Paul Kowack did not attend Wheeler High School. Neither did his six children. But the North Stonington resident, who has lived near the school for decades, said he roots for its successes and wanted to find a way to enrich its students and alumni.
That’s why under Kowack’s leadership, Wheeler High School and the North Stonington Education Foundation are launching a program to honor alumni who have gone on to make important contributions to academia, athletics, culture, or to the high school.
Called Distinguished Alumni, the program seeks to honor individuals each year whose names will be inscribed on a plaque in the school library and who might be asked to speak at the high school graduation ceremony. Kowack said he hopes the new honor becomes “an award that could be used on somebody’s resume.” Alumni will become eligible to apply 10 years after graduating.
“There are people who are going to come out of the woodwork that have developed into significant contributors to the quality of life,” said Kowack, who owns a mechanical engineering firm in town.
Superintendent Natalie J. Pukas said a number of years ago, the school had a similar recognition program called the Wheeler Hall of Fame, which fizzled. She said she is happy to see a new program in the same spirit.
“There are so many people who have graduated from Wheeler High School that have become accomplished and outstanding in their field,” Pukas said. “I’m glad that we now have an opportunity to recognize them for what they’ve done after they left Wheeler.”
Applicants will be judged anonymously by a nine-person committee that includes Wheeler administrators and faculty, a board of education member, and a Wheeler alumnus.
Concurrent with launcing Distinguished Alumni, Kowack said he hopes to help create a Wheeler High School alumni directory, to be compiled slowly as graduates return for reunions each summer.
Distinguished Alumni applications are available in the library and in the superintendent’s office. The deadline for submission is Feb. 27.
By KIRA GOLDENBERG
Staff Writer