DISTINGUISHED RATTLERS: Five SMHS graduates honored with distinguished alumni award

Five San Marcos High School graduates were honored with the San Marcos Education Foundation’s Distinguished Alumni Award.

SMEF gave out accolades to Peter Garza, Class of 1963; Linda Kyle Pennington, Class of 1963; Dr. Celeste Braden, Class of 1973; Jeff Adams, Class of 1995; and Keely Hennig, Class of 1996.

“We appreciate what you’re doing,” San Marcos Consolidated ISD Superintendent Dr. Michael Cardona told the distinguished alumni and their guests during Friday’s ceremony. “The work we do for the children of San Marcos happens because of our distinguished alumni and because of our San Marcos Education Foundation members.”

SMEF recognizes and honors graduates of San Marcos High School with the Distinguished Alumni Award for achievements, strength of character and citizenship that serve as models to inspire and challenge today’s youth. SMEF opens the award to any alumnus or alumna who graduated from San Marcos High School — attending for a minimum of two years — and is at least 35 years of age at the time of the nomination.

The five distinguished alumni recipients were welcomed with a reception at the high school auditorium Friday, where each had an opportunity to speak about the award.

Peter Garza

Garza was born and raised in San Marcos. He lettered in football, basketball and baseball. Garza played baseball for Blinn College in Brenham for two years and later returned to Southwest Texas State College to finish his collegiate career.

He became a junior high coach in San Marcos in 1971, where he coached football, basketball and track. Garza moved to New Braunfels High School in 1975, where he went on to serve as the head baseball coach for 16 years. He transitioned into administration in 1991 and worked as an assistant principal, principal, director of student services and director of personnel until he was called back into coaching at Canyon High School 10 years later.

Garza, after briefly retiring, returned to coaching once again to coach baseball and football for San Marcos Academy, where he was also an assistant principal.

Garza amassed more than 600 wins and 14 trips to the playoffs during his 30 years of coaching.

“It’s been a great ride for me,” Garza said during Friday’s ceremony. “I’ve just been blessed and feel very happy to be here today.”

Linda Kyle Pennington

Pennington graduated from San Marcos High School in 1963. She was a member of Alpha Delta Pi Sorority at then-Southwest Texas State University. She graduated from SWTSU with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education in 1967.

Pennington later became active with her husband Bill Pennington’s familyowned business — Pennington Funeral Home.

She’s helped raise scholarship funds for Alpha Delta Pi Sorority Alumni Association and supported the San Marcos Education Foundation. She’s served as the memorial chair of the Cancer Society. She also served on boards for Scheib Center, Central Texas Medical Center Hospice and The Salvation Army. Pennington has also worked with The Heritage Association, Beta Sigma Pi Sorority and the First United Methodist Church.

She was recognized as the Beta Sigma Pi Woman of the Year, inducted into the San Marcos Women’s Hall of Fame and named Queen of the Krewe of Okeanos for all her generous community service.

“I’m appreciative of the honor,” Pennington said. “I’ve loved San Marcos and I think my part of this deal is I like to volunteer and that’s been a big thing in my life and our family’s life is that we want to be helpful and be on boards and make San Marcos great. I thank you all for the honor.”

Dr. Celeste Braden

Braden was a San Marcos High School honor graduate. She earned her bachelor of science in biology with a chemistry minor from Southwest Texas State University.

Braden joined her father, Dr. James Braden, to practice dentistry after graduating from the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio Dental School.

She’s served as a volunteer dentist since 1994, serving on medical missions to Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Jamaica.

“I was one-year old when mom and dad moved here,” Braden said. “The fifth of what was to become 10 Braden children. So, I’m the bottom of the top half, I say. But I feel very blessed to be in San Marcos. I was glad looking back that mom and dad moved here. I was blessed to practice [dentistry] with him for 20 years. Many of you have mentioned, ‘Oh, your dad was my dentist.’ I feel like I’m here representing my parents and my nine brothers and sisters. Since all the 10 Bradens graduated not only from San Marcos High School, but Southwest Texas State University.

“I grew up with my mother being an English teacher, my dad being a professional and so education and service back to our fellow man has always been very important to, I think, all of us Braden kids,” Braden added. “So, I feel like I’m just representing the other nine siblings.”

Jeff Adams

Adams graduated from San Marcos High School in 1995. He received his bachelor’s degree in geography from the University of Texas at Austin.

Adams works as a fire planner for the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, where he facilitates wildland fire response and prescribed fire and fuels planning on National Wildlife Refuges in Texas, Oklahoma, Arizona and New Mexico.

The distinguished alumni recipient has also served on National Incident Management Teams where he’s helped with responses to national disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes, oil spills and biological events.

“I am definitely honored to have this opportunity,” Adams said. “Growing up in San Marcos really allowed me to have a tremendous perspective on a lot of different things. My appreciation for natural resources and service was really rooted and founded in my ability to experience quite a bit here in San Marcos and the opportunities that were given to me by the school, by leaders like some of my coaches in the audience. So, I’m really humbled to be honored with this. It means a lot.”

Keely Hennig

Hennig was born and raised in San Marcos. She graduated from San Marcos High School in 1996. Hennig received her bachelor of science degree in criminal justice from Southwest Texas State University. She later received her masters of arts degree in legal studies.

Hennig chose to earn her real estate license after working 11 years in the legal field. She’s spent time as committee member for the San Marcos Main Street Program Promotions Committee, and Four Rivers Association of Realtors Scholarship and Programs Committee.

Hennig has served on Four Rivers Association of Realtors Board of Directors. She was also the past president of SMEF, past chair of the SMEF Skeet Shoot Committee and past board chair of the San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce.

She was also selected as a Shining Star Under 40 in 2018 and was recognized as the Affiliate of the Year by the Four Rivers Association of Realtors. Hennig is currently on the City of San Marcos’ Comprehensive Plan Steering Committee and Main Street Advisory Board.

“So, I’m really humbled like everyone else said,” Hennig said. “If I take privilege, a lot of the stuff we do, we don’t do it for the recognition. I got involved in the community when I got my real estate license and it was just something I wanted to do and found out I had a passion for it. I really like being involved. I like being a doer and getting things done and working with people … I do encourage everyone out there to try and get involved in your community, to give back to your community, it’s very rewarding. It’s something I’m really, really happy that I’ve found and that it’s something I love to do and I’m hoping I’ll have another good 10-20 years to give some more to my community.”

Following the reception, the five distinguished alumni award recipients were honored during San Marcos’ home football game against Schertz Clemens.

Above, SMEF Distinguished Alumni honorees Peter Garza, Class of 1963; Linda Kyle Pennington, Class of 1963; Dr. Celeste Braden, Class of 1973; Jeff Adams, Class of 1995; and Keely Hennig, Class of 1996 are recognized during Friday night's football game against Schertz Clemens.