The Ram Page

April 26, 2024

Bi-Monthly Newsletter for Garces Families, Students, Alumni & Friends

April 29th

Senior Farewell Mass & Slide Show

May 1st

Senior Awards Assembly

May 2nd-4th

Spring Play

May 3rd

College Signing Day

Senior Sunset

May 7th - 10th

Senior Exams

May 9th

FFA Awards Banquet

May 15th

Baccalaureate Mass

May 16th

Graduation

Follow us on our social media sites to stay up to date on the latest updates from Garces Memorial

Joan Finch named

Garces Interim Athletic Director

Garces Memorial is thrilled to welcome back Mrs. Joan Finch as the interim Athletic Director. Joan comes out of retirement to assist the school, the student-athletes, and the coaches Joan graduated from Garces in 1987 and was one of six “Haller” siblings to attend Garces Memorial. Joan’s mother, Helen (Reischmann) Haller was a 1957 graduate and is a retired Garces teacher. Joan's siblings are Mary Kay (Haller) Link ’82, the late Barbara (Haller) Boylan Schager ’83, Dianne (Haller) Peranich ’84, Katie (Haller) Metcalf ’90, and Daniel Haller ’91. While at Garces, Joan excelled in volleyball, girls basketball, and track and received all-league honors for her athletic abilities. Joan still holds the triple jump record at Garces.

Joan’s athletic ability earned her a college scholarship, and she played volleyball at Cal State Bakersfield. Joan married her husband Jeff in 1989 and they have three wonderful children who are also Garces graduates – Jordan Finch ’10, Justin Finch ’08, and Julianne Finch ’16.

Joan initially came back to Garces to substitute teach and coach volleyball and was hired by Dr. John Ritter in 2004 as a full-time teacher for PE and Health. She also continued to coach volleyball and the track team. Joan was appointed the Garces Athletic Director in 2014 and served as the school's AD until she retired in 2018.

During her four years as the Garces Athletic Director, Joan made huge strides with the CIF and the KHSD. Her fellow AD’s in the CIF Central Section voted Joan as the recipient of the 2016 California State Athletic Directors Association’s Norm MacKenzie Award as the Athletic Director of the Year. Joan hired our first full-time Athletic Trainer and was one of the first to fully utilize the iPad program at Garces. She put Garces Athletics on-line, making athletic forms, schedules, rosters, release times, game locations, final game scores, etc., accessible to everyone. She took over the Booster Club and set funds aside for the refurbished the gym floor and provided new seating for the players and coaches. She was instrumental in the new sod for the football field. She worked closely with the Hail Mary Club on the refurbishment of the Campbell Field House.

For the past two years, Joan has been up on campus once again as a substitute teacher. As such, she knows the students and understands the school culture. We are beyond blessed to have her back running the Athletic Department. Her leadership, commitment, and experience will provide us with continuity and a seamless transition.

Joan can be reached at jfinch@garces.org.

Spring Fling Week

Spring Fling Week did not disappoint! We had so many students participate in our spirit days. Thank you to Mrs. Thompson and the ASB Class for a great week! it started with Iron Man, followed by a week of dress-up days, the Spring Rally, Powder Puff, and then Prom. It was a week to remember - especially for the Class of 2024.

Spring Rally

On Friday, we held the last rally of the year and it felt like we saved the best for last. We had so many great activities - including a flash mob dance from the teachers! Big shout out to Mrs. Zasoski who organized and choreographed the teacher dance along with Ms. Pavletich and Ms. Salazar who were the "lead" dancers with Mrs. Zasoski. The three of them kicked the whole thing off. It was amazing!

Seniors won the Ironman Competition/ The Juniors won Powder Puff and the coveted Spring Fling Cup!

PLTW Engineering Day

On Thursday, Mrs. Cook and the students who are enrolled in our Project Lead the Way program treated the entire school to a show at the Salvucci Aquatics Center! The students spent hours and hours creating paddle board and canoes made of cardboard and duct tape. They picked team names and dressed up in costumes and competed in four areas: Design & Costume, Paddle Boards, Canoes, and the ultimate Battle of the Boats. The last boat floating is the big winner! In addition to the races, there was lunch, music and lots of laughter. Also in attendance were students from St. Francis and OLPH. We loved having our future Rams on campus and part of the festivities. A big thank you to Mrs.Jaima Cook, and her husband, Mr. Guy Cook, for all their hard work. Thank you to Mrs. Antongiovanni for providing delicious deep-pit sandwiches and to everyone who helped with the snack bar. Thank you to the judges, timers, and sign-holders. It was a great day!

On Wednesday, the Battle of the Airplanes took place in the quad. Teams competed for distance and accuracy. The winning team for distance propelled their airplane 124'.

Paddle Board Winners

"Transformers"

Ryan Davis, Lucas Twist, Cameron kelley, & Sam Gonzalez

Canoe Race Winners

"The Battle Bus"

AP Antongiovanni, Jacob Gutierrez, Trent Antongiovanni, Rhamses Alapisco, & Jack Bordenave

Battle of the Boat Winners

"Not a Raft"

Jacob Hagan, Michael Baninge, Matthew Kleier, Johnny Starr, Johnny Mendiburu, & Isaiah Chrisco.

Best Design & Costume Co-Winner

"Kelly"

Samantha Rogers, Kelsey Abraham, Olivia Landis, & Erin Nail.

Best Design & Costume Co-Winner

"Sons of Anarchsea"

Colby Hughes, Josh Pacheco, John Selvidge, Michael Garcia, & Brooke Hunter

Airplane Contest

Greatest Distance

Case Hoekstra, Joe Buckley & Sebastian Gonzalez

Airplane Contest

Most Accurate

Melody Molina, Krhystian Beltran, & Ashlee Moran

Spring Awards Concert

On Wednesday night, the Garces Band held its Spring Awards Concert. MLH was filled with family and friends for a wonderful performance by the Garces band. During the show, the students were called up by Mr. Ortega and Mr. Williams. Each band member was individually recognized for their successes and hard work this year, After the concert, the students were treated to pizza by the Lake family. Another great evening on our campus!

Thank You Fr. David!

The Bible & Evolution Lecture

Mrs. McKee and her biology students would like to sincerely thank our Garces chaplain, Father David Lopez, for coming and speaking to their classes last week. He gave a phenomenal lecture on the theory of evolution and its relationship to the book of Genesis and bioethics. They loved learning about the bridges between science and faith, rather than building walls between them. Thank you, Father David! We appreciate you!

Mass This Week

Baptism & Water Polo Championships Rings Blessing

Mass this week was very special. It may be the first time a Garces student was baptized during Mass. Garces senior Isaiah Crisco came to the realization that he wanted to become Catholic and be baptized by Fr. David. After speaking with his family, Isaiah asked Fr. David to baptize him at Garces. The entire student body was a witness to a beautiful moment, steeped in a ritual that makes the moment even more impactful. At the end of Mass, Fr. David blessed the CIF Central Section Water Polo Championship Rings for both the Boys and Girls teams. Coach Kerwin introduced both teams sharing some accolades about their journeys to becoming valley champions.

Latina Leaders of Kern Club

Latina Leaders are concluding the school year with an exciting campus tour at Loyola Marymount University. Students experienced an exciting Camus tour and concluded with a speaker panel. Speakers included Kathleen Weaver – Vice Provost for Faculty, Research and Strategy; Maria Cano - Associate Provost, Financial Planning and Budgets; Carina Flores – Assistant Director, Student Research; Monica Rios – Budget Manager, and Elizabeth Wimberly – Director, McNair Scholars Program & Student Research. Latina Leaders of Garces wants to take a moment to express their sincere appreciation for the speakers time and willingness to share their journey with our students. Their stories undoubtedly ignited sparks of inspiration within them, igniting a passion for their own dreams and aspirations. Latina Leaders of Garces will conclude the school year with their last event of the Quinceañera Fashion Show. Club moderator is Mrs Edwards at sedwards@garces.org

Summer School

10 Unit High School Courses

Summer Camps for 3rd - 8th Graders

Garces will hold Summer School again this year. Our ten-unit classes will run from June 3rd - July 3rd. Please get in touch with Mrs. Denise Limi with any questions about the high school classes.

The Summer Camps for 3rd through 8th graders are one week long beginning June 3rd. Please get in touch with Mr. John Fanucchi with any questions regarding Summer Camps.

Questions about high school athletic summer classes can be directed to the team coach or Garces Interim Athletic Director, Mrs. Joan Finch.

Registration is open online at garces.org

Uniform Sale Day

Monday, May 13^th from 1:30 to 6:30 is the ONLY DAY NORMAN'S WILL BE ON CAMPUS! Norman’s Uniform will be on campus for all lower-body uniforms; skirts, pants, and shorts. They will bring inventory that day so you can purchase or order. This is the only day they will be here on campus.

The Student Store will also be open during those same hours on Monday and will also be open on Tuesday the 14th from 1:30 to 6:30. You can purchase all upper body items now through the end of the school year. After May 24th the Student Store will be closed for the summer. Purchase on May 13th or 14th or before school gets out please. There is only in store purchases (no online purchases for Garces Student Store).

Monday, May 13th 1:30 to 6:30

Norman’s Uniform in MLH (cafeteria) Skirts, shorts and pants

Student Store (located by the pool) All other items

Tuesday, May 14th 1:30 to 6:30

Student Store only

All old gently used uniforms, spirit wear and text books are welcomed back so please bring those items our way when you start emptying out the closets! Especially you seniors! Please drop them in the student store. Any questions please email Mr. Geissel at bgeissel@garces.org

No online or email orders accepted.

Forms of payment are cash, credit card, ApplePay or check. 

Provided by Kennedy Olney '24, FFA Reporter

SAE Showcase

Are you ready to elevate your end-of-year SAE projects to new heights? It's time to turn heads and ignite excitement as we celebrate the outstanding achievements of our agricultural students! Welcome to the SAE Showcase, where brilliance meets innovation, and hard work pays off in a spectacle of creativity.

Picture this: students from all walks of agricultural life coming together to present their passion projects to the world. It's more than just a display—it's a chance to shine, to inspire, and to make a mark on the future of agriculture.



But wait, there's more! This showcase isn't just about admiration; it's a competition! Imagine the thrill of seeing your project recognized as the pinnacle of innovation. And the best part? Your community gets to join in as judges, ensuring a fair and exciting evaluation process.

Now, imagine the anticipation as we unveil the finalists, those whose projects have left our judges in awe. These are the trailblazers, the visionaries, the future leaders of agriculture.

To all of our hardworking participants, congratulations! Your dedication and ingenuity are the driving force behind tomorrow's agricultural revolution.

So, let's come together to celebrate the brilliance and innovation of our agricultural students. Our chapter cannot wait to celebrate the limitless potential of our future agricultural leaders. Thank you for being a part of this journey, and let's continue to cultivate a brighter tomorrow, together! Parents, students, and staff please join us in the MLH for this exciting event! 

Fun Farmers Academy

Get your grow on at our chapter’s Fun Farmers Academy summer camp! Open for 1st-8th graders, this enriching camp is full of agriculture activities, learning opportunities, and much more! Registration is available through Garces Summer School. We are so excited to meet our new Fun Farmers! 

Challenge exam dates:

English – April 30th – 4:00 – Room 6

Math – May 1st – 3:45 – Room 75 Here is the link for the math challenge review: Algebra Challenge Review

Spanish – May 2nd – 4:00 – Room 33

Links for FFA and PLTW:

FFA /Ag Business: FFA/Ag application

PLTW/Engineering: Garces Memorial High School PLTW Pathway - Online App

Summer School link:

Garces Summer Session Enrollment

Uniform Sale:

Monday, May 13 - 1:30-6:30 - Norman's Uniforms in MLH for pants, shorts and skirts

Monday, May 13 - 1:30-6:30 - Garces Student Store for polos, dress shirts, outerwear, PE clothes, etc.

Tuesday, May 14 - 1:30-6:30 - Garces Student Store for polos, dress shirts, outerwear, PE clothes, etc.

Student schedules or academic questions:

Students with last name A-L - Dr. Ashley Pavletich at apavletich@garces.org

Students with last name M-Z - Mrs. Candis Howlett at chowlett@garces.org

BOYS BASKETBALL

Rookie of the Year

Bryce Hanson

First Team

Luke Taylor

Second Team

Asher Garde

Carson Acevedo

Honorable Mention

Jack Froelich

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Second Team

Irene Bravo

Honorable Mention

Yoly Cazares

BOYS SOCCER

Goalkeeper of the Year

Elijah Lopez

First Team

Jacob Gutierrez

Jules Struzyna

Second Team

Jack Bordenave

Vincent Mehra

Abram Villanueva

Honorable Mention

Trent Antongiovanni

Aidan Gearhart

Jagger Renterria

BOYS WRESTLING

116 - Ayden Shaw-Jimenez

123 - Evan Vasquez

178 - Miguel Montano

GIRLS SOCCER

Defensive Player of the Year

Caitlin Asaro

First Team

Bella Arias

Karra D'Amato

Paige Dixon

Carla Petrini

Second Team

Indi chambers

Camila Jimenez

Lola Rebuck

Honorable Mention

Olivia Garcia

Marcella Giumarra

Brooklyn Smith

GIRLS WRESTLING

110 - Kaila Delfin

130 - Addison Brewer

145 - Madisyn Tadeo

Boys Golf

Congratulations to the Garces Boys Golf Team! They won the League Tournament at the North Kern Golf Course today. They finished third in the league and qualified for Valley. The team shot a 381. Individually the boys shot: Carson Sorci – 66, Bennet Michaud – 76, Jackson Thorn – 78, Grant Periera– 79, Ian Harrison – 81, and Vince Merha - 89.

Baseball

Baseball lost to BCHS 1-7 on Tuesday. The one run scored was on a homerun by D'Angelo Flynn. On Thursday, the Rams lost to BCHS 2-15. Next up, the team plays at Centennial on Tuesday.

Softball

Softball lost to BCHS on Tuesday 0-7. On Thursday, the Lady Rams lost to BCHS 7-1. Emme Roberts scored two home runs and 5 RBIs. Reese Bowles went 3 for 4 and had two stolen bases. Gianna Martinez had two hits and two runs scored. Next up, the Lady Rams play at Centennial on Tuesday.

Boys Tennis

On Tuesday, the team traveled to SLO for a run at a D-! section championship. The boys lost 0-9 ending their run. The doubles team of Brysen Limpias and Josh Pacheco are moving on.

Swim

On Thursday the JV Swim Team finished 4th in the League Meet.

Women 200Y Medley Relay - 3rd Place 2:32.59

Apolonia Picazo, Brianna Ayala, Madelyn Maxwell, Lucia White

Women 200Y Individual Medley - 5th Place 3:04.16 - Brianna Ayala

Women 200Y Freestyle Relay - 4th Place 2:12.65

Madelyn Maxwell, London Martinez, Ashby Lane, Brianna Ayala

Women 100Y Backstroke -

1st Place 1:23.20 - Ashby Lane

3rd Place 1:25.65 - Apolonia Picazo

4th Place 1:26.68 - Arianna Ayala

Women 100Y Breaststroke- 4th Place 1:32.24 - Brianna Ayala

Women 400Y Freestyle Relay - 4th Place 5:11.87

Arianna Ayala, Lucia White, Apolonia Picazo, London Martinez

Today the team competes at the League Championships at the Kern High Aquatic Center.

Dive

At Thursday's League Diving Championships, Garces Rams came away with three medals!

Boys 1M Diving

2nd Place - Jagger Renteria

Girls 1M Diving

2nd Place - Addison Roberts

3rd Place - Cianna Antongiovaani

Track & Field

Congratulations to Davione Johnson who won the JV Shot Put event at the JV Track Meet held at Liberty. Davionne set a new JV school record with a distance of 44’ 11”. Davione also finished second in the discus with a throw of 116’ 3”.

Varisty competes next Wednesday in the League Championships at Liberty.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the Wing-Ding has been canceled. If you purchased tickets and need a refund, please contact the Development Office or a member of the Hail Mary Club.

2024 Hall of Honor Nominations

The Garces Alumni Board is accepting nominations for the 2024 Hall of Honor. Please complete your nomination form and email it to Lou Ann Durrett at ldurrett@garces.org. Every year, the Alumni Board honors wonderful individuals and legacy families who have made a difference at Garces or in their communities. For a complete list of the Hall of Honor inductees to date, please click on the button below.

James Schorr '50

Please keep the Schorr family in your prayers. James is the husband of Barbara Mazzei Schorr, '50;

U. Grant Border '48

Please keep the Border family in your prayers. Grant is the brother of Don Border '50; brother-in-law of Joanne Molinaro Border, '58; and. uncle of Mark Border, '71.