The Wallingford Education Foundation (WEF) established the Distinguished Alumni Award in 2004 to honor and showcase individuals whose deeds and character exemplify outstanding accomplishments, leadership, and/or service to their community. This award is presented annually and alumni need not have graduated from a Wallingford high school in order to be considered.

Members of the community are invited to nominate candidates for this award by completing the nomination form. To be eligible, candidates must be at least fifteen (15) years post graduation and meet one or more of the following criteria:

– Recognized excellence in their chosen vocation on a local, regional, or national level

– Outstanding leadership in their vocation or in a local, regional, or national organization

– High achievement in one or more field of cultural endeavor such as music, theater, dance, literature, or the arts

– Significant contributions to the community at large through volunteer work or charitable giving.

Self-nominations are not considered. Completed nomination forms may be submitted to the Wallingford Education Foundation by email anytime during the nomination period May 15 to September 30.

All submitted nominations are reviewed with the final selection of award recipients made by the Distinguished Alumni Committee and endorsed by the WEF Board of Directors. On occasion, the selection committee chooses to honor individuals who did not attend Wallingford Public Schools, but who have had a significant impact on the Wallingford community.  Only those individuals selected for the award are notified of their nomination. Nomination forms of individuals not selected will be kept on file for three (3) years for future consideration. Award recipients are honored at the Distinguished Alumni Dinner held each spring.

2025 Distinguished Alumni Honorees

In May 2025, the Wallingford Education Foundation held its twenty-first awards dinner at which Wayne Barneschi, Ryan Christenson, Sharon Drossopoulos, David Warren MacDonald, Christina Madancy, and John Mattie were honored. These individuals bring pride and inspiration to our community and the Wallingford Education Foundation is proud to recognize and celebrate them.