Six Canton High graduates added to the Wall of Fame

From left, Otto Ruppert, Kate (Carpenter) McGowan, Ben Nascimbeni, Brigid Flattery and Bill Canny were inducted into the Canton High Wall of Fame on Oct. 24. All of the Wall of Fame plaques are located in the lobby near the gymnasium. More photos from the event

Six Canton High School graduates were inducted into Canton’s Wall of Fame, which recognizes graduates for outstanding contributions in their field of work and/or to the community.

The six graduates were honored on Friday, Oct. 24, in a ceremony at the Canton High auditorium beginning at 4:30 p.m. in the high school cafeteria. They joined 96 other graduates who were recognized in ceremonies from 2002 through 2019. Graduates in the Wall of Fame date back to 1912.

The graduates recognized were:

Adam Bryan, Class of 2001

Bill Canny, Class of 1987

Kate Carpenter, Class of 2002

Brigit Flattery, Class of 1981

Ben Nascimbeni, Class of 1951

Otto Ruppert, Class of 1956

To qualify, a nominee must have been out of school for 15 years, have made significant contributions to the community (Canton or current hometown) and/or their chosen field of work and be a citizen in good standing.

Bryan graduated from the Naval Academy in 2005 and has been serving in the U.S. Navy for more than 20 years.

Canny, a life-long resident of Canton, served on the Board of Selectmen, Board of Finance and Inland Wetlands Board and has been a volunteer coach. He helped develop the Infinity Hit Club, a non-profit batting facility.

Carpenter graduated from Penn State and became a sixth grade teacher at Canton Intermediate School. Her life’s journey has taken back to Pennsylvania where is currently the Chief Child Life Specialist at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

Flattery worked for the federal government for most of her career, including 20 years with the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Ruppert, who grew up in Avon, has been an active community leader throughout his life owning his own business Ruppert & Company property services and participating with the Avon Lions Club, Avon Historical Society, Heubelin Tower Association and Avon Congregational Church. At the time of his graduation, Canton High was in what is called Canton Intermediate School on Dyer Avenue.

Students from Avon and Burlington attended Canton High until the Avon and Burlington built their own high schools in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Nascimbeni, who grew up in Avon, was president of his class and a three-sport athlete at Canton High. He served in the U.S. Army and worked for Whitmore Surveyors. He and Robert Jahne bought the company in 1982 and operated it through 2008. He has run a benefit golf tournament for the last 21 years in honor of his late son that has donated more than $479,000 to the Connecticut Children’s Medical Center.

“We come together as a Canton family, students, parents, alumni, friends, and neighbors to celebrate the extraordinary power of what begins here in our schools and in this very town,” said Lou Daniels, Chairman of the Canton Board of Education. “Each of our inductees was once a student in Canton. The buildings may have changed, but the spirit of the community, the pride, the friendship, the shared experiences is endured.

“Tonight, they return not just as alumni, but as leaders, innovators, servants, and change makers. People who have gone on to make a profound impact in their professions, in their communities, and in the world beyond Canton,” Daniels said.

“Their journeys remind us that success is not measured solely by titles or trophies, but by the difference we make in the lives of others,” Daniels said.

As part of the program, current Canton High students interview the inductees and make a short introductory speech.

Daniels asked the current students to look at what these inductees have achieved.

“I want you to see possibilities because they were once exactly where you are today,” he said.

“The lessons they teach us is simple but very powerful. A Canton education can take you anywhere. Whether your path leads you to a boardroom, the classroom, the jet cockpit, the operating room, the courtroom, or a life of public service, the values you build here will carry you forward.

“To our inductees, our native sons and daughters, thank you for showing us that what perseverance, passion and purpose look like in action. Thank you for continuing to embody the best of Canton.”

Canton High’s Wall of Fame

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