SMEF Seeks Nominations For Distinguished Alumni

Recipients of the awards are recognized during the halftime program at the San Marcos High School Rattler Homecoming football game on November 9…

The San Marcos Education Foundation is accepting nominations through September 21 for the 2018 San Marcos High School Distinguished Alumni Award and Young Alumni Awards.

Recipients of the awards are recognized during the halftime program at the San Marcos High School Rattler Homecoming football game on November 9. Distinguished alumni are also honored at a pre-game reception in the San Marcos High School Library.

“We look forward to recognizing and honoring SMHS Alumni each year,” said Lacie Orsak, president of the SMEF Board of Directors. “In addition to bringing recognition to past graduates who have excelled, we encourage current SMHS students and local citizens to connect with these individuals.”

The purpose of the Distinguished Alumni Award is to recognize and honor graduates of San Marcos High School whose achievements, strength of character and citizenship serve as models to inspire and challenge today’s youth. The award is open to any alumnus or alumna who graduated from San Marcos High School (attending for a minimum of two years) and is at least 35 years of age at the time of the nomination.

The Distinguished Young Alumni Award is also presented each year to an alumnus or alumna who graduated from San Marcos High School (attending for a minimum of two years) and is under 35 years of age.  

Any person may submit a nomination for consideration by the SMEF alumni awards committee. The nomination must include a typed cover letter summarizing the nominee’s eligibility, supporting documents such as a resume or biographical sketch and/or up to three letters of support. Nominations will be accepted through September 21.

More information and online nomination forms are located on the SMEF website at this link: http://www.smeducationfoundation.org/alumni.

Previous recipients of the Distinguished Alumni Award (with their graduation years) are Dr. Gwen K. Smith, 1933; Dottie Sims, 1940; Patty Sherrill Sullivan, 1944; Handler Smith, 1953; Jimmie Scott, Ross King and Fran Contreras, 1954; Fraye Baldridge Stokes and H. C. Kyle III, 1955; Delores Crittendon, William W. Burnett, Harry Max Reasoner, Virginia Witte and Sarah Jane (King) Latham, 1956; Joyce Abel, 1958; William “Bill” Pennington and Dr. Tino Villaneuva, 1960.

Also John A. Diaz, Dale Linebarger and Rita Morrison Jones 1961; Richard “Rusty” Phillips, Melba Vasquez, John Roberts and Edward O. Wiley, 1962; Georgia Hoody Cheatham, 1963; Reece Morrison, Linda Gregg Fields, Rebecca (Becky) Davis Tomblin, Wade Butler and Barbara Jones Chambers, 1964; Richard Cruz, Frank Arredondo, Randall Morris, Rebecca Y. Mendez Sierra, Dr. Janet Barton Speer and Loraine Harrison, 1964; Brenda Dale Perkins Butler, 1967; Homer Guerrero and Connie Laechein Bagley, 1968.

Additionally, Ruben Ruiz, Jr., Liz Champagne Johnson, Dolores Aguirre McAllister, Charles Soechting, Rodney Bingham and Jack Eben, 1969; Dr. Clay Sullivan and Herbert Yarbrough III 1970; Dawn Breihan-Hopp and Allan Van Fleet, 1971; Tricia Tingle and Judge Linda Ann Rodriguez, 1973; David Peterson, Javier Ledesma, Scott Yarbrough, Beth Stephen Beck, Melvin Callender and Dr. Rosina (Ruiz) Valle, 1974; Troy Kimmel, 1975; George Phillip Hansen, Scott Burton and Major General James William Hyatt, 1974; Carol Moore Hanes, Tony Walker and Elizabeth Crook, 1977.

Finally, Rene Ruiz and Elizabeth (Ingram) Tuttle, 1978; Sandra Cavazos, 1979; Mike Wacker, 1980; Darrell Hamlin and Shelley Scott Henry, 1981; Andrea Murdock McDaniel and Veronica Gonzales, 1982; Rob Thomas and Cinnamon Linda Strassman, 1983; Dr. Ellen Grimm, Helen Lowman and Ben Rodriguez, 1984; Kevin Brown, 1985; Robert Rodriguez, 1987; Rebecca Ybarra Ramirez, 1988; Steven Farr and Frank A. Arredondo, 1989; Michelle Castillo Moreno, 1991; Brandon Beck and Daniel Guerrero, 1995; Michelle Cearley Knight, 1997; Kharley (Bagley) Smith and Raquel Cervantes-Nunez, 1999.

Outstanding Young Alumnus Awardees are Jenni Finlay, 1997, and Taryn Guerrero, 2003.