ASTORIA, NY –
It was a bittersweet evening for Saint Demetrios Alumni (1999-2019), administrators, and teaching staff of Saint Demetrios High School as they met for the first Young Alumni Career Night on Friday, January 20, 2023. This special event titled “Saint Demetrios High School Hosts First Young Alumni Career Night” was coordinated by John Tiliakos, Helen Karagiorgos, and Betsy Sideris with support from the administrative staff and Mr. Joshua McKenzie, a new teacher at Saint Demetrios High School. Its purpose was simple; successful young alumni would speak to the current 11th and 12th grade students about their time at Saint Demetrios, their progress in college, and their career paths.
Many of the alumni had not returned to Saint Demetrios for many years due to other commitments and they truly enjoyed seeing how much the school has changed (in terms of technology and facilities) while also remaining the same (friendliness and a feeling of family). While talking to the current students, these young professionals in the fields of law, pharmacy, engineering, business, criminal justice, and journalism- spent time not only reminiscing about their positive experiences at Saint Demetrios School- but also how much they benefitted from being in the community as they progressed to college and lucrative careers.
In an especially touching moment in the evening which earned a standing ovation, members of the Class of 2022- the youngest Saint Demetrios alumni- presented Mrs. Rita Syntilas, a Greek teacher at Saint Demetrios High School for over 45 years, with a copy of their yearbook dedicated in her honor.
The organizers of the event were most pleased with the turnout and positive response to Young Alumni Career Night, they are already planning for next year by looking to invite more professionals who did not have the opportunity to attend this year!
