundation in Bridgeport.

Swim Across the Sound raises money to help people with cancer. Nick and his grandfather, John, have been raising money for Swim Across the Sound for about six years. 

Last week Nick and his grandfather attended the annual Celebrity Breakfast,” a fundraiser connected to Swim Across the Sound. The Swim organizers surprised Nick by honoring him with a new watch — a way to say thank you” for his efforts.

The breakfast, by the way, raised more than $80,000 for the St. Vincent’s Foundation. The headliner was ex‑N.Y. Yankee Bobby Richardson, who drew a crowd of more than 450 people.

In Derby, Nick’s involved in everything from the high school drama club to the Derby Storm Ambulance and Rescue Corps. And that does not include his academic workload. 

The Valley Indy chatted with Nick about why he stays so busy.

Valley Indy: When did you first get involved in Swim Across the Sound?

Nick D’Antona: I was in the fifth grade at the Bungay school in Seymour and my teacher was starting a fundraiser there. I just continued it across town.

Valley Indy: In fifth grade I played with G.I. Joe — and that was about it. Why did you get involved in community service?

Nick: One year my grandfather had taken me to the annual celebrity breakfast. That’s where I got the idea that I could help the community. First I started at the school and then we expanded it across Seymour. We would leave collection jars all over town at different stores and raise money every Friday at the (Tri-Town Plaza) movie theater by selling little sunflowers.

Valley Indy: What happened at the Swim Across the Sound Celebrity Breakfast” March 7?

Nick: Every year my grandfather and I are waiters’ who try to get donations from people at the tables. This year local people were there, like the Shelton mayor and Kurt Miller from Seymour. This year they added up what I’ve raised over the years and saw that I hit a benchmark of $30,000, so they gave me a watch. It was all out of the blue and a complete surprise to me.

Valley Indy: What do you get out of doing that type of community service?

Nick: I like to help people. It just make me feel a lot better than every day walking around doing nothing.

Valley Indy: You’re involved in the fire and ambulance service in Derby?

Nick: I’ve been doing that about two years now.

Valley Indy: And you’re involved in a bunch of clubs at Derby High, including chorus and drama. What’s your typical day like?

Nick: I come home every day and I do my schoolwork. Then, on Fridays, I ride the ambulance for six hours. Saturdays are my days to ride the ambulance for 12 hours, from 12 p.m. to 12 at night. I’m a volunteer riding with paid guys Saturday so I just jump on with them and give them a hand if they need it.

Valley Indy: Who are your role models?

Nick: My father (John, a Seymour police officer) and grandfather have been a big influence and so have most of the people down at the firehouse.

Valley Indy: You only enrolled in Derby last year after moving from Seymour. Was it hard to adjust to life in a new high school?

Nick: It was tough in the beginning, but everybody was really nice. I made a lot of new friends. It was like a new start and I liked that. It was a clean slate.

Valley Indy: What kind of grades do you get?

Nick: The only thing I’m bad at is math. I can’t add very well.

Valley Indy: Me neither. Any idea of where you want to go to college?

Nick: I’m looking around. I’m getting all the applications and things in the mail from all the random schools. I’m on the fence about what I want to do, between theatrical arts and criminal justice or law. Each one is a passion.

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