Needham High School Distinguished Career Awards

02/13/2026

The NHS DCA committee needs some help with updating and maintaining a WordPress website. This is only a few hours a couple of times a year updating recipients, photos and bios. If you have some time to donate or know somebody who could help please send us a message or email [email protected]

Reverend (Rev.) Robert Gray grew up in Boston and graduated in 1970 from Needham High School. He was one of the original nine students to be bussed to Needham through the METCO program in 1967. He is a 1975 graduate of Northeastern University. Rev. Gray attended the AME Ministerial Training Institut...

11/12/2025

Our second winner this year was Joe Cuddemi. Class of 1976. Joe Cuddemi was born in Boston’s North End and
moved to Needham in Middle School. He graduated
from Needham High School in 1976 and graduated from
Boston College with a degree in biology. He later earned
a master’s degree in the Art of Teaching Mathematics
from Northern Arizona University and completed his
principal licensure at Colorado State University.
Joe began his career in education over 35 years ago, serving
as a teacher, counselor, and principal in diverse settings,
including schools on the Fort Belknap Reservation in
Montana, in Jamaica, and in Colorado. As a counselor,
he developed an award-winning experiential education
program that incorporated horsemanship to support
students facing high levels of adversity. As principal, Joe
opened Kinard Middle School, which earned national
recognition under his leadership, including the 2015
Blue Ribbon Award, the 2013 Green Ribbon Award, and
designation as a Model PLC at Work school in 2012.
Since 2015, Joe has served as a national educational
presenter, delivering keynotes, facilitating workshops,
and coaching educators across hundreds of districts
nationwide. His areas of expertise include the PLC
at Work process, Transforming School Culture, RTI
at Work, Priority Schools, and social-emotional
learning. Joe is also an adjunct professor at Colorado
State University and continues to mentor and inspire
educators through his work. He is passionate about
creating inclusive, high-impact learning environments
and empowering school leaders to drive meaningful
change.
Joe lives in Colorado with his wife Donna.

11/04/2025

Last week we were proud to present our annual Needham High School Distinguished Career Awards in front of the junior class. Our first winner was Dennis Condon.

Dennis Condon served the Town of Needham with
distinction for 36 years as a member of the Needham
Fire Department. He began his career as a firefighter and
quickly rose through the ranks, becoming a lieutenant
within his first two years. After two decades in that role,
he was promoted to Captain, then Deputy Chief, and
ultimately served as Fire Chief.
Throughout his career, Dennis was deeply committed
to both operational excellence and community
engagement. He oversaw budgeting, hiring, and
departmental operations, and strongly advocated for a
diverse and inclusive workforce. For 18 years, Dennis
served as president of the Needham Firefighters Union,
Local 1706. Under his leadership, the department transitioned its medical response capabilities from
basic first aid to advanced life support (ALS), including
the addition of certified paramedics and two full-time
ALS ambulances—bringing emergency room-level care
directly to the community.
Dennis also played a pivotal role in the design and
construction of Needham’s two new fire stations,
securing town approval and guiding the project to
completion. His leadership extended beyond Needham
when he was sworn in as the 97th president of the Fire
Chiefs Association of Massachusetts.
Dennis lived in Needham for 30 years and remains
a respected figure in the town’s public safety legacy.
Dennis lives in Holliston, MA with his wife Beth.

11/20/2024

What a wonderful ceremony we had in October celebrating three special Alumni. Congratulations to:
Reverend Robert Gray, NHS Class of 1970
Elizabeth Hutter, NHS Class of 1985
Evan Schumacher, NHS Class of 1987 (Posthumous Award)

You can watch the full ceremony here:

08/21/2024

We would like to recognize Rev Robert L Gray NHS 1970 with an award this year, but we are having trouble locating him. If anyone has any contact information, please let us know. TIA!

05/01/2024

Call for Nominations
2024 Needham High School Distinguished Career Award

Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Award. Nominees will be judged based on their dedication and accomplishments demonstrated in their chosen career. Past recipients have included alumni working as corporate officers, community activists, entrepreneurs or those who have chosen to work in the non-profit world, government service or education.
Nominations Close on May 31.

For more in formation or to nominate someone please go to
https://nhsdca.com

10/24/2023

10/16/2023

Our Final Winners for 2023

Dave Volante
Teri Volante Boardman
Steve Volante
Class of 1999, 2003 and 2006
Owners, Volante Farms
Needham, MA

Siblings Dave Volante, Teri Volante Boardman, and Steve Volante, are fourth-generation owners of Volante Farms, established by their great-grandfather in 1917.

Dave graduated from Needham High School in 1999 and earned his BS in Business Administration in 2003 from Babson College; Teri graduated from Needham High School in 2003 and graduated from University of Connecticut in 2007 with a BS in Business Management; and Steve Volante graduated from Needham High School in 2006 and graduated from Boston College in 2010 with a BS in Finance and Economics.

Over the years, the three Volante siblings have brought innovation to their family business by adding a state-of-the-art eco-friendly greenhouse in 2007 and opening the current farmstand in 2012. With this new farmstand, they expanded their offerings by adding a farm kitchen, full-service deli, bakery, ice cream and cafe, as well as lengthening their growing season to sell homegrown produce year-round. In recent years, they added a large-scale catering department and a room dedicated to wine, beer and spirits. They share an entrepreneurial spirit by listening to their customers and helping to steer their business toward the next opportunity.

The Volantes credit their Needham Public Schools education with aiding in their ability to problem solve and make effective decisions even when under pressure, and to always remain curious, continually learning from those around them (including each other!). In gratitude, they give back to the community as much as possible in the form of donations or sponsorships to many Needham schools and nonprofits, along with food donations to the Needham Food Pantry among other things.

Today, Dave, Teri and Steve all live in Needham and each have kids who currently attend Needham Public Schools.

10/12/2023

Our Next Winner is:

Ben Karlin
Class of 1989
Television Producer and Writer
Los Angeles, CA

Ben Karlin is an award-winning television producer and writer. After graduating from Needham High School in 1989, Ben attended the University of Wisconsin (UW) where he studied History and Communication Arts. While a student at UW, Ben started writing for the satirical newspaper The Onion, which was based in Madison. Upon graduation, he became assistant editor, then editor of The Onion where he helped oversee its transition from printed publication to online phenomenon in the early days of the internet.

In 1999, Karlin became head writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He eventually became Executive Producer while concurrently co-creating and executive producing The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert. During this time, Karlin also co-wrote and edited The New York Times #1 bestseller "America (The Book),” as well as his own bestselling anthology “Things I’ve Learned from Women Who Dumped Me.”

After leaving New York in 2009, Karlin produced the feature film 50/50 with Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anna Kendrick and co-wrote and produced the feature A.C.O.D. starring Adam Scott, Amy Poehler, Richard Jenkins, Catherine O'Hara and Jane Lynch. He spent three seasons as a writer/producer on Modern Family, was executive producer and showrunner for the sci-fi comedy Future Man, and spent two years as an executive producer on Starz’s Minx.

Over the course of his career, Karlin has won 14 Emmy Awards, 3 Peabody Awards and a bunch of other silly comedy awards that are essentially paperweights at this point. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his two boys, Theo and Vittorio, and a dog named Jupiter.

10/10/2023

Our First Winner For 2023

Julie Rikelman
Class of 1989
Judge
U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
Boston, MA

Judge Rikelman was appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit in June 2023. Rikelman graduated from Needham High School in 1989 and earned her Bachelor Degree from Harvard College in 1993 and her JD from Harvard Law School in 1997.

After graduating from law school, Judge Rikelman clerked for Justice Dana A. Fabe on the Alaska Supreme Court and Judge Morton I. Greenberg on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. She worked at the Center for Reproductive Rights from 1999 to 2001, and again from 2011 to 2023, serving as its U.S. Litigation Director beginning in 2012. In addition, from 2001 to 2011, Judge Rikelman worked in private practice and as Vice President of Litigation at NBC Universal, Inc.

10/24/2022

Our Final Winner for 2022
Kristin Prinn, MSW, LCSW, has been a leader in the South Jersey nonprofit circuit for over fifteen years.
The Founder and Executive Director of LUCY Outreach, a youth development center, serving 500 youth and young adults, and their families, in Camden, NJ. Kristin graduated from Needham High School in 2000 and moved to Philadelphia to begin her journey at Saint Joseph’s University, where she studied Sociology & Criminal Justice.

Upon graduating in 2004, Kristin accepted a position working for the Associate Missionaries of the Assumption, in the Mexican colonies of Chaparral, New Mexico. She lived and worked in the border region for 3 years and was quickly drawn to meeting the needs of youth who were involved in gangs, and families who had recently emigrated to the US. This work began at a grassroots level, within the community, then expanded into the local middle and high schools, as well as one year in a juvenile boys’ prison. During this time, Kristin obtained her Masters in Social Work from New Mexico State University, and became fluent in Spanish.
Kristin moved back to the Northeast in 2007 and began her work in Youth Ministry at St. Joseph Pro-Cathedral, a Catholic parish in East Camden. At this time, “Lifting Up Camden’s Youth” (LUCY) Outreach, affectionately named by the youth participants themselves, was created.
Kristin’s proudest professional accomplishment has been the incredible growth and capacity building of LUCY, from a single-staff Catholic “youth group” in 2007, to becoming the premier youth development center for teens in Camden City.
In 2018, Kristin & her team purchased LUCY’s dream 1-acre property and have completed construction on the expansion of an additional 10,000 sq. ft. youth center, set to open this month! The goal is to expand services exponentially and serve 1000+ youth and families annually by 2025. Both Kristin and LUCY have won numerous awards for their leadership and service to youth.