2024 Honorees Geraldine Wheldon Jones '46 After graduating from SBHS Gerry continued her education at the University of California Santa Barbara Teacher College. Her first teaching position was first grade at Hope School. In 1952 McCalls Magazine sponsored a search for excellent educators. Gerry was named the first ever National Teacher of the Year and traveled to Washington, DC where she met with President Harry Truman at the White House. Gerry took a break from teaching in the late 1950s to raise her daughter, but in 1966 returned to teaching as she helped open Monte Vista Elementary School where she taught kindergarten until her retirement. Gerry maintained her early enthusiasm in the classroom throughout her career and had the privilege of teaching the children of her former students. In 2000 Gerry was among the honorees at a Reunion of National Teachers of the Year which included another visit to the White House where she met President Clinton. In 2014 she was recognized in a local salute to teachers by the Santa Barbara County Education Office for her contributions to and longevity in the local education community. Gerry passed away in 2017. John Osborne ‘53. John was born in Phoenix, Arizona and moved to Santa Barbara in 1944. He attended La Cumbre Jr. High, Santa Barbara High, Santa Barbara City College and UCSB where he graduated with a degree in Physical Education. While at SBHS and in college John played basketball and baseball. He signed a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers with whom he played for 3 seasons. John found a home as a teacher and coach, working at San Marcos High School and Alan Hancock College, where he took on the job of Athletic Director in 1985. John has received many awards and accolades including the UCSB Athletic Hall of Fame, Northern SB County Round Table Hall of Fame, the California Community College Baseball Coach’s Association Hall of Fame, the SB Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame, and the SBHS/ Ye Ole Gang Athletic Hall of Fame. Most recently, the Allan Hancock College baseball field was named after him. Sharon Keinath Henning ‘74. Sharon is the 3rd generation in her family to attend and work at Franklin Elementary School and to attend SB Junior High and SBHS. Her grandmother was in the first class to graduate from the SBHS Anapamu campus. At SBHS, Sharon was on the Junior and Senior Class Councils, in Marching Band and Concert Band, worked on costumes for theater productions, and was on the yearbook staff. Sharon attended SBCC receiving a degree in Early Childhood Ed She worked at local pre-schools, Franklin, Harding and Roosevelt elementary schools before working at SBHS in the Counseling Office. Sharon has been a board member for the SBHS Alumni Association for over 22 years. She goes above and beyond her role of Director of Memberships as the Founder of the All Dons Reunion and as Co-Founder of the Alumni Band. Sharon spearheaded the rebranding for SBHS in 2023, started Friday morning “office hours” where alumni archive the historical record of the school and maintain the alumni association’s collection of memorabilia. In retirement, Sharon volunteers for many community events including greeting guests from the cruise ships and at the Visitor Center Catherine Ramak ‘81. Catherine Remak moved to Santa Barbara as a child, when her father took a job as a professor at UCSB. She attended Montecito Union, Santa Barbara Junior High, Santa Barbara High, Santa Barbara City College and then UCSB, before transferring to San Francisco State for a more “hands-on” education in broadcast journalism. Catherine’s time in San Francisco was marked with internships at KPIX, CNN and KGO, and prepared her for a return to the community she deeply loves and the opportunity to use her voice to support Santa Barbara. Catherine has over three decades of experience in radio broadcasting and has one of the most recognizable voices in Santa Barbara. Catherine is part of the long-running “Gary and Catherine in the Morning” show on KLITE 101.7 where she has been on the air for 30 years, keeping listeners informed, entertained and connected to their community. Catherine is also known as a “champion for non-profits,” collectively volunteering thousands hours as an emcee/moderator and auctioneer at countless events, helping to bring significant exposure and millions of dollars to local agencies. Cria Gregory ‘96. Cria is recognized for her career of dedication to public health. She is currently the Chief of the Epidemiology Branch in the Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cria’s love of science was established at SBHS. She was valedictorian of the class of 1996, earned a degree from UC Berkeley in 2000 and a doctorate from Emory University in 2008. She then joined the Center for Disease Control’s Epidemic Intelligence Service, a two-year applied public health fellowship of the CDC’s “Disease Detectives.” Cria spent more than a decade as an epidemiologist working internationally and domestically on maternal and child nutrition including developing surveys and monitoring public health programs before transitioning to work on respiratory viruses Cria has supported multiple public health responses including H1N1 pandemic influenza, Ebola, the Haiti earthquake, vaping-associated lung injury, unaccompanied children migrants, and COVID-19. In the CDC’s COVID-19 response she served in several leadership roles overseeing epidemiologic studies and leading the development and dissemination of national guidance on COVID-19 mitigation. 2023 Honorees Roke Fukumura '41 led the 1941 Dons to their first CIF Southern Section Baseball Championship. At SBHS, Roke also played basketball and ran track, setting a high school record in the 50- yard dash and qualifying to run in the CIF Championships at the Los Angeles Coliseum. He grew up farming in Santa Barbara, played semi-professional baseball in Santa Barbara, and played on a team while in an internment camp during World War II. Roke worked in the grocery business in Santa Barbara, retiring last year, at age 101, from Tri County Produce. At his retirement party, he was publicly recognized by state and local dignitaries with proclamations honoring Santa Barbara’s peppiest centenarian. Kathy Koury '68. While at SBHS, she played on the Girls’ Tennis Team, ranking No.1 during her junior and senior years. She performed in all the school’s musical theatre productions. Kathy was the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Children’s Creative Project for 44 years, providing arts education for more than 50,000 children. She is the founder and creator of iMadonarri, the annual street painting festival held at the Mission over Memorial weekend. Kathy has collaborated with Santa Barbara’s Sister Cities in Toba, Japan and Puerto Vallarta, Mexico to establish street painting festivals. Russell Hafferkamp '72.was a member of the second water polo team at SBHS. He went on to play in college and on the U.S. National Team. Russ played professionally in Australia and has been a member of many National championship teams. He is an inductee of the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the USA Water Polo Hall and has been on the NBC broadcast team for the past six Olympics. Russ is the author of several books, crediting his work on SBHS Forgewith starting his interest in writing. Several ofthem are included on our SBHS Alumni Authors’ Shelf. Jonathan Mayes '74 served SBHS as ASB President. He is CEO of Jonathan Mayes Consulting, and former Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer for Albertsons Companies, one of America’s largest grocery and pharmacy chains. He is a nationally known speaker on diversity, equity and inclusion topics, and has frequently spoken at conferences, major universities, and corporations across the U.S. He led his company’s award-winning diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and is a Certified Diversity Executive. He has a law degree and has received many awards for his work with diversity and equity. Abe Powell '87. While at SBHS he sang in Madrigals and played football. After dealing with a number of local fire disasters, Abe became a volunteerfirefighter and was elected to the Montecito Fire Protection District. In January 2018, he and his wife created the Santa Barbara Bucket Brigade to help dig out neighbors from the debris flow that followed the Thomas Fire. Abe’s incredible energy and enthusiasm has turned the Bucket Brigade into a non-profit with hundreds of volunteers who provide work, including building walking paths for safe routes to schools, disaster preparedness, crisis response, trail clean ups, and more. He has recently established the Bucket Brigade Academy a community resilience training program for high school students.
2022 Honorees (note: due to the pandemic, we skipped 2020 and 2021) Mary Claudia Nettles Madsen (1938). Claudia was among the first female UPI journalists; passionate Santa Barbara civic leader, community advocate and political influencer. Claudia graduated from Santa Barbara High in 1938. While at SBHS, Claudia fell in love with journalism where she worked on the student newspaper, The Forge. After graduation, she was thrilled to be accepted to Stanford University where she earned a BA degree in journalism. At the time of her graduation, many jobs that were previously unavailable, opened up because World War II was underway and the men were all at war. Claudia became one of the first women to be hired by United Press International (UPI). Her journalism career included writing substantial and impressive stories on the war as well as interviewing such notables as Madame Chiang Kai-shek, Art Linkletter and the head of the powerful Teamsters Union. When the war ended, all the women were fired, and the men returned to work. Claudia returned to Stanford, married Bill Madsen and while honeymooning in Acapulco, fell in love with Mexico, which led to studying anthropology at Mexico City College, all in Spanish. She and her husband spent their postgraduate life in remote Mexican villages conducting anthropological studies and archaeological excavations. Claudia did her field work in the small Aztec village of Tepepan were she was able to overcome the suspicions of the local villagers to research Mexican medicine. She received her MA from UC Berkeley in anthropology. She spent the next 18 years raising her children and was considered the rock of the family during various moves from Berkeley to Austin to Palo Alto to Indiana, and finally back in Santa Barbara. After her return to Santa Barbara, she became very involved in local politics, deeply committed to keeping Santa Barbara beautiful. The unobstructed view from Cabrillo Boulevard toward the mountains was due in part to Claudia’s hard work and dedication. She volunteered on many political campaigns, including that of Gary Hart ‘61, another Wall of Famer. She used her journalism experience to do research and write numerous letters to the editor. Claudia served on the Citizen’s Planning Association, the Foothill Preservation League and Allied Neighborhoods Association. Claudia was the proud recipient of the Citizen’s Planning Association Award for outstanding service to the community as well as a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition for Outstanding and Valuable Service to the Community. She cared passionately and worked tirelessly for Santa Barbara betterment and to maintain the town’s beauty and quality of life. Claudia, who passed away in 2007, was a strong, independent and determined individual, who above all, was dedicated to her family and especially adored her grandchildren. Claudia will long be remembered by her family for what she called her “pearls of wisdom.” One of them was: “If you have a dream, make it happened. Never give up.” George Greenough (1960). George is one of the most influential surfers in the field of surfboard design, fin characteristics, and other creations for the aquatic medium. He is also noted for his legendary work in film. George’s love for the ocean and wave riding spawned after open-heart surgery at age 10 and he proved that anything goes as long as you believe in it. Greenough was born in 1941 in Santa Barbara, California and at a very early age walked to his own drummer–usually without shoes. Thanks to the abundance of quality pointbreaks in Santa Barbara’s vicinity, Greenough developed a keen knack for surfing during the 1950s before his tastes for innovation led him to other forms of wave riding, namely knee boarding and mat-riding. The “spoon” was born at SBHS! While in Wood Shop class at SBHS, George recounts, “I needed a project for wood shop, and everyone else was making birdhouses and such. I needed a board that would fit deeper into the wave’s tube, so I created the spoon. It was a great project, and the teacher gave me an A.” The spoon was a short board — just under 5 feet and weighing only 6 pounds (as opposed to the long board at 9’6” weighing 25 lbs.) “…with a blunt-nosed balsa kneeboard— made of an all-fiberglass kneeling area with foam on the nose and sides and a dished-out midsection and tail that slimmed down to a mere half-inch thickness. A few versions later, I shaped a spoon with a fin design that I borrowed from a tuna. It made the board easy to maneuver in the water," added Greenough. “You could feel every movement of the wave." For surfers, the difference between the spoon and the longboard was immediate. Both the spoon and Greenough's ultra-modern fin design were groundbreaking movements in the evolution of surfing. With the spoon's intuitive steering attributes, and some good surf, Greenough was not only able to turn, but to completely change direction with his board, float on the whitewater, and perform other maneuvers considered progressive - maneuvers that had never before been done. Greenough continued to fuel the sport’s progression by experimenting and developing with newfangled fin templates and spooned out decks for his kneeboards. The sharp gouges and rapid directional changes his innovations allowed were soon recognized by notable Australian surfers Nat Young and Bob McTavish. Young went on the win the 1966 World Surfing Championships on one of Greenough’s fins, while McTavish developed a vee-shaped surfboard bottom, aimed at replicating the turning ability of Greenough’s kneeboards — which in turn sparked the shortboard revolution. Greenough's experimentation and design didn't stop at surfboards and kneeboards. There was also his homemade boat, The Coupe de Ville, fashioned from fiberglass and the hull of a 16-foot Boston Whaler. Its crowning glory: a rear window lifted from a 1957 Plymouth that functioned as its windshield. While filming Dolphin Glide he had made a jet-ski type watercraft which he used as a platform for filming. His second variation, known as a GARC (Greenough Advanced Rescue Craft), was a product of this experimenting. The GARC was based on a rescue boat hull designed by Greenough, and is currently manufactured by MAPC (Maritime Applied Physics Corporation), which holds the patents for the craft. The jet-ski look-alike is a more rugged and stable version that can be launched in the waves or by an aircraft. The development of the open transom and the stern tongue make it possible for rescues without having to actually lift the person in trouble out of the water. The GARC holds four people and issued by the United States Navy, Coast Guard, and National Guard. Despite all his innovative surfboard shapes and numerous aquatic designs, Greenough continued to ride a mat (it was his first choice for wave riding) and his disdain for footwear continued! He settled in Byron Bay, Australia, began to dabble in filmmaking and photography. He started using cutting-edge techniques to captivate his audiences. His in-the-tube angles in photographs and, more notably, cinematography, along with cameras mounted on the nose of board (and even his back!) brought a never-before- seen view of a barreling wave. His earth-shattering film The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun (1970) allowed those who had never experienced the joy of tube riding to practically be in the moment all surfers dream of. Rock band Pink Floyd was so enamored with The Innermost Limits of Pure Fun that they donated their music to his next work, Echoes (1972), a film delving deeper into the sights and sounds of breaking waves. His expert filmmaking and intuitive eye landed him several assignments on feature films including Big Wednesday and Rip Girls. In 1973, Greenough himself was a subject of documentary short Crystal Voyager, filmed entirely in Santa Barbara to record the making of The Coupe. Greenough continues to work on a host of larger surf films and TV movies. George was inducted into the Surfing Walk of Fame in 2005. He currently lives in Byron Bay, Australia. David Ortiz (1972). David Ortiz ‘72 longtime Santa Barbara educator and educational community leader has served as an inspirational administrator, role model to students and a mentor to colleagues. A Santa Barbara native, David grew up on the Mesa and attended local schools – McKinley Elementary and La Cumbre Junior High before starting at SBHS. A proud and dedicated Don, David’s personal highlights in high school include meeting his wife, Leslie; playing Varsity basketball; developing lifelong friendships; and walking down the hill at graduation. After graduation, David attended SBCC before transferring to San Diego State University where he earned his BA degree. Returning home to Santa Barbara, he attended UCSB where he was awarded his MA and Administrative Services Credentials. Finding his life’s passion, he began his 41-year career as a Santa Barbara educator, educating over 34,000 students in our local community. Over the span of his career, he was a teacher at La Colina Junior High for 2 years and a teacher at Los Prietos Boys Camp-Los Robles High School for 10 years; served as Assistant Principal at La Colina Junior High for 7 years and then became Principal at La Colina, a position he held for 22 years before retiring in 2019. Over the course of his career, his numerous community involvements included serving on numerous Santa Barbara School Unified School District and Santa Barbara County Committees such as Leadership Team, Secondary Principals Council, Diversity/Equity, Safe Routes to School, Sustainability, Just Communities, SBUSD Negotiations, CADA- Fighting Back, Disaster Preparedness, Safe Schools, AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination, Restorative Approaches, PEAC (Program for Effective Access to College), UCSB Teacher Education Program, and Westmont Teacher Education Program. During his tenure, David has received a number of recognitions: the CA Young Educator of the Year, Santa Barbara Unified School District Crystal Apple, Prime Time Band Lifetime Achievement, Spirit of Service, ACSA (Association of California School Administrators) Lifetime Achievement, SBCEO (Santa Barbara County Education Office) Mentor Teacher, SBUSD English Learner Advisory Awards: keynote speaker, SBCEO Career Day, and SBCEO Partners-in-Education Awards: keynote speaker. Looking back over his long career, David’s mantra is Connectedness—the relationships with students, parents, staff, administrators at La Colina, the Santa Barbara School District and Santa Barbara community and, Culture—the development of positive, productive, and compassionate school and Santa Barbara School District cultures. His personal highlights are his wife Leslie Rian ‘72, his sons, Michael and Daniel, and his grandchildren Sofia and Lola, as well his many lifelong friends that he has had since high school and college. Andrew Butcher (1976). Andrew Butcher ’76 is recognized as a longstanding, successful Santa Barbara High School girls head basketball coach. He is best known for his inspirational leadership on and off the court and as an innovative and resourceful SBHS athletic department fundraiser and a volunteer for anything needed at SBHS. Basketball has been Andrew’s passion since an early age. As a high school junior he was the SBHS basketball manager and was a varsity player in his senior year. That same year he was recognized for his volunteer work as the 1976 Key Club Award Winner. Since then his volunteer work has continued at SBHS, mentoring, coaching and starting the swap meet in the senior parking lot to benefit athletics and SBHS extra- curriculars. Since 1982 when he began coaching Girls Varsity Basketball, his inspirational coaching style has brought every team except for 3 years to CIF playoffs. His players have stayed in touch with him and when his 2014 team went to the CIF Girls Final his past players made an online scrapbook wishing him well. Many of the girls traveled to Sacramento to see him coach the championship game. Twenty-three of his players have gone on to play Division 1 college basketball. When funding for athletics was becoming more difficult, Andrew creatively came up with an idea to offer a Flea Market, with profits going to various sports, band, chorus, etc. on a rotating basis. Now, 23 years later the Saturday Flea Market remains. Another one of his creativity, was to bring back an SBHS Screen Print room. This too has become an on-sight way of helping athletics, clubs and extra-curriculars have an in-house way to have printing services at a reasonable cost. Andrew has been honored by the Santa Barbara Basketball Court of Champions as a 2014 Inductee and by the SBHS Alumni Association as the 2015 Distinguished Alumnus for his tireless work for SBHS and our students. Tim Trigueiro (1985). A highly respected professional tennis player/champion and fearless competitor, Tim Trigueiro ‘85 has left his mark on the US tennis community by teaching and coaching the game at all levels of the past 25-year. Tim Trigueiro, is a Santa Barbara native and tennis champion. While at Santa Barbara High, he was a 4-time Channel League Champion, and MVP in both singles and team competitions, a CIF Individual Finalist, and an Ojai Interscholastic Champion. He helped lead the Dons to their first CIF team championship title since 1942. Under his coach and father, Jack Trigueiro, the Dons went on to win 8 CIF Division 4 team titles and 10 in all. Even at this young age, Tim was making a name for himself on the national stage. In 1984, he reached the round of 16 at the United States Open (losing to Boris Becker of Germany) and in 1985 represented the US in singles and doubles at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the United States Open. Most impressively, he won seven straight matches at the 1985 US Open to take the World Junior Championship title. Coming out of high school, he was the #1 college recruit in the United States and decided to attend UCLA. In his freshman year, he played singles and doubles and helped the Bruins reach a perfect 10-0 Pac 10 season. In 1987, he led the team to a NCAA Division 1 final berth. Later transferring to Southern Methodist University, he became the S.E.C. individual singles and doubles champion. Graduating in 1990, Tim went on to play 5 years on the ATP World Tour, traveling extensively and competing professionally at the US Open and the Wimbledon Championships. In 2000, the SB News Press named Tim as 1 of the 4 best players from the area in the last century. After spending twenty years in Santa Monica working in real estate and as a financial advisor, Tim and his wife Sarah returned to our community and currently live in Carpinteria. Tim coached as a volunteer at Santa Barbara High School for 4 years and at the college level at Loyola Marymount University. In 2019 he was inducted into the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table Hall of Fame as one of the best tennis players ever from this area. Even after his triumphant competitive career, Tim has further made his mark on the US tennis community by teaching the fame at all levels for the past 25 years.
2019 Honorees Ernie Brooks (1953). Ernie was an ambassador to the marine environment, a photographer, adventurer, diver and educator. He was dedicated to the importance of photography, protecting the environment, & educating youth to appreciate nature and art. He is the recipient of numerous international awards and his work has been featured in many museums & magazines focusing on education, conversation and philanthropy. In addition, Ernie was a trailblazer in the development of underwater photographic equipment and technique. Ernie graduated from Brooks Institute of Photography (founded by his father) and served on the school’s executive staff. In 1971, he assumed the office of president and held the position until 2000 . Ernie donated the former Brooks Institute of Photography Jefferson Campus as a permanent home of the Santa Barbara Middle School. Julio Bortolazzo (1932). Julio earned his doctorate in education from Harvard after earning two master’s degrees from USC. He pioneered the California’s community college system, leaving as his legacy campuses in San Mateo and San Joaquin counties. Julio helped develop school systems in South Carolina, Italy and Liberia. Julio retired after a year as the head of Santa Barbara City College. He was a past president of the Junior College Association of California and served as executive director of the South Carolina State Committee for Technical Education. Margaret Sands Orchowski (1959). Margaret majored in journalism and earned a Ph.D. and an M.A. at UCSB and a M.A. at Occidental College as a CORO Fellow. A Congressional Correspondent in DC for Hispanic Outlook on Higher Ed. Magazine and reporter for the Associated Press in South America, UN Press Corps in Geneva. She wrote Political Hype and Hysteria and The Law That Changed The Face of America: The Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965. Peggy has written for USA Today, US News & World Report, Washington Times, Montecito Journal among others. She was a Director of the UCSB Olympic Village for LAOOC in 1983/84 and helped develop the first Hospice & EMT programs in SB. Bill Leavy (1965). Bill graduated from San Jose State University in 1970 with a degree in law enforcement. Bill is a retired San Jose police officer and firefighter, serving for 27 years. Between the 1970s and 1984, Leavy worked several all-star, playoff, championship games at the high school and junior college levels. During his 11 seasons in Division I football, he worked four college bowl games including the (Independence and Freedom Bowl. In his 20 year NFL officiating career, he was assigned to fifteen playoff games, including Super Bowl XXXIV and Super Bowl XL. Bill was Coordinator of Football Officials for the Western Athletic Conference and then Mountain Western Conference in 1998 & 1999. Jamie Park Duncan (1989). Jamie is the Don’s most decorated cross country & track runner male or female in Channel League, CIF, Collegiate, National and International levels. Honors included 9 League titles. Of 16 CIF finals, won three CIF- SS 4-A crowns & placed second in 2 more. Jaime won the 1989 National Jr. Women’s Cross Country 5K Championship and followed with NCAA Division I & II 10,000m titles and All American Honors. She is the 1st female Don to qualify for & represent Team USA in international cross country competition. She placed 23rd in the 1990 IAIF World Cross Country Woman’s Junior Championship with Team USA finishing 11th in the world team standings. She is a Physician’s Assistant working with citizens & athletes dealing with chronic pain.
2018 Honorees Lawrence C. Lane (1930). Lawrence's award was presented posthumously to his two sons. Lawrence was a trailblazer in the farming community of Goleta, starting with his family’s Lane Farms. Active in the Goleta Union School Board, Goleta Water District and Goleta Sanitary District, he was named Goleta Man of the year in 1960. An alumnus of UCLA, Lawrence’s whirlwind of community service started at SBHS as Senior Class President and a member of the first football team known as the Golden Tornado. Payne Green (1951). Payne was a 3-sport varsity athlete, holding a still unbroken record in the decathlon. At Ventura Junior College he continued with football, basketball and track, breaking track records there as well. Payne was a familiar face in Santa Barbara while serving as a SB Police Officer for 28 years, working on the SWAT Team and returning to SBHS as a Resource Officer. In 2010 he was inducted into the SBHS Athletic Hall of Fame. Rose Marie Cruz (1956). Synonymous with Old Spanish Days Fiesta, Rose Marie has dedicated her life’s passion to the joy of Spanish dance. Starting with famous Jose’ Manero, became professional in the 1960’s, studied in Mexico and Spain and is the founder and director of Cruz Dance and Entertainment, voted Santa Barbara’s Best Dance Studio by the SB Independent. She has mentored many of our SBHS students, been a USA Pageant judge and is known in the dance community as a phenomenal choreographer and master teacher. At SBHS, she was in theater productions, drill team and a majorette. Martha Grace Duncan (1963). The Valedictorian of her SBHS class, Martha won an Occidental International Fellowship to do research on an opposition political party in Bogota’, Colombia. She later won a fellowship from the Latin American Institute of Columbia University to research peasant movements in Northeast Brazil, after having written about this same region in high school! She earned her Master’s and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia and her law degree from Yale Law School. At Emory University School of Law where she is a professor, she specializes in criminal law and has been awarded Distinguished Teaching Award and Professor of the Year. Victor Bartolome (1966). At 6’11”, Victor was the tallest Don to have competed for SBHS, setting a SBHS single-game scoring record of 44 points. He was selected for the San Francisco Golden State Warriors in the 1970 NBA draft, played in Italy for Libertas Livorno and then joined the Warriors for their ’71-’72 season. In 1978 he played one of the leading roles in his Netherlands Parker Leiden team’s victory at the first Dutch National Championship.
2017 Honorees Robert Davis (1942). Robert was drafted into the Army in 1943 and was trained as a baker, cook, medic, and infantryman. While serving in the army, Robert was captured and sent to a few POW camps. After his return home, he attended Santa Barbara State Teacher’s College. He obtained a BS in Chemical Engineering from New Mexico State and studied for his Master’s at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Robert worked for Standard Oil and Gas and eventually for Chevron. He retired in 1989 as President of Chevron Chemical in San Ramon, California. Al Geiberger (1955). Al graduated from USC in 1959 and went into professional golfing. He was the first golfer to shoot a 59 in a PGA tour tournament and finished in first place on the Champion Tour 10 times Al was voted by Sports Illustrated as having “one of the most significant sporting achievements of the 20th century." John Gilbert (1963). In 1960, John led the Golden Tornados to a CIF Championship and received All League honors. In 1963, John was recruited to join the top athletes with the Southern California Striders Track club. At a meet, he came in second place to Bob Hayes, who broke the world record in the 100 yard dash in 9.1 seconds, with John running a 9.2. John now works for ITT Industries as a senior computer operator and is also a part of the Santa Barbara County Mentor Program. Roger Aceves (1973). Roger began a career in law enforcement that spanned 32 years; first with the SB County Sheriffs Department and then with the SB Police Department. He is also a graduate of the FBI National Academy. In addition to Roger’s law enforcement service, he has served the community through his involvement with numerous nonprofit organizations such as the Santa Barbara Scholarship Foundation and Old Spanish Days. In 2001, he served as El Presidente of Old Spanish Days. Roger was elected to Goleta City Council in 2006 and reelected in 2010. He served as mayor in 2009 and 2012. Lee Wardlaw (1973). Lee is an award-winning author of books for young readers. Lee graduated from Cal Poly with a B.A. in education. She studied for her M.Ed. at Loyola University, Maryland. Lee wrote the “101 Ways to…” series and many other stories and poems. Some of the prestigious awards she has received, include the Lee Bennett Hopkins Children’s Poetry Award and the Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Award.
2016 Honorees Damita Jo DeBlanc (1947). Damita Jo was born in Austin, Texas in 1930. She was active in comedy and music since she was 20 years old. Her recordings have topped the charts in America, Sweden, Norway, Australia, Puerto Rico and Japan. She influenced many singers with her new and unique sound and is best Known for the million-selling 1960 smash “I’ll Save the Last Dance for You.” She is also known for her answer song “I’ll be There,” a response song to “Stand by Me.” She scored a Top 20 R&B smash with this song in 1960 and reached #12 on the Billboard charts. Damita has worked with many influential people in the music business, like Ray Charles, Count Basie, and Lionel Hampton. After a short solo career, she joined Steve Gibson and the Red Caps. Before the end of her career, she became involved in comedy and toured with Redd Foxx. She also became a regular on The Red Foxx Review television show. After retiring, she later turned to gospel music. She released an album of religious material in 1985. George Primbs (1947). George attended UCSB and UCLA’s medical school. After, he served in the Navy and Air Force as an eye surgeon and Captain. Dr. Primbs then earned his ophthalmology degree from UCLA. He worked as an ophthalmologist in Santa Barbara from 1962 to 1995 Dr. Primbs started Surgical Eye Expeditions International, a non- profit that performs free eye surgeries around the world. He sees nearly a thousand uninsured patients a year, mostly children. Dr. Primbs has also donated time and equipment for those with diabetes and eye problems at the William Sansum Diabetes Center in Santa Barbara for many years and gives free eye examinations to people who have diabetes. He has worked with the owner of the Eyeglass Factory in several locations in the area, providing free exams and glasses for children. Co-founder of SEE (Surgical Eye Expeditions) International, for over forty years, a group of ophthalmologists go around the world correcting the eyesight of thousands of people annually. They have reached over 3.6 million people worldwide and provided free screenings and services to those who wouldn’t have access to or be able to pay for eyeglasses. They have given over 440,00 surgeries to help better people’s sight and their lives . In many developing countries, blindness is an underlying cause of poverty and hunger. Eye care is largely unavailable, too expensive, or unsafe. SEE Docs provide high quality vision care to all. SEE has helped provide high quality vision care to everyone in over 80 countries worldwide. Manuel Unzueta (1968). Manuel came to Santa Barbara High school in 1965 from Mexico, where he learned how to speak english. He became involved with sports, music, community activism, and the the cartoonist for the Forge while at SBHS. Manuel also was in a band where he was the bass player and the singer. Manuel earned his baccalaureate degree in Art and Master of Fine Arts in Painting at UCSB. He was on the soccer team at UCSB where he was a forward and a main scorer. He helped them to win the Division 1 championship in 1971. He is a well- known Santa Barbara muralist, artist and lecturer in SBCC’s Chicano Studies program. He has volunteered for over 35 years to design and paint murals with young artists. Manuel also is an activist and worked with Cesar Chavez and his son. He still works to help migrant children. Manuel helped paint mural on Santa Barbara High School’s library. He assists SB’s Youth Arts Alliance Program. Sits on the La Cumbre Junior High Foundation. He won the Maestro Award in 2014. He worked at the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) at City College in 2004 and now teaches Chicano Art part-time. Manuel assists in providing brand new neighborhood murals at Bohnett Park and the Eastside Library. These are proof of how Manuel uses his talent and experience to inspire today’s youth. Vaune Kadlubek (1976). Vaune was the first female to play on a boys’ water polo team at the YMCA, because SBHS did not have a girls team at the time. After High school, she played on the US National team from 1976- 86. She was the only female to play or coach at The Olympic Festivals. She was the first USA Woman to official an international match. She has been a referee at both Sr. & Jr. US Water Polo National Championships and the first USA Water Polo Athlete Rep-Chairperson Vaune was one of the team members playing 1st USA International Tournament USA and World Championships in 1978 and 1986. She played in four FINA World Cups, (International Swimming Federation). Vaune played from 1975 to 1996 in Women’s Sr. Indoor and Outdoor National Championships. She participated in Olympic events, then went on to earn her master’s degree from UNLV in 1983 where she was enrolled in UNLV Gerontology Certificate Program. She has earned the Female Masters of the Year award in 2015 and Masters National Championships All- American award in 2015 along with many other honors and awards such as:
Member of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games Staff Water Polo and Member of 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games Staff-NBC technical spotter
UNLV Chairperson Women’s Sports Foundation
UNLV Hall of Fame Committee Member
Coordinator of Las Vegas Inner City Games for Swimming
Volunteer Senior Olympics and Special Olympics in Swimming
She became UNLV’s women’s swimming coach before being named head coach of the US Women’s National Water Polo Team. Vaune was the assistant Sr. National Women’s Coach 1986-1994. She was on the coaching staff for FINA World Cups, World Championships and several International tournaments over eight years and the head Sr. National Coach from 1995-2000. She gave water polo clinics in France, Spain, Germany, England, Singapore, Brazil, and New Zealand. Vaune was also an Athlete Representative from 1978 to 1994 for US Water Polo. Kristin Knapp (1990). Kristen established herself early on in her high school career as both an all-star student and athlete. She became the Captain, all-league, all CIF, all county, all-state and all American basketball player. She played 4 years at Notre Dame University and graduated with honors and became the Associate Head coach at UT Arlington. She was also Univ New Hampshire Head coach from 2007-2010, the George Washington University coach, Xavier, Ball State, UNLV and Auburn U coaches as well. She is now the assistant coach at West Texas A & M. Kristin played on two nationally ranked Top 5 teams. She was 4 Time All-American Basketball Team 1987-90, 4 Time All-State Basketball Team 1987-90, and 4 Time All-Channel League 1987-90 while at Santa Barbara High School. Kristin was the all-time leading scorer in 1990 (1,762 points), and she now ranks second on that list. She still holds the all-time rebounding record, single season scoring and rebounding, as well as the single game rebounding record. She played on the US Olympic Sports Festival Team 1991 and played professionally in Europe in 1994. She then came back to Santa Barbara and became the head JV Coach at SBHS 1994-95 and Varsity Assistant Coach 1994-96. Kristin has won many awards, including the Channel League and SB County MVP 1990, SB New Press Athlete of the Year 1990, and Sam Cathcart Most Outstanding Athlete of the Year 1990. She has been a member of the SB AThletic Round table since 2001.
2015 Honorees William Russel (1932), William worked three decades in a leadership position in the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF), first as commissioner of the Southern Section and then appointed as the State Commissioner of Athletics and Executive Secretary of the CIF Protection Fund, which pioneered affordable insurance for athletes. Even before Title IX was passed, Russell laid the groundwork for CIF to add competitive sports for girls. Under his leadership the first athletic code was established to assist California high schools to sponsor girls’ interscholastic athletic teams. Bill served as El Presidente of Old Spanish Days Fiesta in 1969 and with his wife, Dorothy, hosted the Noches de Ronda on the Courthouse steps for 20 years Dr. Robert Sawyer (1953). Robert graduated from Stanford with his BA and MS degrees and then attended Princeton University where he earned his MA and PhD in aerospace science. An Air Force veteran, he returned to California to start a thirty year tenure as professor of mechanical engineering at Berkeley, while doing research in air quality, emissions control, energy conversion and rocket and jet propulsion. He has written over 350 technical publications as well as two books. He was awarded the Berkeley Citation and Soichiro Honda Medal from the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is a fellow of the Society of Automotive Engineers, served as President of the International Combustion Institute from 1992-1996, and chaired the California Air Resources Board on appointment by Governor Schwarzenegger in 2005. Alonzo King (1969). Alonzo was a visionary choreography and dancer who found his passion for dance at SBHS with teacher June Lane Christensen in Modern Dance lcass. King has works in the repertories of the Swedish Royal Ballet, Frankfurt Ballet, Ballet Bejart, Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo, Joffrey Ballet, Alvin Ailey, Hong Kong Ballet, North Carolina Dance Theatre, and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago. He has worked extensively in opera, television, and film. Renowned for his skill as a teacher, King has been guest ballet master for dance companies around the globe. In 2012 King was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Corps de Ballet International Teacher Conference. King is the director of the international touring Company, Alonzo King LINES Ballet housed in San Francisco with the Alonzo King LINES Ballet BFA at Dominican University of California. Alonzo King is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including the Dance Masters of America, President Award In October 2012 the San Francisco Museum & Historical Society named King a “San Francisco Living Treasure” in recognition of the significant contributions he has made to the historic fabric of San Francisco over the last 30 years. San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom presented the Mayor’s Art Award to King in October 2008, calling him a “San Francisco treasure.” In June 2008, King was honored with the Jacob’s Pillow Creativity Award, in recognition of his contribution to “moving ballet in a very 21st-century direction”. In 2006, King received the US Artists award, and in 2005, received New York’s Bessie Award for Choreographer/Creator Award. In 2005, he was named a Master of Choreography by the Kennedy Center. He is a former commissioner for the city and county of San Francisco, and a writer and lecturer on the art of dance. Passions take flight at SBHS! Nan Seed Verkaik (1971). Nan attended SBHS just prior to Title IX girls' sports, but participated in every sport possible while a student. At the University of Puget Sound, Nan earned 20 varsity letters in five sports—field hockey, basketball, volleyball, softball and track and field. Upon graduation she returned to SBHS where she coached girls’ swim team and girls’ and boys’ volleyball teams. Her coaching success at SBHS include a 5th place finish at Junior Nationals in boys’ volleyball, 2nd place finish in CIF swimming and a CIF girls’ volleyball championship in 2000. Four of her teams won the CIF scholastic achievement award for their sport. In 2001, Nan was awarded Coach of the year for the City of Santa Barbara, recognizing her successful coaching career. She took on Athletic Directorship of SBHS in 2003, becoming the first woman in that position and the fourth in the history of the school. She returned back to the classroom in 2012, where she is a popular teacher, working more closely with students and is an advocate for them. Holly Ford Emerson (1984). While at SBHS, Holly was a top scholar, 2-time MVP, 2-time Channel League MVP, 2-time CIF Southern Section co-MVP, and All State Selection. She received a scholarship to play basketball at the University of Southern California where she started in all but one game. The team finished runner up in the National Championships and she was selected to the Pacific 10 All American team twice in 1987 an in 1988. Her scholastic achievement continued along with her athletic prowess at USC, made the Dean’s List 7 times and was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society. She earned the USC Outstanding Senior Scholar-Athlete Award. USC retired her jersey in 2011. Holly’s retired SBHS jersey hangs in the J.R. Richards ’57 Gymnasium.
2014 Honorees Ward Kimball (1932). Ward was an animator for the Walt Disney Studios and was one of Walt Disney's animators known as Disney's Nine Old Men. He created several of the classic Disney characters, including Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat and Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio. Ward was a railroad enthusiast and is credited with inspiring Walt Disney to install the Disney Railroad. Engine No. 5 of the Disney Railroad is named the “Ward Kimball” in his memory. Ward won an Academy Award Oscar for his animated short, It’s Tough To Be a Bird. He was also a jazz trombonist and led a 7- piece Dixieland Band. Ward was a Distinguished Alumnus in 1992 and upon receiving the honor reminisced how SBHS had been his “haven” where he had been allowed and encouraged to draft and cartoon. He passed away in 2002, his Wall of Fame award was given posthumously. Jack Hufford (1951). Jack Hufford dedicated his boundless energy and time to volunteering countless hours at SBHS and at other local schools. He, along with John Campilio ’53, raised monies necessary to carry out the painstaking restoration of the front and side façade entrances at our Alma Mater. He then managed the professional workers and personally worked with students, teaching them skills and mentoring them in the value of volunteering and giving back to SBHS. For this restoration work alone, Jack was given the first Frederick Forest Peabody Award by the SBHS Alumni Association. In addition, Jack had flags made which fly on the JR Richards Gymnasium. Jack is a loyal Don who will tackle just about anything he sees needs repairing at SBHS and always maintains his wonderful sense of humor in the process. John Campilio (1953). John, former ASB President in his senior year and former teacher is a Distinguished Alumnus. He was instrumental in obtaining SBHS’s historical landmark status in 2005 and worked diligently on the Veterans’ Memorial in front of the gym. He is a Past President of the Alumni Association, heading up and writing the Alumni Newsletter for 20 plus years. He is an avid fan of baseball and is an active member of Ye Ole Dons Athletic Boosters. He is a major supporter of the SBHSAA Scholarship Program, creating the Michelle Humboldt Scholarship and the John Pasquotto Honorary Scholarship Fund. He is also a major contributor to the Class of ’53 Scholarship as well as anything SBHS. He and Jack Hufford ’51 are a team to be reckoned with! John has given time, energy and love to SBHS, where he claims he was his happiest. Stephen Benton (1959). Stephen was a top student at SBHS and distinguished himself in the sciences. He won the local Science Fair and went on to the State Fair in Los Angeles where his experiment in light bending was noticed by Dr. Edwin Land of Polaroid Land fame. Stephen was the winner of the 18th annual Westinghouse Science Talent Search-an extremely high honor, chosen from a national group of thousands of students. He attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduated in 1963 in electrical engineering. During his time at MIT Stephen began focusing on photographic, optical research and stroboscopy. He completed his Masters and PhD, both from Harvard and then taught classes at MIT. He held 14 patents in optical physics and photography. Stephen’s landmark work in fine arts holography and medical imaging is world renowned, however, he is best known for his invention of the rainbow hologram—the foil security on every credit card and license. This hologram is known as the Benton hologram! You may recall the hologram of the dove on the cover of National Geographic Magazine—that was Stephen’s. Dr. Benton passed away in 2003. Stephen’s brother, Christopher Benton ’64, accepted the award on his brother’s behalf and planned to send it to Stephen’s widow in Massachusetts. Bill Oliphant (1964). Bill is a second generation Don. He played both basketball and baseball for SBHS and while at SBCC was asked to help coach at the Dolores School. He was hooked! Soon after, he was the JV Baseball coach and then moved to Frosh-Soph Baseball where he has remained for the last 20+ years. He taught on the SBHS Faculty for many years and when he retired in 2008 he stayed on as “Coach.” The Santa Barbara Junior High baseball field was recently named Oliphant Field, the field he has called home for many years. Many of his former players turned out for the dedication of the field where he had coached hundreds of Donlets in baseball and mentored them in how to groom and take care of the fields. Bill has served as a Director on the SBHS Alumni Association’s Board.
2013 Honorees Dr. Ellen Simpson (1935). Ellen dedicated her life to joyfully serving others durin ga long and varied career in medicine and community service. She pursued goals and adventures that were truly pioneering for woman of her time. In 1941 she graduated with a B.S. degree and Public Health Nursing Certificate from U.C. Berkeley. After working as a public health nurse for four years (and getting her pilots license) she was admitted to medical school at U.C. San Francisco at a time when only 12 percent of medical students were women. She had a distinguished career in medicine, specializing in cardiology and pediatrics. She gladly volunteered her services in many places around the world including caring for children with burns and war injuries in Vietnam. She was a pioneer in providing camping and outdoor experiences to diabetic children, who until that time were considered invalids. She helped hundreds of young diabetics realize their full potential in active lives and careers. George Burtness (1949). George is a graduate of Stanford University and served in the Air Force. Civilian life saw him employed with several electronics companies in Silicon Valley, mainly on classified projects with the SR-71 “Blackbird”. He also did research on plans to deter possible Soviet missile launches out of Siberia. He returned to Stanford to work as the manager of the university’s real estate, investments and leasing programs. George returned to Santa Barbara and soon was in the midst of many local volunteer and non-profit organizations. Some of his volunteer work has taken him to exotic locations such as Costa Rica studying biodiversity and to the U.S. Virgin Islands to study reef fishes. He has also volunteered for Earthwatch projects in Australia, England, and Belize as well as studying bird populations on several of Panama’s west coast islands. George has also worked with The Nature Conservancy on Santa Cruz Island for 25 years. Besides much additional travel, he is an avid scuba diver, a pilot and a marathon runner. Floyd Norman (1953). Floyd began his cartooning career while at SBHS assisting Bill Woggon on a comic series for Archie Comics. After attending Art Center College of Design he worked as an animation artist on Sleeping Beauty at the Walt Disney Studios. Eventually he did sketches for The Jungle Book. In the mid-sixties, Floyd and his partners started Vignette Films, Inc. one of the first companies to produce films on African-American history. Later he wrote and produced animated bits for Sesame Street, Villa Alegre and many educational films. Floyd also worked on The Flintstones, Smurfs, Scooby Doo and The Real Ghostbusters while at Hanna-Barbera. In the early 1980’s Floyd joined the Disney Publishing Group where he wrote the syndicated Mickey Mouse comic strip and created, wrote and designed several children’s books and worked on many animated feature length Disney films such as Mulan and Toy Story 2. “AfroKids” is a educational website that his company has created for the Internet. His latest project is a mobile game/application based on the famed Tuskegee Airmen. Dr. Erno Daniel (1964). Erno was a physician, author, scientist, and historian. He started elementary school in his native Hungary, then attended SBJHS and graduated from SBHS where he was ASB Vice President and active in clubs, and music productions. He received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the California Institute of Technology, Then, completed research at UC San Diego for a Ph.D in physical chemistry in nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy under an Office of Naval Research Contract. He completed his M.D. at UCLA School of Medicine and residency training in Internal Medicine at the UCLA Hospitals. He has practiced at Sansum Clinic in Santa Barbara since 1978, where he continued to teach, author medical articles, and textbook chapters. In 1988 he was among the first U.S. physicians to be certified in a new specialty of Geriatric Medicine and was certified in vascular ultrasound. His noteworthy accomplishments include the book Stealth Germs in Your Body and years of activities in geriatric medicine and the diagnosis and management of Alzheimer’s Disease. Paula Lopez (1983). Paula, a ninth generation Santa Barbarian, attended Harding Elementary, La Cumbre Junior HIgh, and graduated SBHS as one of the "Top 10 Female Graduates." She graduated from UCSB with a BA in History of Public Policy. She began her television career as an intern in Channel 3’s News Department, and went on to anchor NewsChannel 3 before heading to KCAL in Los Angeles where she earned an Los Angeles area Emmy Award. Paula was honored by the Minorities in Broadcasting Training Program with its “Striving For Excellence” Award. Deciding to put family first, Paula returned to Santa Barbara where she began her job at KEYT. She earned a Golden Mike Award for Best News Reporting from the Radio & TV News Association of Southern CA. Paula has served on the Boards numerous local and regional non-profit organizations including Aids Housing of Santa Barbara, as well as on the Board for the American Lung Association of Santa Barbara and Ventura Counties and on the Santa Barbara chapter of the American Heart Association Board of Directors. Paula was shy as a child and credits Girls Inc for challenging her to challenge herself and overcome
2012 Honorees Hattie Feazelle (1930). Hattie was known as "La Reina de la Fiesta" for her enduring presence atop her horse in the annual Fiesta parade for 86 years. Hattie was honored as Grand Marshal three times with the last time being in 2011 at 100 years young. A consummate horsewoman, Hattie went on 50 spring treks of riding and camping with the Sage Hens, the ladies equivalent of the men’s Ranchero Visitadores. In 2003 the Santa Ynez Historical Society named Hattie “Vaquera of the Year”. As a young adult she gave riding lessons to children on the lower east side of Santa Barbara and later raised horses. Donnie Yee (1950). At SBHS Donnie earned letters in baseball, track, and football. He was best known for his football exploits as one of the smallest players, but one of the fastest. Santa Barbara High football fans enjoyed watching Donnie scamper and jitterbug around the field making opposing players miss their tackles. His entertaining football exploits started a love affair with the people of Santa Barbara that lasted a lifetime. During the Korean war, he served in Korea with the 1st Marine Division attaining the rank of Sergeant. He was a lifetime member of the Marine Corps. In 1954, Donnie joined the staff at the Boys Club of Santa Barbara, serving first as P.E. Director and later as Unit Director. During 37 years at the Boys Club, he coached and guided thousands of young people. Donnie died January 31, 2011. His memorial was standing room only at the Boys and Girls Club Auditorium. Taylor Hackford (1963). Taylor, a former SBHS ASB president, is celebrated as a director and producer of the highly successful biopic "Ray" (2004) starring Jamie Foxx. He won a Grammy Award and two Academy Award nominations for his work on the film. He also directed and produced such hits as “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982), “Against All Odds” (1984), “Dolores Claiborne” (1995) and “The Devil’s Advocate” (1997). In 1978, Hackford won an Academy Award for his short film “Teenage Father”. He was honored with the Film Society Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing at the 2005 San Francisco International Film Festival, and the Robert B. Aldrich Achievement Award at the 2007 Directors Guild of America. In July 2009, he was named the president of the Director’s Guild. Hackford is married to Academy Award winning actress Helen Mirren. Dr. Lynn Kern Koegel (1973). Lynn is the clinical Director of Autism Services at the Koegel Austism Center at UCSB. She has been active in the development of programs to improve communication in children with autism, including the development of first words, grammatical structure, and pragmatics. Lynn is co-author and co-editor of major textbooks on autism and positive behavioral support. She is also the co-author of the bestselling book Overcoming Autism: Finding the Answers, Strategies and Hope that can Transform a Child’s Life. Koegel has developed and published procedures and field manuals in the areas of self management and functional analysis that are used in school districts throughout the U.S. She won the California PTA Award for Community Service for implementing Public School Social Programs in 2007. She was also honored as UCSB Recognized Faculty Member. Jessie Orosco (1976). A Major League baseball player, originally with the Twins, who played for many teams including the Dodgers, Jessie is a lefty pitcher but hits right handed. In 1986 he was credited with saving games four and seven of the World Series to clinch the championship for the Mets. He also helped the LA Dodgers win the World Championship in 1988. Later he was a key to the Orioles reaching the American League Championship Series. Jessie retired in 2003 at age 46, one of the oldest players to be playing in the modern age. He holds the major league record for career pitching appearances.
2011 Honorees John Peabody Harrington (1902). John may be the most important historical personage in Santa Barbara in the twentieth century. John attended Stanford University and took specialized classes at University of CA, Berkeley, where he focused on classical languages, particularly Native American languages. Working for the Smithsonian Institution as an ethnologist he spent countless hours recording the vanishing Chumash language and culture. He collected and compiled data regarding the Native Americans in the Santa Barbara and Ventura region. Harrington also extended his work into traditional culture, particularly mythology and geography. His efforts have contributed to the revival of Chumash culture among various local Indian groups. Class of 1902. Neil Wright (1952). At SBHS Neill was active in student government and varsity basketball, baseball, and football. He went on to attend SBCC where he was involved in student council and basketball and baseball. Later on he majored in education and physical education at UCSB, and he played for the UCSB baseball team. While at UCSB he was scouted, and the following summer he played for the Missions, a semi-pro baseball team. Wright opted to remain in Santa Barbara and follow his dream of going into education. He taught at Santa Barbara Junior High for thirty-five years, where he established himself as one of the most beloved teachers. During the summers he worked in a program that benefited students in search of jobs. Wright was also an active participant in the Endowment for Youth program, which awarded scholarships and mentoring to young African Americans. Neill also worked as a sports official in baseball, basketball, football, and volleyball on the college and high school levels. In 2008 he was inducted into the Santa Barbara Athletic Round Table for Special Achievement. Jon Wilcox (1961). Jon is a musician, songwriter, retired lawyer, and teacher. As a student at SBHS, Jon was active in the Glee Club and Key Clubs. After high school he attended Stanford and Stanford Law School and later Cal Lutheran. Jon is a highly regarded veteran of the folk and “almost bluegrass” scene. He founded two remarkable bands, MARLEY’S GHOST (1986- ) and the RINCON RAMBLERS (1994- ), both of which he still performs with regularly. They are known for rich vocal harmonies, infectious rhythms and a wide variety of musical styles. With these bands and as a solo artist, he has recorded a dozen or so LP’s and CDs, singing both his clever and compelling originals and reverent renderings of traditional Scottish and Irish and Appalachian fare, reggae, gospel, blues and country and the occasional Dylan, Van Morrison or Merle Haggard song in a seasoned tenor with a rough-edged delicacy, and a restrained abandon. Class of 1961. Alfonso Guzman (1972). Alfonso first learned soccer from his father, Tomas, one of the original players of Sunday Soccer in Santa Barbara. A natural left-footer, he worked hard to develop his right when he attended Westmont College. Due to Alfonso’s calm but persistent pleas Santa Barbara High started its soccer program in 1972. He was recognized as the Founding Father of Santa Barbara High school soccer. He was named to the ’74 All-American team, the All-Far West squad, the All-SCISA and All-District NAIA teams and was co-winner of the MVP award at Westmont. Alfonso became the third Westmont College soccer player and the school’s first sophomore to gain All-American honors for his performance and went on to receive All American status his junior and senior years. He also received honorable mention on the National Soccer Coaches All-American team, which is composed of the nation’s top soccer players on the college and university levels. Class of 1972. Bradford Hall (1975). Brad is an actor, writer, producer, director, musician, and comedian who is best known as the anchor of Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update. Brad has also been an actor on the stage in theaters all over the U.S. and in London. He has written screenplays for every major film studio and has been lucky enough to write, create, produce, direct, and/or appear on TV shows such as Brooklyn Bridge, Fraiser, The Single Guy, Watching Ellie, and Curb your Enthusiasm. Brad Co-Founded the Practical Theatre Company in Chicago after he attended Northwestern University, where he met Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Seinfeld). Married, Brad and Julia are devoted environmentalists, working in Santa Barbara with Heal the Ocean, in Los Angeles with Heal The Ocean and the Environmental Media Association and nationally with The Water Keeper Alliance and the NRDC. Brad is a native Santa Barbaran whose family has lived near Miramar Beach since the early 1920s. Class of 1975.
2010 Honorees Percy Heckendorff (1915). One of the longest tenured district attorneys in Santa Barbara, Percy served from 1931 to 1942 and went on to a distinguished career in state government. In 1960 appointed superior Court Judge. After admittance to the California Bar, he returned to Santa Barbara and joined the firm of Heaney, Price, Postel. Today Price, Postel and Parma is the oldest law firm in Santa Barbara. Heckendorff secured his first term as DA in the November 1930 election and would go on to be elected twice more. Entering office at the height of the Great Depression, he was forced to operate the office on a shoestring for several years. In 1942 Heckendorff left the DA’s office after his appointment by Governor Earl Warren to head the Department of Professional and Vocational Standards, the state’s primary licensing agency. In 1946 he returned to Santa Barbara and resumed private practice until Governor Edmund “Pat” Brown named him to the Superior Court bench. Heckendorff was also involved in the community. He served on the City Council, on the City Water Commission, and had been active in seeing the Lake Cachuma project through to completion. He retired from the bench in 1968 but continued to periodically hear cases. He was presiding over a murder trial when he suffered the stroke that ultimately took his life early in 1975. Amoretta Mathews '59. Former undersecretary of the US Army at the Pentagon, Amoretta Hoeber became a CSP adviser and was former TRW executive. Since 1991 she has provided consulting on a wide range of defense and environmental matters. Amoretta is now the president of AMH consulting, a Potomac, Maryland company. This amazingly bright woman has been and is still active in several professional groups. Among these achievements, she has authored numerous books, and graduated from Stanford University with a B.A. Tanya Atwater (1960). Previously a professor at MIT, Tanya is now a professor of geology and tectonics at UCSB. She attended MIT, UC Berkeley, and Scripps Institute, earning her PhD in 1972. She is especially known for her works on the plate tectonic history of western North America and the San Andreas Fault system. Serves on numerous national and international committees. Co-winner of the A.A.A.S. Newcomb Cleveland Prize and was elected to the national academy. In 2002 she was awarded an N.S.F. Director’s award from distinguished teaching scholars. With this funding she established the UCSB Educational Multimedia Visualization Center which produces educational geo-animations and visualizations. Cindy Lea Arbelbide (1967). The first female Don to be a member of the USA Track and Field team, Cindy returned to SBHS in 1973 to establish the girls' cross country and track squads with the CC team achieving an undefeated season and ranking second in Southern CIF. As a pioneer victim advocate, she organized the first national victim’s library and legislative data base, was the first Director of Training at the National Organization for Victim Assistance in Washington, D. C., and a citizen trainer at the FBI Training Academy. Her interest in presidential history and unique events for children led to authoring the first children’s book to be published by the White House. The White House Easter Egg Roll was introduced in 1997 by then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton and reissued by First Lady Laura Bush in 2001. A contributing writer to the National Archives magazine PROLOGUE, Cindy’s commentary was heard on NPR and XM radio. Karen Kane (1974). Successful clothing designer, Karen Kane attended FIDM Fashion Design and graduated with a self-titled clothing empire that is one of the most successful in the industry. She and her husband grew the business out of their Studio City garage, selling her clothes in all 50 states just 22 years later. With over 420 different product styles four times a year, her sales have topped $80 million. With dedication, hard work, talent, and training, Karen Kane has become one of the biggest names in the fashion industry nation wide.
2009 Honorees Ernie Zampese (1954). Ernie had a superlative three-sport career at SBHS, excelling in football, basketball, and baseball. He won the CIF Football Player of the Year in 1953 and accepted an athletic scholarship from USC. He began a long and illustrious coaching career at Alan Hancock College, and soon moved to San Diego State, before advancing to a series of coaching jobs in the NFL. He was an offensive coordinator with the Dallas Cowboys, Los Angeles, St. Louis Rams, and San Diego Chargers. He was with the Cowboys during their Super Bowl Championship season in 1995. Don Ford (1971). Don excelled at basketball at SBHS, twice winning All Channel League honors. An Academic All-American at UCSB, Don graduated cum laude and stays active with the university by acting as the expert commentator on both men’s and women’s basketball broadcasts. He played in the NBA from 1975 to 1982; playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers. His basketball jersey was retired at SBHS and now hangs in the JR Richards Gym. Don is a member of the board of directors of the National Basketball Retired Players Association West Coast Branch, and has been active with The United Boys Club. Daryl Cagle (1974). Daryl is the daily editorial cartoonist for MSNBC.com and he runs a popular website for political cartoons. For the past 30 years, Daryl has been one of America’s most prolific cartoonists. In the 1980’s Daryl worked with Jim Henson’s Muppets, illustrating scores of books, magazines, calendars, and all manner of products; he worked as a cartoon illustrator and toy inventor, before drawing a syndicated comic and becoming an editorial cartoonist. He drew for Gannet’s Honolulu Advertiser and The Washington Post’s Slate.com before becoming the cartoonist for MSNBC.com. Daryl’s daily editorial cartoons are syndicated to close to 900 newspapers around the world, more than any other editorial cartoonist. Daryl’s a past president of the National Cartoonists Society. Rod Lathim (1976). Rod has twice been named a Santa Barbara Local Hero by the SB Independent primarily for this inspired work in community theater. He founded Access Theater, a successful program for disabled people who wish to work in the dramatic arts. He was a primary supported of the hugely successful renovation of the Marjorie Luke Theater at Santa Barbara Junior High School. He has also organized a special rest stop on the CA AIDS/Lifecycle route (a 545 mile bicycle fundraiser) headquartered in Santa Barbara. Jeff Shelton (1976). Jeff attended SBCC before enrolling at the University of Arizona College of Architecture. He worked for several major companies and left in 1992 to form and lead his own Architecture firm. He has designed various public projects, including the Cota Street Studios. His work has been recognized with the Santa Barbara Beautiful Award, The George Washington Smith Award and the Sunset Magazine 2002 Western Home Award.
2008 Honorees Charles Ott Jr. (1937). Charles was both a dynamic private businessman and an accomplished military leader. As the longtime director of the family business, Ott’s Hardware, he directed the many features of that all –purpose store and its associated construction and repair work. A 1941 graduate of Stanford University, Ott commenced his army career as a newly commissioned officer in the regular army, serving with distinction throughout WWII. In 1950 he joined the 40th Infantry Division of the California National Guard as a Lieutenant Colonel and served in the 981st Field Artillery Battalion. In 1974 the President appointed Ott Director of the Army National Guard, a job he held until his retirement in 1978. Peter Jordano (1952). Peter is the CEO of Santa Barbara's oldest grocery food supply company. Formerly a chain of grocery stores, Jordano's has developed into a multi-phased food and beverage distributor. Besides invigorating his family company, Jordano has been a thoughtful and consistent booster of this city. He serves on many community boards and is deeply committed to perpetuating the high quality of life here. Sam Cunningham (1969). Sam led the SBHS footbal lteam for three years and won numerous honor in track and field. He excelled at USC, where he earned the nickname “Sam Bam” after his many outstanding plays as one of the country’s best fullbacks. Sam was named an All-American in 1972 and was Player of the Game in the 1973 Rose Bowl. He went on to a superb career in the NFL with the New England Patriots and was inducted into the Rose Bowl Hall of Fame in 1992. In 1970, during the height of segregation, USC played a notable game against an all-white University of Alabama football team. Sam’s personality and performance in the game was reportedly a factor in convincing Bear Bryant to integrate Southern Football. Tom Curren (1982). Tom is a three time World Surfing Champion. His style has influenced an entire generation of surfers and set an example for competitors all over the world. He is known for his competitive drive and for his smooth, powerful surfing style. Tom rode for Channel Islands Surfboards where he co-designed and rode many pro surfboard models. Tom is an artist in many ways, including the way he rode the waves and as a songwriter and musician.
2007 Honorees Lutha Riggs (1914). Lutha only attended SBHS in 1914, but she left an indelible mark on the community's architecture. She received a scholarship to UC Berkeley by selling the most subscriptions to the Santa Barbara Daily News. There she studied architecture. Her many travels in Spain and Mexico resulted in her prolific recreation of those building styles in sites throughout the city and in other areas of the state. She worked with another SBHS Wall of Fame honoree, Pearl Chase, to design many local projects. Together they are responsible for Santa Barbara’s dominant building style. Patrick Davis (1967). Patrick has earned the praise and thanks of many local citizens for his innovative and energetic work in supporting local art functions and venues. He has been the County Arts Commission’s Executive Director since 1988. His most significant projects were the renovations of the Lobero Theater and the County Bowl. In 1983, he sketched out the Cultural Arts District and convinced the City Council to funnel money into the redevelopment of the Granada and Lobero. His energies have led to many enriching cultural experiences for Santa Barbara’s citizens. Keith Jamaal Wilkes (1970). Jamal spent his senior year at SBHS and created a sensation with his brilliance on the basketball court. He led the Dons into the CIF Finals, was the CIF Player of the Year, and was a constant inspiration to his teammates with his unselfish play. He attended UCLA, helping them to win two NCAA titles under the coaching of the legendary John Wooden. Wooden thought so much of Wilkes that he often cites Wilkes as the model of a player. Wilkes won Rookie of the Year honors with the San Francisco Warriors and later was a star on several Laker championship teams. Wilkes is currently working in the business in the Los Angeles area. Kim Mearig (1982). Kim has made her reputation in the competitive world of women's surfing. She has won the Ocean Pacific Professional competition, was named the first popular female surfer in the world in 1983-84. Surfer Magazine placed her in the top rank in their yearly poll of the best surfers in the world, and she became a role model for a whole generation of female surfers. A mark of her excellence was her constant competitive success while surfing with the best male surfers. Peter Stearns (1994). Peter attended Cal Poly and shortly thereafter founded the 805 Clothing Company with a friend, hoping to honor the people in the area code. He was also looking to encourage young people to appreciate the ocean, each other, and artwork done by locals within the 805 area. His business has expanded to Solvang and Los Angeles, and it often sponsors a skate and surf team, as well as various local events.
2006 Honorees Robert Kelley (1942). Robert is most remembered as a history professor at UCSB; a man who won the admiration of his students with his personable and challenging class demeanor. He has published many books and articles and has received many professional awards. Kelley had a commitment to local history and passed that particular interest on to many of his graduate students. Kelley’s Korner was the site of the Kelley Grocery Store, family owned and operated for many years. Kelley attended La Cumbre Jr. High and participated in ROTC and A Cappella at SBHS. William Isbell (1952). William has been a leader in research an development of materials and instrumentation as president and owner of ATA Associates. He has worked for Stanford Research Institute, General Motors Research Laboratories among other research laboratories. He has written over 150 reports and publications in fields of shock wave physics, underground nuclear testing, impact lethality and system assessments. Bill attended La Cumbre Junior High and was a member of ROTC and Drum Major at SBHS and University of California, Berkeley. Cliff Lambert (1967). Cliff has been a model of community service and dedication to the youth of Santa Barbara. He is the spirit behind the Endowment for Youth Committee, a program concentrating on mentoring and supporting youngsters in the community. Lambert was named an Independent Local Hero in 1996. Lambert was a Recreation Department supervisor for 24 years and has assisted the Police Activities League, Santa Barbara Foundation, Westside Boys and Girls Club and the Anti-Defamation League as a member of their boards of directors. The Athletic Round Table inducted him into their Hall of Fame. Cliff attended Franklin Elementary, Santa Barbara Jr. High and after SBHS attended UCSB. Carol Willet (1971). Carol has earned a memorable record in US government service, beginning at the State Department. Later she shifted to the CIA where she became Deputy Chief Human Resources Staff in the Operations Directorate. As Executive Officer of the Near East Division during the 1990 Gulf War she was responsible for supporting intelligence collection and covert operations. Carol was also in the U.S. Air Force as both an Intelligence Officer and as Director for Global Cross Cultural Communications in the USAF Special Operations School. Carol attended and was Drum Major at SBHS. Silvia Corral (1972). Silvia is a doctor who has practiced family medicine in places as diverse as Navaho and Hopi reservations, Santa Monica, Spokane, and as Medical Director at the Wasatch Homeless Health Project in Salt Lake City. She is fluent in Spanish and French and proficient in Dutch and in the Navaho medical vocabulary, she has focused on communities where medical resources were often scanty. Silvia attended Franklin Elementary, Santa Barbara Jr. High and after SBHS attended Stanford University.
2005 Honorees John Whittmore (1917). John won national attention for his many years of successful compettition in the world of Masters track and field. “I love to beat the old men” Mr. Whittemore noted, which is apparent through his home featuring several walls full of trophies and medals that he won as one of the country’s leading senior athletes. When Mr. Whittemore was younger, he enjoyed track and field, tennis and baseball at the old De la Vina St. campus and later became a competitive swimmer with a group called Club West. And when he wasn’t out on the field, courts or even in the pool, he was known to play a fierce game of bridge. Even at the age of 105, MR. Whittemore was still out throwing the shot put and javelin, quoting, “I can beat every other 105-year-old around.” It is with his indomitable will, which is expressed in his continuing quest for the next meet, that Mr. Whittemore’s longevity has made USA Track and Field consider competitions for athletes ages 105-109. Thomas Dibblee, Jr (1928). Thomas became a legendary figure in geological and topographical work in mapping California, doing more walking and recording of the state than any other individual. Unlike most talented geologists who might produce 40 or 50 maps in a lifetime, Mr. Dibblee sketched out 500. He began his survey of the state as a young man, traversing much of Santa Barbara County, as a prelude to his commitment to record the landscape features of much of the state. To put a mental picture of how much Mr. Dibblee recorded, think of the six-hour car ride from Santa Barbara to the San Francisco Bay Area on Highway 101. Yes, Mr. Dibblee mapped everything that your eye can see in every direction. Which includes the Mojave Desert, the Imperial and Coast Ranges, the Transverse ranges and the San Andreas Fault. This is around 40,000 square miles of the state, and Mr. Dibblee chartered it on foot and often alone. Known as the Mozart of mapping California’s geology, Mr. Dibblee’s maps are relied on today by archeologists and developers. Bill Crow (1932). Bill was a mainstay of the Dons coaching staff as head coach of both the track and basketball teams. He was selected Athlete of the Year in 1932 and by the end of his high school career he had received seven varsity letters. He attended UCSB and after seven years of teaching and coaching at Costa Mesa, he came back to Santa Barbara in 1943 to teach at SBJHS then transferred to SBHS to coach track and basketball. For 26 years he led the Dons track program and during one stretch, he led the Dons to 103 straight dual meet wins and 11 of 17 Channel League Championships. Mr. Crow also started the Cross-Country team here at Santa Barbara High School, and won five Channel League Champions. In his spare time, Mr. Crow became an official with the USA Track and Field, and when planning vacations, made sure they were to revolve around his passion for fishing. Known as the “Golden Voice of Peabody Stadium”, Mr. Crow is also remembered as the announcer of the Dons football games for years. Robert Scalapino (1936). While at SBHS, Robert was a member of the band and served as editor of the graduation yearbook in 1936. He fondly remembers his teachers in high school, especially his biology teacher, who was his father, Anthony Scalapino. After graduation, Mr. Scalapino began his college studies at UCSB, receiving his B.A. degree. He then moved on to Harvard University, where he earned his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. He returned to California in 1949, teaching in the Political Science Department at U.C. Berkeley, and was department chair from 1962 to 1965. In 1978 Mr. Scalapino founded the Institute of East Asian Studies and remained its director until his retirement in 1990. Mr. Scalapino has also published some 550 articles and 39 books or monographs on Asian politics and U.S. Asian policy. He also has been the recipient of a number of research grants under such sponsorship as the Social Science Research Council, the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Henry Luce Foundation. A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and made a Berkeley Fellow in 1993, Mr. Scalapino was also a founder and first chairman of the National Committee on US-China Relations. In 1989, Scalapino was also honored by the Alumni Association as a Distinguished Alumni Award winner. Due to a speaking engagement in Malaysia, Mr. Scalapino with great regret was unable to make it here tonight. Marshal Rose (1962). Marshall served SBHS as ASB President his senior year and followed his university work at UC Berkeley as a member of Beta Theta Pi, receiving his BS in Business Administration. He was owner and general manager of Lou Rose Stores, while still having the time to involve himself in many community affairs. Some of which include being the former board member of the Channel Islands YMCA and Santa Barbara Chapter of the American Red Cross. As well, Mr. Rose was a former board member and past president of Child Abuse Listening and Mediation (CALM), as well as the Santa Barbara Foundation. He now heads the Downtown Business Association and is presently the Board Chair of the Cottage Health System. In 2003 he was honored with the Santa Barbara News press Lifetime Achievement Award and in 2004 he was named Santa Barbara Foundation – KEYT Man of the Year
2004 Honorees John Northrop (1913). John is a legendary figure in the aerospace world through his involvement in many of the crucial aviation events during the first half of the twentieth century. His earliest work was as an assistant with the Loughead (later Lockheed) brothers. He consistently pushed the boundaries of the new science, culminating in the design and production of the flying wing, which was too advanced for the air force planners of the mid forties. Much of that design work anticipated the technology that resulted in the B-2 bomber. Bob Kallman (1943). Bob pursued a business career for many years then embarked on stints of public service at the county, state, and national levels. He served in the navy during WWII and Korea, staying in the naval reserve until 1978. His commitment to public service has enriched the community in many ways, and he was recognized by the Alumni Association as a Distinguished Alumni Award winner and honored by the Santa Barbara Foundation as their Man of the Year along with many other awards. JR Richards (1957). John was a Don who bled olive and gold. Richards, an accomplished musician and athlete, was Student Body President in 1957. He received a Navy ROTC scholarship to Stanford, later to transfer to UCSB. He served as a mathematics teacher for twenty-five years at both Santa Barbara High and Dos Pueblos High. He later became the principal from 1995 to the summer of 2003. Among many awards, Richards was the first recipient of the Crystal Apple Award for Administrators, and received The Distinguished Alumni Award in 2000. Gary Hart (1961). Gary enjoyed a supurb career at SBHS in athletics and in student government, serving as ASB President in 1960-61. Following his university years at Stanford,and Harvard, Hart spent some time as a teacher, including a stint at Santa Barbara High School. He built on his interest in politics by serving as State Assemblyman and State Senator for our district, and later worked as Grey Davis’s Secretary for Education. His government work was marked by a deep interest in and commitment to public education. Randall Cunningham (1981). Randall is one of hte finest athletes to graduate from SBHS. He was the quarterback on the 1980 Golden Tornado, which went into the CIF Finals, capping a spectacular season. Cunningham continued his record of excellence at UNLV where, during his senior season, he was a national leader in total offense. Drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles, he established himself as the prototypical scrambling quarterback, feared equally as a runner and a passer. He was selected All-Pro and played in several Pro-Bowl games.
2003 Honorees Pearl Chase (1904). Along with several other prominent citizens, Pearl advocated the strict architectural standards that we see today in much of downtown Santa Barbara. The Pearl Chase Society attempts to continue her spirit as they work to preserve Miss Chase’s standards in contemporary Santa Barbara. Miss Chase was also an active and influential figure on the state and national level. Santa Barbara today represents in many ways the legacy of Miss Chase’s attention and preservation. She exerted great influence over the look of Santa Barbara. Charles Schwab (1955). Charles is world famous for his innovative work with the discount brokerage firm he founded and still heads. He is a bay area philanthropist of the first order, underwriting an educational foundation which seeks remedies and programs for the learning impaired. He is also a benefactor of bay area arts institutions and as such exemplifies the very best in the American business community. Schwab’s educational foundation has explored the many forms of learning difficulties and gives support to those families and students. Timothy Bottoms (1970). Timothy startled the American movie public with his performance in "The Last Picture Show" and has been featured in numerous movie and TV productions since. He is a generous member of the community and an energetic supporter of local theater groups. His career has included roles in the TV mini series “East of Eden”and “That’s My Bush!” (2001). Among his film credits are “The Man in the Iron Mask” (1998) and “The Paper Chase” (1973). Rudy Ybarra (1976). A star soccer player for the Dons and a member of their early championship teams, Rudy returned to SBHS as an athletic trainer and a coach of championship soccer teams. His career is marked by a special dedication to the sport, the boys he coaches, and to SBHS. Ybarra is a prime example of a Don graduate who has experienced great success at our school and beyond and have chosen to return to SBHS to create the opportunity for similar success among many of our students. We take pride in his personal accomplishments and honor his work to lead students to fulfill their goals. Karch Kiraly (1978). One of the world's finest volleyball players, Karch achieved championship honors for SBHS, UCLA, at the Olympics, and on the professional beach circuit. For 20 years he has been a major force on the professional volleyball circuit, with over 140 tournament victories. Many years he has been ranked as the world’s number one player and numerous other sports awards. He has won three Olympic gold medals. SBHS can truly be proud of his accomplishments.
2002 Honorees Martha Graham (1913). Certainly one of the major influences on modern dance during the Twentieth Century, Martha Graham began her career at SBHS in dance and on the basketball team. She continued to build her dance mastery at Connecticut College. Her vast imagination and innovation marked an illustrious career, which featured years of leading her own troupe and additional years as a supreme teacher of her art. Caesar Uyesaka (1936) In the realm of community service, Santa Barbara has been most fortunate to have had a dedicated core of local citizens who made the city the special place it is today. Caesar was in the forefront of many of those betterment programs. A quiet man who often gave annonymously, he was especially active in the field of youth activities. Whether it was the Gaucho’s Buck a Month Club or Junior League Baseball, Uyesaka was there. His perpetual local memorial is UCSB’s Uyesaka Stadium, but there are hundreds of Santa Barbara citizens who competed in athletics through his generosity and carry his spirit in their lives. Leon Litwack (1947). Leon won a Pulitzer Prize for his epic study of black Americans immediately following the civil War, Been in the Storm So Long, A long-time professor of history at UC Berkeley, Litwack was honored by the Alumni Association earliest as a Distinguished Alumni Award winner. Eddie Mathews (1949). Mathews already belongs to one of this country's great shrines, the Baseball Hall of Fame. A gifted athlete, he starred for the Dons in football and baseball, eventually signing a professional contract with the old Boston Braves, moving with them to Milwaukee, and finally to Atlanta, where he was a team manager when his old teammate Hank Aaron surpassed Babe Ruth’s career home run mark. At Edie Mathews Field in the spring of 2001, a moment of silence was observed in his honor, after the announcement of his death was made over the public address system. Dons third baseman, Eric Bowman ’02, is the grandson of Gene Bowman ’50, Eddie’s cousin and teammate. Ron Shelton (1963). A two-sport athlete at SBHS, Shelton has achieved acclaim as the director of several major motion pictures, most notably Bull Durham, which drew upon Shelton's career in minor league baseball. A lifelong fan of Eddie Mathews, Shelton composed a wonderful memorial to Mathews for the Los Angeles Times, and has excelled at dramatizing sports and sport figures (Ty Cobb) as complex ingredients in any understanding of our culture.