Edhat Reader
By Santa Barbara HIgh School Alumni Association
The Santa Barbara HIgh School Alumni Association is pleased to announce their 2023 Wall of Fame inductees.
Each year a committee of alumni, students, and staff chooses five Wall of Fame recipients who have made exemplary contributions in the categories of the arts; athletics; business; community contributions; education; politics; or science. The honorees provide students and the community with a vision of the lasting legacies of Santa Barbara High School. These outstanding Dons will take their place among the other Wall of Fame alumni pictured in the school’s main hall.
Roke Fukumura graduated from SBHS in 1941 and led the 1941 Dons to their first CIF Southern Section Baseball Championship. He grew up farming in Santa Barbara, played semi-professional baseball in Santa Barbara as a teenager, and played baseball on a team while in an internment camp during World War II. Roke worked in the grocery business in Santa Barbara, retiring this year, at age 101, from Tri County Produce.
Kathy Koury graduated in 1968. While at SBHS, she played on the Girls’ Tennis Team, ranking number one during her junior and senior years, and performed in all of the school’s musical theater productions. Kathy was the Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Children’s Creative Project for 44 years, providing arts education for over 30,000 children. She is the founder and creator of iMadonarri, the street painting festival that happens each year during Memorial weekend at the Mission.
Russell Hafferkamp graduated in 1972 and was a member of the second water polo team at SBHS. He went on to play in college and on the US 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 of Fame and has been on the NBC broadcast team for the past 6 Olympics. In addition to his athletic prowess, Russ is the author of several books, crediting his work on SBHS Forge with starting his interest in writing.
Jonathan Mayes graduated in 1974 and was 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 presented 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.
Abe Powell graduated in 1987. While at SBHS he sang in Madrigals and played football. After dealing with a number of local fire disasters, Abe became a volunteer firefighter and was elected to the Montecito Fire Protection District. In January 2018, Abe 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 that provide work including building walking paths for safe routes to school, disaster preparedness, crisis response, trail clean ups, and more.
