2026 Class of Distinguished Alumni Return to Norwin to Share Their Stories

For one evening in May, graduates spanning more than three decades of Norwin history returned to be recognized alongside a longtime Friend of Norwin and two recent scholarship recipients. The May 21, 2026 Distinguished Alumni celebration brought together former classmates, families, educators, students, and community members to recognize achievement while renewing the connections that continue long after graduation.

This year’s Distinguished Alumni honorees were Ms. Nancy Cox née Walter ’98, Maj. Angela N. Day née Russo ’08, US Army, Ms. Courtney Durante née Bergstein ’04, Mr. Kenneth G. Howell ’80, Ms. Stacy Hurt née Sydeski ’88, MHA, MBA, Ms. Rachel Ann Gediminskas Kalberer ’07, Ed.D., MAT, Ms. Teresa Lucchetti née Russo ’01, MSN, RN, CNL, CCRN, Ms. Alyssa Minko ’15, Dr. Carla Capozzi (Riccelli) ’79, DMD, Mr. Cody Sabol ’13, and The Rev. Dr. Christopher J. Suehr ’05, Ph.D.

Ms. Alexis Janiga née Tomich and Ms. Kristie Lynn née Carozza were recognized as Friends of Norwin, and 2026 NAFA Scholarship recipients Ms. Julia Choby ’26 and Ms. Mia Gigliotti ’26 were also honored. You may read more about each recipient in the 2026 Distinguished Alumni section.

The Distinguished Alumni program extends beyond the awards presented that evening. In the days surrounding the event, several honorees returned to Norwin schools to meet with students and talk about the lives they built after leaving the district.

Those conversations give students a chance to hear directly from people who once sat in the same classrooms and faced many of the same questions about what would come next. Alumni speak candidly about their education, careers, setbacks, unexpected opportunities, and the decisions that shaped their paths. No two stories are alike, and that is part of their value to students considering their own possibilities after Norwin.

The annual celebration also gives former graduates an opportunity to reconnect with the school community that helped shape their early lives. Alumni from different generations may have known different teachers, classmates, and versions of Norwin, but their shared connection to the district remains at the center of the program.

The Norwin Alumni & Friends Association and the Norwin School District Community Foundation thank the families, educators, volunteers, community members, and supporters who joined us in recognizing this year’s honorees and who continue to make the Distinguished Alumni program possible.