Thank you for visiting our blog about Sweetwater Union High School District Hall of Fame Success Stories. This blog is dedicated to Jerry LaRussa who created the district Hall of Fame as a way to honor students from our community who graduated and made a difference in our world.
Please take a look at the honorees we have inducted into the Hall of Fame and add your comments to those you know or have impacted your life.
If you have someone in mind to nominate for the Hall of Fame or other issues or items concerning the Sweetwater District, make a post here.
Disclaimer: This blog is not affiliated with the Sweetwater District and no taxpayer funds have been used in its creation. This blog is paid for by Friends of Jim Cartmill – FPPC ID# 1245974.
2005 Hall of Fame for Arts at Mar Vista High in 1974
A CIF champion in the breast stroke, Chang was born for the water. But an injury sidelined him, and he found himself shooting his friends with a Super 8 camera off the I.B. Pier. A junior year photography course further fueled his newfound love for the medium, and a legendary surf photographer was born.
2005 Hall of Fame for Public Service at Sweetwater High in 1975
Annette is a renowned leader in Forensic Science. An expert in serology (the forensic study of bodily fluids), Peer helped to solve the murders of Keever/Sellers (9- and 13- year old boys from the South Bay whose killer was recently convicted), as a supervising Criminalist with the San Diego Police Department.
2005 Hall of Fame for Military Service at Sweetwater High in 1964
Before Sceper became an attorney, however, he followed in his long family tradition of serving in the military. As he says, it wasn't a matter of if, but when he would join. Sceper served two tours of duty in Vietnam, one in the Air Force and one as a civilian working for the Department of Defense. Sceper worked for several companies after leaving the government, including Memorex and Texas Instruments. But the law beckoned. And for Sceper, being a veteran and an attorney made perfect sense.
2005 Hall of Fame for Athletics at Bonita Vista High in 1996
At just over five feet tall and the only female on the team, she had to earn the boys' respect. She did that by playing from the back tees just like they did, and by beating them. She continued her golf career at the University of Arizona, women's collegiate golf almost became easy. She was able to move up to the front tees in women's golf. And she started setting records. Daniels became a three-time NCAA Division I All-American and earned national Player of the Year in women's golf in 2000, the same year she was the national champion. She was the first female collegiate golfer to average under par for an entire season.
2005 Hall of Fame for Business at Mar Vista High in 1982
Linda Rosas Townson is a hometown girl who helped save a 123-year-old newspaper tradition in the South Bay. Rosas Townson was an executive in a large newspaper group that acquired the Chula Vista Star-News in the 90's. While a South Bay icon, the Star-News had been losing money for nearly a decade. It was Rosas Townson's job to close the paper or get rid of it. But after a week of poring over old clippings and photos in the newspaper's archive - including the year she graduated from Mar Vista High - she realized the true impact of a community newspaper.
2005 Hall of Fame for Academia at Chula Vista High in 1958
Decades of work in the area of experimental condensed matter physics have led the University of California, San Diego, professor to the height of recognition by his peers in the world of physics. He was recently elected to the National Academy of Sciences, an honor that is regarded as one of the highest that can be awarded to an American scientist.
2005 Hall of Fame for Community Service at Chula Vista High in 1995
Anaya is the coordinator for the National Conference for Community Justice (NCCJ), Minitown, Any Town programs. Minitown - Anytown are wonderful camp programs that provides students from all over San Diego County.
2005 Hall of Fame for Business at Sweetwater High in 1945
Lareau is a well-known architect in San Diego and has designed buildings around the world. A Sweetwater grad, he has received many awards for design excellence. A few of his deigns are at Point Loma Nazarene University, Alliant University, or the Visitors Information Center in Misson Bay.
2005 Hall of Fame for Community Service at Sweetwater High in 1960
He has taken a 30-year journey as Chief Executive Officer of the MAAC Project. And his leadership has propelled the organization into the largest social service agency in San Diego County. One million clients later, the organization now has a $19 million annual budget and 380 employees. More than 30,000 clients each year are served in San Diego County.
2005 Hall of Fame for Athletics at Chula Vista High in 1995
Wiggington was a 2-sport letterman (Football & Baseball) at Chula Vista High. He earned Union- Tribune recognition for his academic success while competing in those sports. He continued his athletic achievements at the University of North Carolina - Ashville. He was drafted in the 17th round of the MLB draft by the New York Mets and is now the starting third baseman for the Mets and a finalist for rookie of the year honors.
2005 Hall of Fame for Athletics at Chula Vista High in 1977
Fernandez burst onto the scene at SDSU, where he led the Aztecs to a 13-4-1 record his freshman year. He played three seasons for the Aztecs, leading the team in scoring each year. In 1993, he was inducted into SDSU's athletic Hall of Fame. His professional career included a stint with the New York Cosmos before he joined the Sockers during the height of their glory years.