Board seeks nominations for community service awards

SEYMOUR — Do you know a special teacher who’s made a difference in your child’s life? Perhaps that super fan that never misses a school sporting event deserves some recognition? Or maybe you’d like to honor someone for devoting their spare time to community service?

If you know anyone like this, the Board of Education’s Awards Advisory Committee wants to hear from you. The committee is again seeking nominations for its annual community service awards program. Nominations will be accepted until 4 p.m. April 18.

The awards pay homage to the memories of four individuals who made a major impact on education here — David A. Brumer, John J. Gallagher, Vincentena Kobasa and Thomas J. Petruny.

The David A. Brumer Excellence in Education Award is given in the memory of Brumer, who served as chairman of the school board from December 1993 until his death in April 1998.

He was known as a visionary, motivator and an individual devoted to making the Seymour public schools the best they could possibly be. The award is given to an individual who held Brumer’s ideals, and who assists in the education of Seymour students in an outstanding and exemplary manner. Nominees should be a Seymour resident, staff member or Seymour student.

The John J. Gallagher Memorial Athletic Award was established in 2002 in memory of Gallagher, who was dubbed Seymour’s biggest school sports fan.

Gallagher passed away in December 2001, one week after celebrating his 100th birthday. The award goes to an avid supporter of Seymour’s athletic programs. Nominees should be a Seymour resident, staff member or Seymour student.

The Vincentena Kobasa Excellence in Teaching Award was established after veteran teacher Kobasa passed away in 2002. Kobasa was a retired Seymour school teacher who spent 27 years teaching. She served on the school board for many years, and devoted much of her time to community service.

The award is for those who display extraordinary efforts on behalf of students during his/her career, who’ve made a difference to students and who values educational excellence and holds Kobasa’s ideals of involvement both in and out of the schools. Nominees should be a retired or current Seymour teacher.

The Thomas J. Petruny Memorial Education and Environment Award is given to a Seymour Middle School student who has displayed a strong interest in environmental education and/or activities involving the environment and its preservation. The student must share the ideals of the late, former Superintendent of Schools.

The awards will be presented to the recipients on June 3.

Last year’s Brumer Award went to Elizabeth Tift and Rose Marie Yitts; the Kobasa Award to Bungay School teacher Jaclyn Freddino; the Gallagher Award to Tarra Andrews and the Petruny Award to student Emma Adams.

Anyone who’d like to submit a nomination can do so online at the school’s website.

Paper nomination forms can be picked up at any Seymour Public School, the Board of Education Central Office, the Seymour Public Library, Town Hall or the Seymour Community Center. Completed forms can be sent to: Lee-Ann Dauerty by email (ldauerty@seymourschools.org) or by mail: 98 Bank Street, Seymour, CT 06483.