At American School of The Hague's All-Class Alumni Reunion on June 5, 2026, Larry Babbin, Class of 1975, was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award, recognizing his exceptional dedication to the ASH community and his enduring commitment to bringing alumni together across the globe.

 

The Distinguished Alumni Award honors former students who have demonstrated exceptional achievement in their professional field and/or made a meaningful impact in their community while exemplifying the school's mission to build a better world. Larry's decades of service to the ASH alumni community embody those values through his unwavering commitment to connection, friendship, and international community.

 

Larry attended ASH during his junior and senior years from 1973 to 1975, when the school was still located in The Hague. During his time at ASH, he was actively involved in school life, playing soccer and basketball both years, baseball for one season, and appearing in the 1974 production of Guys and Dolls.

 

Since graduating, Larry has remained one of ASH's most dedicated alumni ambassadors. He has traveled extensively throughout the United States and internationally to reconnect with classmates, attend reunions, and strengthen relationships within the global ASH community. Whether attending large alumni gatherings, meeting classmates for coffee, or organizing informal get-togethers, Larry has made it his mission to ensure that ASH friendships continue long after graduation.

 

His involvement extends well beyond in-person events. Through multiple ASH alumni social media communities, Larry regularly shares photographs from reunions, historical images from the school's past, memorial tributes to former classmates, and updates celebrating alumni achievements. His efforts have helped preserve ASH history while fostering meaningful connections across generations of graduates.

 

Even while navigating significant personal tragedies in recent years, Larry has remained steadfast in his commitment to supporting fellow alumni and celebrating the school that helped shape his life. His resilience, generosity, and enthusiasm continue to inspire those around him.

 

Larry often says that one of the greatest lessons he learned at ASH was that "people all over the world, when removing politics, can get along and be great friends." That belief has guided his lifelong commitment to maintaining the international friendships that began in The Hague.

 

Today, Larry lives in Atlantic City, New Jersey, where he has been based for the past 16 years. Although life took him in a different direction than he originally envisioned, his passion for travel has never faded. He continues to travel whenever possible, proudly representing ASH wherever he goes—often wearing ASH apparel because, as he says, "you never know when you'll run into a fellow ASH alumnus."

 

His dedication has even brought him back to the Netherlands on numerous occasions. During one recent visit, he was able to attend a THIMUN session in The Hague alongside fellow alumnus Bob '75, describing it as a particularly memorable experience.

 

For more than five decades after graduation, Larry has remained an ambassador for the school, demonstrating and strengthening the bonds that make the ASH community global.