Agganis Foundation names 2026 scholarship recipients
The Agganis Foundation has selected its 2026 scholarship recipients, with 12 student-athletes
to receive a total of $90,000 over the next four years.
Named for legendary Lynn athlete Harry Agganis, the foundation has been awarding
scholarships in his name since 1958. Including this year’s recipients, the foundation has given
$2.68 million to 1,086 student-athletes.
This year’s scholarship winners come from nine high schools and five communities. Selected
from a group of more than 130 applicants, they are going to prestigious colleges including
Amherst, Bates, Cornell, Johns Hopkins and Tufts. Scholarship recipients receive $2,000 per
year each year they are in college. There is also a President’s Scholarship, a one-time $2,000
award.
“We are proud to recognize another group of outstanding student-athletes,” said Agganis
Foundation President John Meklis. “The foundation takes great pride in honoring the legacy of
Harry Agganis by presenting scholarships in his name.”
There are three endowed scholarships, named for George D. Behrakis, Thomas L. Demakes and
Attorney Charles Demakis. This year, the foundation’s board of trustees voted to add an 11 th
scholarship, named for Paul Halloran, the longtime executive director of the Agganis All-Star
Games who has been affiliated with the foundation since first covering the football game as a
(Lynn) Daily Item sportswriter in 1985.
The Agganis Foundation scholarship is open to students who live or attend school in Lynn,
Lynnfield, Marblehead, Nahant, Peabody, Saugus, Swampscott or Salem. Applicants must play
an MIAA-recognized varsity sport and accepted to a 4-year college. Applications are graded on
academics, athletics and extracurricular activities by a nine-member Scholarship Committee
that includes school superintendents, principals, athletic directors and coaches.
“The Scholarship Committee continues to be impressed with the quality of applications we
receive from across North Shore every year,” said David Angeramo, chair of the committee.
“Not only are these students getting the job done in the classroom and on the field, they are
also making a difference in their schools and in the greater community.”
The 2026 Agganis All-Star Games will be played June 27-28 in Lynn.
2026 Agganis Foundation Scholarship recipients
Name School College
Calli Allaire St. Mary’s Vanderbilt
pkh-Awan Awan Lynn Tech Cornell
Sydney Ball Marblehead Temple
d-Joseph Beato KIPP Academy Rice
Elizabeth Bettencourt Peabody Bates
k-Breydan Callahan Marblehead Johns Hopkins
Nico Croft Swampscott Michigan
Cameryn Dunn St. Mary’s Stonehill
Micah Hashikawa St. Mary’s Michigan
Madisen McHale Lynn English Salem State
pr-Samuel Phelps St. Mary’s Tufts
law-Mia Silva Salem Amherst
pkh – Paul K. Halloran Jr. Scholarship
d – Thomas L. Demakes Scholarship
k – George D. Behrakis Scholarship
pr – Agganis Foundation President’s Scholarship
law – Atty. Charles Demakis Scholarship
Since 1955, the Agganis Foundation has awarded 1,086 scholarships totaling $2,680,000.
