[2] The San Marcos Education Foundation is a non-profit, tax exempt 501(c)(3) public corporation operating independently under its own board of directors.

The Foundation was created in 2003 to generate financial support for educational programs that are not available through the normal operating budget of the San Marcos CISD.

The funds generated are used for programs and activities that facilitate student achievement, recognize and encourage staff excellence, and provide vital links between the community and the classroom.

A primary initiative included the formation of the San Marcos High School Alumni & Friends Association.

Founding Members of the SMEF were Reece Boyd, Rose Brooks, John Navarrette, Bruce Harper, Scott Burton, Hon.

David Chiu, Albert Sierra, Pete Weber, Mary Borm, Phil Sladek, Dr. Gwen Smith, Cathy Supple, Terry Jester, and Dr. John Beck.

[3] Distinguished Alumni Award (with their graduation years) are Dr. Gwen K. Smith, 1933; Dottie Sims, 1940; Patty Sherrill Sullivan, 1944; Handler Smith, 1953; Jimmie Scott, Ross King and Fran Contreras, 1954; Fraye Baldridge Stokes and H. C. Kyle III, 1955; Delores Crittendon, William W. Burnett, Harry Max Reasoner, Virginia Witte and Sarah Jane (King) Latham, 1956; Joyce Abel, 1958; William “Bill” Pennington and Dr. Tino Villaneuva, 1960.

Also, John A. Diaz, Dale Linebarger and Rita Morrison Jones 1961; Richard “Rusty” Phillips, Melba Vasquez, John Roberts and Edward O. Wiley, 1962; Georgia Hoody Cheatham, 1963; Reece Morrison, Linda Gregg Fields, Rebecca (Becky) Davis Tomblin, Wade Butler and Barbara Jones Chambers, 1964; Richard Cruz, Frank Arredondo, Randall Morris, Rebecca Y. Mendez Sierra, Dr. Janet Barton Speer and Loraine Harrison, 1964; Brenda Dale Perkins Butler, 1967; Homer Guerrero and Connie Laechein Bagley, 1968.

Additionally, Ruben Ruiz, Jr., Liz Champagne Johnson, Dolores Aguirre McAllister, Charles Soechting, Rodney Bingham and Jack Eben, 1969; Dr. Clay Sullivan and Herbert Yarbrough III 1970; Dawn Breihan-Hopp and Allan Van Fleet, 1971; Tricia Tingle and Judge Linda Ann Rodriguez, 1973; David Peterson, Javier Ledesma, Scott Yarbrough, Beth Stephen Beck, Melvin Callender and Dr. Rosina (Ruiz) Valle, 1974; Troy Kimmel, 1975; George Phillip Hansen, Scott Burton and Major General James William Hyatt, 1974; Carol Moore Hanes, Tony Walker and Elizabeth Crook, 1977.

Finally, Rene Ruiz and Elizabeth (Ingram) Tuttle, 1978; Sandra Cavazos, 1979; Mike Wacker, 1980; Darrell Hamlin and Shelley Scott Henry, 1981; Andrea Murdock McDaniel and Veronica Gonzales, 1982; Rob Thomas and Cinnamon Linda Strassman, 1983; Dr. Ellen Grimm, Helen Lowman and Ben Rodriguez, 1984; Kevin Brown, 1985; Robert Rodriguez, 1987; Rebecca Ybarra Ramirez, 1988; Steven Farr and Frank A. Arredondo, 1989; Michelle Castillo Moreno, 1991; Brandon Beck and Daniel Guerrero, 1995; Michelle Cearley Knight, 1997; Kharley (Bagley) Smith and Raquel Cervantes-Nunez, 1999.