This year the alumni association will be awarding 41 scholarships of $1000 each. This will bring our lifetime total to 679 students and $640,465 in scholarship grants. Scholarships are funded in a variety of ways. Members of a particular class often establish and maintain a class memorial scholarship . Some scholarships are funded in honor of former teachers, coaches and administrators. We also have two general scholarships, the ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP and the ALUMNI MEMORIAL FUND. In 1987 the alumni association started a program to recognize “Distinguished Alumni.” Here again suggestions come from former graduates, alumni or their families. The board selects the individual or individuals to be recognized yearly at the annual BBQ in May.

Some of the past recipients are: Caesar Uyesaka, George Primbs, Peter and Gerd Jordano, Ernest Brooks 11, Dr. Sey Kinsell, David Gonzales, Mario Borgatello, Dr. Erno Daniel, Gary Hart, Tim Putz and “Putlitzer Prize Author Leon Litwack, class of 1947”. Family members of the scholarship winners attend, along with school faculty, alumni board and alumni association members.

This years “Distinguished Alumni for 2012” is Kirk Kinsell, class of 1973.

Kirk was born and raised in Santa Barbara, attending Roosevelt and Santa Barbara Junior High prior to becoming a Don. At SBHS he was a three sport athlete including wrestling, swim team, and varsity football. Kirk also was involved in a number of clubs and other extracurricular activities, in addition to working at Foster’s Freeze on the side. On graduation he attended University of California, San Diego where he entered into pre-med studies and met his future wife Carrie. Meeting the challenge of enough time to balance surfing with his organic chemistry studies, he decided to switch tracks into the hospitality field earning his Bachelor’s Degree in Economics in 1977. He then attended Cornell University’s School of Hotel Administration, earning his Master’s Degree in Management and Hospitality in 1980. Additionally he has completed the Senior Executive Program at the London School Of Business.

His father Dr Sey Kinsell was honored several years ago, now his son Kirk this year.

While growing up in a medical family, Kirk has had “hotel DNA” in his blood from the start, as both his Grand Father and Great-Grand Father were owner/managers of Hotels (Clift Hotel, San Francisco, and El Mirasol and Gregson, here in Santa Barbara). Kirk entered the Hotel field directly upon graduation from Cornell and has been making his mark in both the Restaurant and Hotel industry ever since.

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