Seven Northampton Area High School alumni were publicly recognized as this year’s 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award honorees at a celebration, sponsored by Northampton Area Konkrete Kids Educational Foundation, and held Sept. 22 at Woodstone Country Club and Lodge, 3777 Dogwood Road, Danielsville.

The honorees are Patricia Amey, Class of 1962; Kim Davis, Class of 1970 (deceased); Ronald Jerdon, Class of 1980; Sallyann Madden, Class of 1979; Laura Meyers, Class of 2007; Brian Ruff, Class of 1977; and Peter Schneider Sr., Class of 1938 (deceased).

The event was attended by 160 people — family, friends and colleagues of the honorees, as well as community members and local business leaders. The highlight of the recognition program that followed dinner was the plaque presentation, when the honorees had the opportunity to share with the audience some of their experiences as Northampton Area School District students that impacted their careers, accomplishments and commitment to community service.

Each honoree received a plaque including his or her professional achievements, as well as individual commitment to community service and volunteerism, a recent photo and a graduation photo.

These plaques will be permanently installed this month on the Distinguished Alumni Wall of Honor, located in the NAHS lobby. This wall already displays the plaques of the 35 previously selected honorees. Like the other honorees and their plaques, these will serve as an inspiration to all students and as a source of pride for the entire community of NASD’s proud education tradition and commitment to serve others.

During the program, all of the foundation’s sponsors and donors were acknowledged and thanked for their generosity. These included the major sponsors for the past five years, Bruce Lack, foundation benefactor sponsor; Dr. Linda Koch, DAA friend sponsor; Dennis Beck for Dun-Rite Electrical Services Inc., black and orange sponsor; St. Luke’s University Health Network, black and orange sponsor; Larry Oberly and his wife and Mortgage America Inc., Konkrete sponsors; and the many K-Kids sponsors who showed generous support, including LeRoy Brobst, Dr. Barry Burkhardt and his wife, Darrell Crook and his wife, Eckley E. Patch Post 470 Home Association, Reichel Funeral Homes, Richard B. Ryon Insurance, Schisler Funeral Homes, Shulman Law Offices and Tim Tepes Real Estate.

A special thank you was also given to all the individuals and businesses that have given both monetary and raffle donations for the fundraiser. These included Foster Jewelers, Darrell Crook and his wife, Patricia Demko, Larry Kemmerer and his wife, Lisa King, Melissa Laudenslager, Miller Supply ACE Hardware, Bath Mayor Fiorella Reginelli Mirabito, Phil Walnock and his wife, AfFORDable Pet Center, Becky’s Drive-In Theater, Kevin Birosek and his wife and Soaked Winery, Fella Studios, Barbara Demchyk Heffron, state Rep. Zach Mako, James Mishko and his wife and Bath Soap Company and Martin Sabo and his wife.

To highlight the impact this fundraiser and the generosity all the sponsors and donors have had on the students throughout NASD, a video, produced by Jamie Horvath, districtwide technology lead teacher, was shown highlighting the thousands of students who benefited from the grants funded by the foundation during the 2023-24 school year, for a total cost to the foundation of $49,067.

The video showed K-12 students involved in many hands-on, problem-solving, individual and cooperative learning experiences utilizing the $29,263 single grant for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, math) equipment and materials. Guests also saw students in the video interacting with recognized authors and artists, scientists, paleontologists and a United Nations Arts Ambassador — all programs that enhanced the learning opportunities that support the K-12 curriculum.

Since 2015, the foundation has provided approximately $300,000 in funding for grants impacting thousands of NASD students, and it has already approved 15 grants, totaling $40,112 for the 2024-25 school year.

The foundation is a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization created by a group of volunteers in October 2009. Any individual — whether an NASD graduate or not — is welcome to join the group in its missions to “raise funds to promote, enhance and supplement educational and co-curricular programs” for the benefit of NASD students.

Call C. Shulman at 610-767-7824 for volunteer opportunities.