Rick Norcross – Recipient of 2025 HA/HU Alumni Distinguished ALUMNI AWARD

HARDWICK ACADEMY/HAZEN UNION’S 2025 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI AWARD 

    Speaking of honors, I was pleasantly shocked and humbled to be named the 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient by the Hardwick Academy/Hazen Union Alumni Association. Three generations of my family attended Hardwick Academy. I graduated in the Class of ‘63, my father Deane Norcross, graduated in the Class of ’36 and my grandfather, Ray Norcross almost graduated in the Class of ‘16. He left school early in his senior year to work on the family farm in Walden. He was a star baseball pitcher on the HA team and on the Woodbury Granite Company baseball team.

    My Hardwick Academy years, 1961 to 1963, pointed me down the road to all the career opportunities I blindly pursued for my entire lifetime – music, journalism, photography and event production. The first event I produced was “Hootenanny in Hardwick” as part of the 1963 Hardwick Tulip Festival. I was encouraged and mentored by the HA music program – and hold them responsible for any success I have achieved over my 60 years as a band leader, songwriter and vocalist.

    So I spent a very special and emotional June 21st afternoon at the Hardwick Academy/Hazen Union Alumni Reunion held at the Brochu family pavilion way up on West Hill in Hardwick on a perfect sunny Summer day with over 160 alums in attendance. Though I have been very fortunate to receive a number of awards over the years, this HA/HU 2025 Distinguished Alumni Award is the one that really touched my heart. Recognition by your peers surely hits home and I deeply appreciated this honor that reaches down deep into my family roots. It was an afternoon I will never forget. Especially when MC Pat Hussey asked the audience how many had heard my song “You Can’t Make It Up” and 90% of them rose and cheered. You CAN’T make it up. Thank You to the Alums and the hard working Alumni Committee who staged this magnificent event.