Our Fifth Annual Founders Reception featured a new event that turned out to be a hit: the San Dieguito Hall of Fame. Our first inductee was surfing pioneer Linda Benson (’62), who won the women’s division of the Makaha International Championships in 1959, shortly before becoming the first female to ride the waves of Waimea Bay.
She surfed professionally for ten years, supplementing her surf career with stunt work for actresses like Annette Funicello and Deborah Walley in some classic 1960’s surf movies. She won several US championships and was inducted into the Surfing Hall of Fame in 1992.
As the school is unable to consider a physical Hall of Fame until San Dieguito gets through the several years of scheduled construction (more on campus construction at our website), the Alumni Association made do with an honorary Mustang Legacy Project brick in Phase 4, which was unveiled at the induction ceremony.
Linda received a 12″ x 12″ brick from the Alumni Association. Here is the inscription she chose:
LINDA BENSON ’62
INTERNATIONAL
SURFING HALL OF FAME
FIRST WOMAN TO SURF
WAIMEA BAY
WORLD CHAMPION 1959
5X US CHAMPION
SDUHS BEST HS EVER!
We agree: San Dieguito IS the best high school, ever!
Congratulations to Linda Benson! San Dieguito is proud of you and your achievements. (For more coverage, read this article in the San Diego Reader!)