Lake Highlands may see an increase in tourists and sports enthusiasts in the coming months as Mike Zoffuto, athletic director of Lake Highlands High School, has announced the opening of the LHHS Hall of Fame.
The announcement came as the first official inductees were honored March 13 in Austin. The 1968 LH state basketball champions were gathered in Austin to be recognized by the University Interscholastic League during the state basketball playoff games for their accomplishment 25 years ago.
Zoffuto surprised the ’68 team members with the announcement of the Hall of Fame and their distinction as the first athletes to be honored.
Team members include: Bill Brock, Reggie Duck, Gary Grinsfelder, Emil Jacobs, Robert Lafevers, Rich Langdon, George Parker, Wyatt Standifer, Robert Schmidth, Mike Scobee, Doug Tanck, Eric Teter and Cleve Whitener.
Zoffuto said nine others will also enter the Hall of Fame this year. The names of the athletes will not be made public until the first of May. All of the honorees will be officially inducted May 20 during half-time of the spring varsity football game.
The Lake Highlands Hall of Fame has a committee to aid in the selection process and the administrative responsibilities of the hall. Committee members are Jerry McVay, Jackie Russell, Jack Clark and David Wood.
Zoffuto said the committee will change every two or three years.
“It is very difficult to get into the Hall of Fame,” he said. “Athletic ability and success in school are two very important factors but we are also looking at performance after graduation. Citizenship and community contribution are also important ingredients.”
To be considered for the hall, an athlete must have been out of school for at least five years. If the candidate is a coach, he must have been out of the sport or the school for at least five years.
Speaking of athletes, coaches and hall of famers, Jack Clark, after stepping down as the head coach of LH basketball several years ago, is coaching again. Clark led the Wildcats basketball team to district championships in six of nine seasons as coach, from 1981-1990.
His patience, ability and unshakeable calm paid off when his son Cody’s second grade team, the Harben Bulls, completed a winning season with Clark as coach.
Next time you are watching TV and a commercial for M.J. Designs comes on, look closely. Rick Robertson (’75) is the star of the commercial. But if you miss the TV spot, listen to radio station KVIL on weekend afternoons. Robertson is the deejay spinning the tunes. He has also been named the voice of Southwest Airlines. So anywhere you tune in, Rick will be hard to miss.
When Rick is not on the air, he is proud to tell you about an organization of which he is a member, the Trinity Foundation. The Trinity Foundation is a non-profit, public foundation that has established a homeless outreach resource in East Dallas.
Families in this community take in homeless persons and serve as models for churches nationwide. “This does not perpetuate the problem of homeless ness but provides a solution to homelessness,” says Executive Director Doug Duncan (’76). Duncan also teaches math and Bible studies in the foundation’s home school program.
Another LH grad with the Trinity Foundation is Ed Housewright (’77). Ed works as a reporter for the Dallas Morning News.
We had to span the country to report on this ’65 grad, John Sullivan. John lives in Mukilteo, Wash., after joining the Seattle law firm of Preston Thorgrimson Shidler Gates and Ellis following graduation from the University of Washington law school.
John was a two-year member of the UW national champion moot court team and a Law Review editor while attending UW. John attended the U.S. Naval Academy upon graduation from LH and was commissioned in 1969. He served 20 years throughout the world before retiring as a lieutenant commander in 1989.
During service in Japan, John graduated from the University of Maryland with a degree in Asian studies. John is married and has a son, Paul Andrew, born last October.
Another LH grad who will be trotting the globe is Cindy Schlehuber (’87). Cindy will be working as a guest coordinator at a big game lodge in South Africa. The lodge hosts safaris for adventure seekers.
And recently, on safari at Lake Highlands Elementary School, we found Ann Isdale Burke teaching sixth graders. Ann was in the first graduating class from LH and was an original member of the high-stepping Highlandettes. Four daughters attended LH Elementary while Ann taught there.
Also, Melissa Archilla Lawson (’68 after attending Wallace Elementary), teaches English as a Second Language at LHE. Melissa has taught 11 years. We also found Peggy Simes Bradley (’69) at LHE. Peggy is a para-professional at the school. She attended Wallace as a grade school student.
We were also told about the 11 sets of twins attending Lake Highlands Elementary. More about this phenomenon in the next issue.
