During halftime of their Sept. 25 homecoming game against Valley Stream South, Kennedy High School unveiled its JFK Athletics Hall of Fame, honoring various alumni for achievements in school sports history.
Coach and physical education teacher Brian DeGaetano was instrumental in the years old idea that originated during late Principal Lorraine Poppe’s tenure.
“This is a project that I have wanted to do for 25 years,” explained DeGaetano. “I have been keeping a running list of students dating back to 1994. The rest I have been researching since last May.”
Principal Gerard Owenburg also helped the concept come to fruition. Located in the foyer of the school gymnasium, the Hall of Fame features 53 athletes.
“As the plaques were being installed on the wall in our gym lobby, crowds of students were already reading the accomplishments of our alumni,” added Owenburg. “This is exactly what we hoped for. At the ceremony, I shared this with the inductees because I wanted them to know that their accomplishments being memorialized in our hall of fame will help our students know that if they work hard and follow their dreams there is nothing they can’t achieve.”
Alumni members were chosen based on their All-American, All-State, state champion achievements. Additionally, if former students were involved in a historic event such as the first county champion of any sport in school history.
“The response by the inductees and students has been incredible so far,” DeGaetano added. “It's going to really make the entrance to our gym special and help in building on our already strong student-athlete culture.”
The purpose of the Kennedy Athletics Hall of Fame is to give lasting recognition to those individuals who have made exceptional achievements and contributions to the prestigious reputation of Kennedy High School in the field of athletics and who have continued to demonstrate in their lives the values imparted by participation in interscholastic athletics.
“It is the purpose of the Athletics Hall of Fame to promote more interest in the Kennedy High School athletics program among the alumni and to display before current students the accomplishments of past athletes who have contributed so much in making Kennedy one of the finest high schools in the nation,” added Owenburg.
Moving forward, Kennedy will be having a nomination form and database of names for the next induction.
“Our hope is that this event spurs interest and people give us names and contact information,” added DeGaetano.