SBHS and Alumni Association Honored in County Resolution for Decades of Serving as a Cornerstone in the Community

Once a Don, always a Don. Every Santa Barbara High School (SBHS) community member knows this saying. SBHS is one of three high schools in Santa Barbara, but what makes our community stand out?

SBHS is the sixth-oldest public high school in California. Founded in 1875, SBHS celebrates 150 years of history. SBHS boasts the oldest continually operating Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the oldest student-run newspaper in California, The Forge, which has been in publication since 1914. The theatre department and Olive & Gold yearbook have both been operating for over a century, since 1904 and 1906, respectively. In addition, SBHS has produced many trailblazing alumni, notably dancer Martha Graham, financial executive and multi-billionaire Charles Schwab, football players Randall and Sam Cunningham, basketball player Jamaal Wilkes, stand-in President of the California State Senate, Monique Limón, and Laura Capps, Chair of the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors (BOS) and former Chair of SBUSD. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 25, Laura Capps and the BOS passed a written acknowledgement honoring SBHS for 150 years. The resolution, sponsored by SBHS alumni and Chair Capps, along with First District Supervisor Roy Lee, also highlighted the 50th Anniversary of the SBHS Alumni Association. Supervisor Capps said, “I’m incredibly proud to be a Don—and even prouder to come from a family of Dons. My time at Santa Barbara High School shaped me in lasting ways and set me on a path of public service. It’s hard to fully capture the impact SBHS has on our community… There’s a reason the phrase ‘Once a Don, Always a Don’ has endured for so long. It’s more than a motto—it’s a legacy.”

That community spirit fostered by the Alumni Association, which has provided over $2.75 million in scholarships to over 1400 SBHS  students. Each scholarship, up to $3,000, supports primarily first-generation college attendees pursuing educational dreams. 

SBHS is celebrating the 150th anniversary with the All Dons Reunion on Saturday, Oct. 11, from 11 AM to 4 PM. The reunion will have tents for each decade, a DJ playing music from each time period, student performances, food trucks, silent auction, and alumni speakers. This free event is available for all SBHS students and families. As SBHS continues to educate and inspire new generations, its traditions, alumni, and community impact remain a lasting cornerstone of Santa Barbara’s story.