Point Loma High holds Hall of Fame induction ceremony on campus

The field of 11 Pointers inducted into Point Loma High School Hall of Fame’s Class of 2024 includes a movie/TV/stage actress, a star athlete/physician, a longtime PLHS staff member, a sports writer/editor, an attorney/author, a politician/legislator, the co-founder of Oliver McMillan, an Olympic rower, an award-winning artist, a yacht racer, and a legendary surfer.

The Aug. 22 HOF induction ceremony held in the school’s Larry Zeiger Performing Arts Center was kicked off by a PLHS band performance in front of the theatre. There were also alumni tours of the recently remodeled high school campus before the ceremony.

“This is the first time we had a Hall of Fame induction on campus,” noted longtime PLHS alumni director Kim (Melhorn) Jessop Moore. “It doesn’t look the same as it did when we went here. As I tell people who are disappointed with that, ‘I don’t look the same as I did when I went here 50 years ago either.’”

In fall 2025, Jessop Moore noted seniors then will be the high school’s 100th graduating class. She added that the class is being referred to as the “platinum Pointers.”

In all that time, Jessop Moore noted: “We’ve only done four Hall of Fame inductions, which is sort of criminal. So we are on a mission now to do this every couple of years.” She added, “It takes a lot of work. It takes a lot of people behind the scenes. We have a selection team that did an amazing job. We sat down and discussed what our goals were. By the time we were done with a several-hour meeting, we had selected the cream of the crop. And that was pretty tough because we had a lot of people who were the cream of the crop.

“We do have some remarkable people who attended Point Loma High School,” Jessop Moore said.

She added that PLHS is the third oldest high school in San Diego after San Diego and La Jolla high schools.

Jessop Moore, who has been alumni director for 23 years, introduced her replacement, Pamela Rodrigues, who is being groomed for the role.

New PLHS principal David Jaffe noted that, though he is not a Pointer, he is a native San Diegan. But he pointed out, “When I was looking for a high school, I wanted a high school that had a history to it. This school and Patrick Henry opened up at the same time. And I was fortunate the district said, ‘Point Loma’s going to be your school.’ To become part of this community is an honor.”

Concluded Jaffe: “This is a special place in San Diego history and you can’t go anywhere in the city where you don’t run into someone who’s connected with this school or went to this school. “Sometimes you hear a lot of negative talk about young people. But I’ve got to tell you, I’m inspired every day,” Jaffe said. “I’ve been doing this for 32 years. This is my fourth and last high school. And it truly is an honor to serve this community. Congratulations to all the inductees.”

POINT LOMA HIGH SCHOOL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2024

Margaret Avery

PLHS 1961: Academy Award-nominated film, stage, and TV actress. She was nominated in the Best Actress in a Supporting Role category for her role as Shug in the 1985 period drama film “The Color Purple.” Avery overcame the stigma of being a minority student in the early 1960s and was a cheerleader, song leader, and acted in many school plays. She began taking acting and singing jobs while at San Francisco State University. She continued appearing in films throughout the ’80s and ’90s. She is also known for her work as a compassionate school psychologist in an inner-city high school.

Ned Chambers

PLHS 1969: A native Point Loman, Chambers stood out as a star athlete (football and track), was a top student, ASB president, and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed.” He attended Stanford University on a full football scholarship. He opened a family medicine practice in Point Loma. He served as a team doctor for the PLHS football team for 35 years. He was a kind and generous soul who lived his life with zest and zaniness. Tragically, Dr. Chambers died in 2023 after an accident while playing his beloved pickleball. More than 700 attended an event to celebrate his life and enduring contributions to the Point Loma community.

Lois Craig

Staff 1968-1999: A staff member at PLHS for 31 years, Craig was beloved by students, teachers, and administrators. She held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in physical education, served as teacher, coach, department chair, athletic director, and supervisor for extra-curricular events, and wrote the Athletic Handbook for San Diego City Schools. She coached the first PLHS varsity girls volleyball team, followed by varsity softball, both for 25 years. She encouraged students to have a PMA (positive mental attitude). Her students stayed in touch with her for many years after high school.

John Freeman

PLHS 1969: Sports editor for the PLHS Pointer Press foretold a future in media and communications. A graduate of the University of Arizona, Freeman has held marketing/communications roles with national firms, UC San Diego Extension, five years as staff editor/writer with the NY Yankees, and publications director of the National Basketball Association. He spent 15 years as a nationally syndicated media columnist and sportswriter with the San Diego Union-Tribune. His ‘as-told-to’ books with notable San Diegans include Ted Talks with sports personality Ted Leitner, and Down Deep with submarine Capt. Charlie MacVean.

Richard Hicks

PLHS 1955: He was voted “Most likely to succeed” by Pointer classmates. He received the Harvard Book Prize and was a captain in the US Army JAG Corps. He headed the business litigation department of his law firm and was a pro-bono executive director of Habitat for Humanity-Los Angeles, as well as president of Public Counsel, the largest provider of pro-bono legal services in the nation. He received multiple awards for Outstanding Contributions of Legal Services and Pro Bono Attorney of the Year from the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program; and Retired Attorney of the Year from the California State Bar. In retirement he has received awards for volunteer service at the Restraining Order Clinic in San Diego Superior Court, helping thousands of victims of domestic violence, elder abuse, and civil harassment. He has authored seven novels and a memoir.

Ben Hueso

PLHS 1987: He has been committed to serving his Logan Heights community with great distinction, having served on the San Diego City Council and spending two years as council president. He was a California State Assembly member from 2010 to 2013, representing the 79th, and then 80th Districts. He was a California State Senator from 2013 to 2022, serving the 40th Senate District. His long political career included involvement with a long list of state organizations including the California Coastal Commission and the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. He was named Public Official of the Year 2003.

Dene Oliver

PLHS 1969: Oliver began his career at age 18 as a surfer doing graphic design and silkscreening, starting a highly successful, imprinted logo T-shirt firm. A UC Berkeley grad as well as a graduate of the USC School of Law, he founded OliverMcMillan with lifelong friend Jim McMillan. Their firm was always guided by the principle that projects must make a difference for the community and residents. They developed an award-winning portfolio of redevelopment projects. Their work in the Gaslamp Quarter brought the firm widespread recognition for the re-gentrification of parts of downtown San Diego. He continues to work on ending the plight of the chronically homeless. He has received the Downtown San Diego Partnership Founders Award as well as the same organization’s Humanitarian Award.

Kelly Rickon Mitchell

PLHS 1977: She was a two-time member of the US Olympic women’s rowing team, and the 1979 and 1983 world championship USC men’s teams…all as coxswain. She became captain of the 1984 team, which won the silver medal, and carried the 1996 Olympic Torch for part of its run in San Diego. Rickon Mitchell was active at PLHS with Highlights, Keywanettes officer, Yearbook, ASB, JV cheer, and Pointer Mascot, while at the same time competing for the ZLAC rowing club. She is a member of the University of Santa Clara Hall of Fame as a two-sport standout for rowing and cross country. She has been an athletic mentor at Ready, Set, Gold, a nonprofit community health program. She was also involved in the design and build of the Olympic Training Center in Otay Mesa. She is the director of development for San Diego Crew Classic and director of philanthropy for Point Loma Nazarene University.

Leslie Perlis

PLHS 1968: A pioneer in the studio glass movement taking advantage of all the modern innovations in this ancient art form, the late Perlis was a nationally recognized artist and community activist. Her award-winning art glass, fused glass, and mosaics have been seen in many national publications and exclusively featured in two books. Founder of the Art Glass Association of Southern California and recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award, her stained and fused glass pieces can be seen in Point Loma Community Presbyterian Church, Sunset View Elementary School, Dana Middle School, Brigantine Restaurant, other places of worship, restaurants, and private homes throughout San Diego. She has been called the “Patron Saint of the PLHS Music Program.”

Mark Reynolds

PLHS 1973: Sailing with his father from age 4 and involvement in the San Diego Yacht Club Junior Program set the course for Reynolds’s life. He was an All-American at SDSU on the sailing team in Snipe boats. Intercollegiate Yacht Racing Association All American 1975. Snipe National Champion 1978. Gold medalist at the 1979 Pan American games, and North American Champion three times. He competed in multiple Olympics earning medals in 1988 (Seoul) and 1992 (Barcelona) and culminating in a gold medal at the 2000 Olympics (Sydney). He has coached teams to championship titles and owns a sail-making and one-design sail company. It should be noted that he has made sails for most of his competitors and 13 of the last 15 Olympic medals in the Star class were won with his sails.

James “Mouse” Robb

PLHS 1951: Robb was an outstanding athlete at PLHS, especially in track and field. He served in the Air Force during the Korean War and was a San Diego lifeguard. He won trophies and was renowned for his tandem surfing and for bringing women’s longboard surfing championships to Ocean Beach. He started Sunset Cliffs Surfers (now SSC Surfing Association) in 1944 to support camaraderie, family, community, and environmental preservation. He was inducted into the San Diego Sports Hall of Fame and was a tireless community volunteer including many OB events, such as the OB Christmas tree and July 4th fireworks show. He was revered for his devotion to the ocean and was a hero to countless men and women in Ocean Beach and Point Loma for his loyalty, community spirit, and involvement. He was a mentor to hundreds of youths, teaching water skills, surfing, and life philosophy. The Jim “Mouse” Robb Scholarship has been established through PLHS Pointer Association/Alumni.

POINTER ASSOCIATION

The Pointer Association is a nonprofit consisting of parents, families, students, alumni, faculty, and other community members serving Point Loma High School. The public and charitable purposes of PA are to raise funds to enhance education at PLHS, and to promote the activities of alumni of PLHS.

The Pointer Association:

• Is the school’s sole adult fundraising organization.
• Conducts fundraising activities and events to raise money to support capital campaigns and ongoing programs and initiatives (called Pointer Priorities).
• Serves as the umbrella group for PLHS PA Booster Groups.
• Is guided by an elected Board of Directors and elected officers.
• Maintains a database of PLHS alumni so we can help them stay connected with their alma mater and classmates.
• Seeks to help Point Loma community members connect with their high school to increase PLHS’s value as a community asset.