Curtis Speckman Award
Curt Douglas Speckman
1953 – 1970
The Curtis Speckman Award is awarded annually to one or more Outstanding HHSC Juniors in honor of Curt Douglas Speckman (1953 -1970) who died in a car accident at the bottom of Harris Hill on route 352.
Curt was the son of Alfred and Audrey Speckman, t of Newburyport, MA. His father was a Naval Aviator and Eastern Airline pilot, his mother held a degree in architecture. Curt had two younger sisters, Karen & Kim. The family lived an active outdoors and aviation lifestyle and all three Speckman children learned to fly in the families ASK-13.
Curt was born on February 1, 1953 in New Orleans where his father was stationed at the time. He inherited his father’s love for aviation and started flying at a young age. He made his first solo glider flight in Roy McMasters yellow 1-23, then based in Salem, NH, which his father had a share in. This was the same glider used in the 1968 original “Thomas Crown Affair’ movie. Curt flew his first cross-country from Salem to Plum Island, and landed in a field short of Newburyport. At the time of his death in 1970, Curt held a Private Pilot – Glider certificate (earned in 1969), and he was a Single Engine Land student pilot.
In the summer of 1970, Curt was 17 years old when he flew the families Cessna 170B to Elmira and stayed at Harris Hill where he participated in the HHSC Junior training program. He was an enthusiastic aviator and was enjoying a great summer on Harris Hill. Late July, Garey Hudson, Rick Siegfried (summer ops tow pilot) and Curt went to dinner in Rick’s car and got into an accident on route 352. Curt was thrown out of the car and died.
Curt was an avid sportsman. Aside from flying he rode horseback, was a competitive downhill skier, and got a motorcycle as soon as he turned 16. His sisters recall him as the big brother that looked out for them, protected them, took them for glider rides, and saved the family dog from drowning in a cold mountain creek.
A student at Newburyport High School, Newbury MA, Class of 1971, they held a tree planting ceremony in his memory in 1971. After graduation, Curt had planned to attend Embry Riddle University for an aviation sciences degree.
This HHSC award comes with a $1000 scholarship.
Curtis Speckman Award Recipients
| 1969 | Anne Bywater |
| 1970 | Victor Owen |
| 1971 | Steve Sliwa |
| 1972 | Steve Sliwa |
| 1973 | Anne Bothe |
| 1974 | David Sliwa & Monty Sullivan |
| 1975 | Heinz Weissenbuehler |
| 1976 | Susan Sliwa |
| 1977 | David Gardner & David Robbins |
| 1978 | Shelden Hunt & Tim Walker |
| 1979 | David Gardner |
| 1980 | Janel Salva |
| 1981 | Shannon Murphy |
| 1982 | Eric Golden |
| 1983 | Sean Murphy |
| 1984 | Frank Menarchik & Ronald Russ |
| 1985 | Eric Krause |
| 1986 | Daniel Gross |
| 1987 | Thomas Casetta |
| 1988 | Michael Williams |
| 1989 | Eric Davenport |
| 1990 | Jon Edwards |
| 1991 | Susan Beyer |
| 1992 | Liz Schwenkler |
| 1993 | David Graham |
| 1994 | Cindy Williams |
| 1995 | David Graham & Steve Lewis |
| 1996 | Chris Vrabel & Dave Pangia |
| 1997 | Steve Lewis & David Graham |
| 1998 | Michael Ward & Michael Rongapt |
| 1999 | Josh Burczynski |
| 2000 | Josh Burczynski |
| 2001 | Adam Hay |
| 2002 | Greg Rosplock |
| 2003 | Ryan Smith & Nick Wirz |
| 2004 | Kevin Kremer |
| 2005 | Todd Knapp |
| 2006 | Sam Reger |
| 2007 | Corey Sullivan |
| 2008 | Andrew Salisbury |
| 2009 | Jason Riegal |
| 2010 | Evan Olson & Josh Marble |
| 2011 | Caitlyn Riegal |
| 2012 | Evan Harshbarger |
| 2013 | Noah Reitter |
| 2014 | David McMaster |
| 2015 | Dan O’Brien |
| 2016 | Jacob Barnes Jr |
| 2017 | Jessica Hamilton |
| 2018 | Jacob Barnes Jr |
| 2019 | Josh Graham & Zach Graham |
| 2020 | Eric Schelhamer |
| 2021 | Olivia Tate |
| 2022 | Daniel O’Brien |
| 2023 | Katie Woodard & Nate Woodard |
| 2024 | Ian Balster |
Compiled from public records and private conversations 2025 KAS