Last year reading Homer's Odyssey and watching the 1997 made-for-TV movie starring Armand Assante, a trio of students were so intrigued (read: obssessed) with Odysseus' son Telemachus, that they tracked down the actor, Alan Stenson, who played him in the film, created fan club t-shirts (including one for me!), and shared pictures of the us wearing the shirts via social media, declaring themselves "Stensonites."
And if that wasn't enough, almost a year later on Valentine's Day, one of these same students sent me Telemachus themed valentines via Twitter and, of course, tweeted them to Mr. Stenson.
So here we are, April 17th, and this year's crop of students are reading/watching The Odyssey, and in honor of seeing Telemachus projected on the screen in my room, my wonderfully nerdy former students deemed today "Telemachus Appreciation Day."
Happy Alan Stenson fan club day everyone! 🎉🎉
— ❁Kelly Zuzic❁ (@kellykpizzle) April 17, 2015
My current senior students aren't as impressed with our nerdiness, but one joined the fun, tweeting...
@AlanStenson she loves you Telemachus pic.twitter.com/kikbtpz5oU
— Nick Defilippo (@ndefilippo02) April 17, 2015
So in honor of Telemachus Appreciation Day, we wore our shirts again...
Love my nerdy girls! Happy Telemachus Appreciation Day! #coolshirts #odysseyexperts @AlanStenson pic.twitter.com/GwQTA5M7H3
— Kate Baker (@KtBkr4) April 17, 2015
And tweeted more pics to Alan Stenson....
#FlashBackFriday and the #1YearASFC! #Stelfie pic.twitter.com/3CyaQjjSmQ
— ❁Kelly Zuzic❁ (@kellykpizzle) April 17, 2015
Thank the gods, actor Alan Stenson is a good sport!