By Claudia Rufo—For the North Star Reporter
The North Attleboro High School Alumni Association (NAHS AA) has announced the recipients of its 2026 Annual Alumni Awards, honoring distinguished graduates and educators whose achievements reflect excellence, service and commitment to the community.
Dr. Dan Delvecchio, Class of 1976, will receive the Joseph Martin Distinguished Alumni Award. As the association’s highest honor, this award recognizes alumni who have reached the pinnacle of their professions on a national level. Delvecchio’s career exemplifies leadership, impact and lifelong dedication to his field.
The Community Impact Award will be presented to former NFL player Chris Sullivan, Class of 1991, and posthumously to Lenore Paquin. Sullivan will be recognized for his extensive volunteerism and commitment to community service.
Kara Corcoran, Class of 2004, will receive the Young Alumni Award, which honors graduates who have achieved extraordinary success early in their careers. Corcoran is being recognized for her outstanding military service to the nation and her national-level advocacy for social justice.
In addition, the Excellence in Education Award will be awarded to longtime North Attleborough educators Marilou Pasquini, Heather Johnson and the late Lois Grimaldi. This annual award honors current and/or former faculty members who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to teaching excellence and unwavering efforts of dedication to students, staff and the school community.
The awards banquet will take place on Saturday, Feb. 28, at North Attleborough High School. A reception and cocktail hour will begin at 6 p.m., followed by the awards presentation at 7 p.m.
Tickets for the event are $50 and include the reception. Tickets can be purchased by downloading an order form from the NAHS Alumni Association website or by paying via Venmo. Additional information is available by contacting the Association directly.
Earlier this month, The North Star Reporter spoke to Mitch MacDonald, a long-time board member for the event. As an alumnus himself, MacDonald shared the importance of the awards and what they mean to the community.Â
“From an alumni point of view, we think about impact to community, impact to industry, and meaningful change in the world,” he said. “The awards are really about recognizing people who have taken what they learned here and turned it into something meaningful.”Â
MacDonald highlighted the importance of celebrating the big and small impacts made by North Attleborough residents and honorary members, whether local or nationwide. As a board member, MacDonald emphasizes that the town is a “really special place” that has transcended for decades.Â
“Very rarely do you find a place where people feel this connected – not just to where they came from, but to giving back to it,” he said.
MacDonald added that the Alumni Association reinforces that the community provides to help create a meaningful experience for the next generation.
“Not everybody becomes the top of their field, but many people make an incredible impact locally,” he said. “That’s why we created different award categories – to recognize impact in all its forms.”
Moreover, MacDonald stressed the impact the association hopes to leave on the current NAHS students who are finding their way in life. The goal is to show students “what’s possible” after graduation.Â
MacDonald reminded students that they can become the Speaker of the House, a professional athlete, or anything they set their minds to.
“Sometimes it feels like all these great contributors came from somewhere else — but they didn’t,” he said. “They came from places like North Attleboro.”Â
The NAHS Alumni Association is a nonprofit, volunteer organization composed of alumni, faculty, administrators, and friends of NAHS. Its mission is to strengthen the NAHS community and support opportunities that enhance the educational experience of current and future students.Â
For more information, contact info@nahsalumni.org. To see past award recipients, visit NAHSalumni.org