Garces Newsletter
A Letter From Agriculture Education and FFA Advisor
From the clothes we wear to the products we consume, agriculture plays an important role in our existence. It is important to not only have a comprehensive and well-rounded understanding of how agriculture functions, but also the significance of seeing it through the window of our Catholic faith. 

Agriculture correlates precisely with God’s plan for creation. Through the scriptures, we are taught to serve the common good through crop production, livestock management and sustainable food supply. As Catholics, it is our obligation to protect the elements of God’s creation as well as the moral use of it. The Old Testament calls for us to care for the land and provide for the hungry. In our world and the country’s economic standing today, it is even more important for the youth to be educated on the selfless conservation of agriculture, the opportunities it provides and what they can do to enhance their future. Agriculture education teaches the value of the essential role agriculture has in maintaining a strong economy and how to spread the Gospel of God’s creation. 

 We are so blessed that Garces Memorial High School is located in one of the most fertile and productive agricultural regions in the world, the San Joaquin Valley. I feel so honored to be standing strong alongside 47 of our students in our second year of Agriculture Education and our FFA program. Garces FFA students are learning to apply agriculture knowledge through leadership skills, public speaking and career development. Our Agriculture Education program is a fundamental portal that students can use to consider career opportunities in the agriculture, food, fiber and renewable resource industries. It has and will open the doors to jump start careers for students interested in taking over the family business or pursuing further education in any industry. The opportunities are limitless with a solid understanding of the power of agriculture and the tools to utilize its benefits! 
 
Our chapter had an amazing week full of agriculture awareness and FFA promotion as we celebrated National FFA Week. Not only did our chapter share our love of FFA with our school, we had the amazing opportunity to witness a major event that directly impacts agriculture and our state. On Wednesday, when the President of the United States visited Bakersfield to address our state’s water crisis, our entire officer team was invited to sit center stage behind President Trump as he signed a vital memorandum to continue to improve access to water for California’s farmers, ranchers, agricultural producers, and rural communities in the Central Valley and across California. A prime example of how FFA creates opportunities for FFA members by growing leaders, building communities and strengthening agriculture. Happy FFA Week & God Bless the USA! 

Ashleigh Rossi
Agriculture Education/FFA Advisor
GMHS Bi-Weekly Schedule
Click here to view the Garces Calendar
Gala
February 22nd

All School Testing
February 25th

Ash Wednesday
February 26th

Jazz Concert
February 27th

HSPT Testing
February 29th

Next Newsletter
March 6th
Holy Toledo Sports Fans! Mark Brown is retiring from Garces and we want to send him off with a BANG! We are planning a fun night full of good-byes and well wishes from his Garces Friends and Family. He has done so much for the school and all the students and their families through the years. Everyone who loves Mark Brown is invited - alumni, co-workers, coaches, families and friends of Garces. The cost includes a gift for Mr. Brown. You can drop off a check or mail one in payable to Garces Memorial or you can call the Business Office with a credit card at 661-327-2578. Please RSVP to Mr. Blaine Geissel or Ms. Lou Ann Durrett . If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Geissel or Ms. Durrett.
Ash Wednesday
Parents are invited to join us for our Ash Wednesday Mass on February 26th at 11:15 a.m. in the MLH. This is the first day of the Lenten Season. It is a day of fasting, abstinence from meat, and repentance - a day of contemplating one’s transgressions.
His + Hers
Catholic Teen Conferences
Junior and senior retreat days are fast approaching! This year, we will have a separate day for junior/senior girls and junior/senior boys. The girls retreat will be on March 15th and the boys retreat will be March 29th. The retreats are required for students to attend. This will be an engaging, dynamic, fun, and life-changing day for your students. The retreat fee is $100. Both retreats will take place on campus.
The deadline to register is March 6th. Click here to register and be sure to turn in all paperwork. The retreat fee covers, speakers, all meals, and a retreat t-shirt. Questions? Contact Mrs. Perez .
Jazz Concert
Enjoy the sounds of our Graces Jazz Band as they present classics from the jazz world along with patriotic favorites and classic rock and roll. The Garces Jazz Band is in the classic “big band” style with a great horn section, outstanding drums, percussion, electric bass and guitar.

When: Thursday, February 27, 2020
Where: Garces Music Room 
Time: 7:30 p.m.
Fee: No admission fee, all are welcome
SAT & ACT Prep Courses
Tried & True Tutoring has partnered once again with us to host their SAT and ACT preparation programs on our campus. The SAT and ACT Boot Camps are great options for sophomores and juniors looking to get a jump start on studying.

ACT Boot Camp
  • Saturday, March 21st from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  • Sunday, March 22nd from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
SAT Boot Camp
  • Saturday, April 25th from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
  • Sunday, April 26th from 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.

Classes will take place on campus. Each boot camp costs $199. To register, click here.
Newsletter
Do you have news that you would like our Garces community to know or read about? Send it to newsletter@garces.org
Tuition Assistance
Any family that is in need of tuition assistance must apply no later than February 29, 2020. All funds will be awarded on a first-come, first-serve basis depending on availability and need. A $35 processing fee is required by FACTS Grant & Aid to generate a completed application. 
To apply click here .
For step by step instructions on how to fill out the application click here .
High School Placement Test
Registration for the High School Placement Test (HSPT) is now open. The HSPT is a requirement for current 8th graders planning to attend Garces Memorial High School in the fall. The test will be offered on February 29, 2020. Click here to register . Access code: ZM
Shadow Day
Schedule a Shadow Day visit and get a feel for the campus and see what being a Garces Ram is all about. Shadow Days are available every Tuesday and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. October through April. Shadow Days are open to any current 8th grade student or high school transfer student. We would love to have you on campus as our guest!
To schedule a Shadow Day, click here, or contact the Admissions Office at (661) 327-2578 ext: 122.
Garces Alumni Scholarship
The Garces Alumni Board offers a scholarship to incoming freshmen who are children, or grandchildren, of Garces alumni. Applicants are required to have a 3.0 GPA, submit an essay and a letter of recommendation. The application is due by April 1st . Scholarships will be awarded by April 30th. Please click on the link below for more information or contact the Admissions Office.

Foundation Scholarships
Families interested in applying for a tuition assistance scholarship through the Bakersfield Catholic Education Foundation, formerly known as the Garces High School Foundation, must compete an application and submit it by March 1st . Eligibility information and applications are available on the Foundation's website. Scholarships are available for incoming and current students.

Garces Memorial FFA attends Presidents Trump's speech
Our Garces Memorial FFA officers had the privilege of attending President Trump's speech during his historic stop in Bakersfield Wednesday. Our students were invited to sit on stage behind the president as he addressed our state's water crisis with local farmers. Trump also signed a document that allocates more of the state's water to the Central Valley.
FFA Week
Yee-haw, it was a big week for Garces Memorial FFA! This past week our FFA students celebrated National FFA Week on campus with lots of fun activities for students, including roping, pie eating, corn on the cob competition, selfies with Sam the Rams, and the annual Kiss a Pig competition. This year's lucky staff member selected to pucker up to the pig was Ms. Paquette! FFA also hosted the inaugural Pet Blessing ceremony, in which our students and staff brought their furry friends to school for a blessing from Father Joseph from St. Francis. The FFA festivities wrap up tonight with the second annual Barn Dance! Dust off your boots and get ready to boot, scoot and boogie, the dance takes place in the gym from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Tickets at the door will be $15.
Rambotics
They do it again! The Garces Memorial Rambotics team qualified another robot for the state competition! The team also received the Build Award for its well-built robot is their most recent competition on February 8th. Team members Jacob Rivas, Allison Barker and Nicholas Tsang will compete with our other team next month for a bid to the world competition! Congratulations and go Rams!
Valentine's Day
Love was in the air! The ASB class spent Valentine's Day passing out candy grams, flower grams and even serenaded a few love birds!
Sports Recap
Boys Basketball
The Rams are now a win away from heading to Selland Arena. Garces defeated Chavez 79-49 in the D-III quarterfinals last night. The 2nd-seeded Rams, winners of seven consecutive, including the South Yosemite Conference title last week, will host No. 3 Fresno-Hoover at 7 p.m. on Tuesday in the semifinals. With a win, the Rams would play for the D-III title at 4 p.m. next Friday at Selland Arena in Fresno. 
Girls Basketball
The Rams played one of their top games of the season in a loss to Tehachapi during the South Yosemite Conference tournament, but the Rams season ended after the regular season.
Boys Soccer
The Rams are back in the Central Section championships tonight. Garces, the top seed in Division IV, hosts No. Shafter at 6 p.m. Garces defeated Chavez 3-1 in the semifinals to advance. The Rams are seeking a second consecutive section title after winning the D-V section and state titles last season. 
Girls Soccer
The Rams season ended in the opening round of the Central Section D-II opening round to Tulare Union. 
Boys & Girls Wrestling
Garces has three boys and one girl wrestler in the Central Section Masters championships that began this morning. Tye Monteiro, DeAndre Beldo and Darius Picar are in the boys tournament at Hoover. Sarah Machado is in the girls Masters at East High. Monteiro (152 pounds) and Beldo (220) won D-IV section titles last week in Visalia while Picar went from a 4-9 regular season record to going 5-1 at divisionals to take third at 106. Machado took fifth at the area meet last week in Tulare to advance. Monteiro is seeded fifth this weekend. The top 10 finishers on the boys side advance to state and top four girls advance. The CIF State Championships begin next Thursday at Mechanics Bank Arena. 
Baseball
The Rams are 1-3 in the Terrio Classic, but the one win was impressive with freshman pitcher Toby Twist going five innings, giving up one unearned run in a 6-3 win over Stockdale. The Rams host Ridgeview today at 6 p.m.
Softball
The Rams host North at 4 p.m. in a scrimmage today. The regular season begins next week.
Swim & Dive
The Rams are at home today against Highland at 3:30 p.m. Garces has two meets under their belts already. 
Boys Tennis
The Rams opened up the season this morning at home against Clovis-Buchanan at 10 a.m. A good primer for the season that will resume in two weeks. 
Track & Field
The season kicks off Saturday in Taft for the Garces throwers at an all-throws meet. Junior Zach Buckey is a favorite as the top boys thrower in Kern County. Running events begin next Friday at the EB Relays at Bakersfield College.
Boys Golf
The Rams begin the season on Tuesday in Lemoore at the Tiger Invitational. 
Congratulations Jack!
Congratulations to Jack Hatten on being named the Kern High Network player of the game after the teams big championship win at the inaugural South Yosemite Conference Championship!
2020 Army All-Star Bowl
Congratulations to seniors Peter Delis, Isaiah Bell, Joseph Campbell, Phillip Bradford and JonPaul LaFever for being selected to play in the 2020 Army All-Star Bowl! The big game is May 15th! Good luck boys!
Mark your calendars for this year's Msgr. Leddy Golf Classic!

Interested in serving on the committee? We need you!

Contact Tonya Abbott at tabbott@garces.org or Committee Chair John Hatten at john.hatten@jostens.com.

Thank you Mercedes Benz of Bakersfield for returning as our tournament title sponsor!
Click here to give online or click here to download this year's Garces Fund literature.
Our faculty and staff now have a way to share some of their classroom needs with our Garces community. Garces Memorial has been selected as one of the pilot private schools to utilize this special site. Check out the Garces Memorial Beyond Measure site.

Hall of Honor Nominations
The Garces Alumni Board is accepting nominations for the 2020 Hall of Honor. The Alumni Board is looking to honor those alumni or friends of Garces who have helped to make our school the special place it is by giving back of their time, treasure, or talents or those who have gone on to do amazing things and have brought great distinction to our school. Nominations are due by March 13, 2020. Below is a list of inductees to date.
In Memoriam
We ask that our Garces community continue to keep the families of the alumni and friends listed below in their prayers.

And let the peace of God rule in your hearts.
Col. 3:15



If you would like to make a memorial gift in memory of a loved one, you can click on one of the links below. You can opt to give the funds to Garces to assist with the operations of the school or you can designate it for a specific program for the current school year. Or you can give to the Bakersfield Catholic Education Foundation to help grow the endowment for the future benefit of Garces Memorial High School.