Garces Memorial High School

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Garces Memorial High School, commonly shortened to Garces High School, is a Catholic high school in Bakersfield, California.

Founded in 1947, the school is named after Father Francisco Garcés, a Spanish Franciscan priest and missionary who explored much of the southwestern part of North America, including what is now the Bakersfield region. The school is located near the terminus of the Panorama (aka China Grade) Bluffs on the exact site Father Francisco Graces wrote would make a perfect place for a mission for the local Indian populace in his exploration of the Rio Bravo de San Felipe now known as the Kern River. This site overlooks central Bakersfield atop a bluff that was once the delta of the Kern River.

In the early years, the Dominican Sisters' Congregation of St. Thomas Aquinas taught the girls and handled the school's administration and the Brothers of the Christian Schools (Christian Brothers) taught the boys. The Christian Brothers, due to financial issues within their order, withdrew from the school in 1971 and the school became fully co-educational. In 1978 the administration of the school was taken over by the laity and is currently overseen by the Fresno Diocesan Office of Education, who also oversees Garces' main rival, San Joaquin Memorial High School of Fresno.

Seeing as Garces Memorial High School is a private institution, fund-raising is important for funding current and future activities; the Garces Formal and Casual Galas make up a major part of its efforts. With help from the students, parents, alumni and the Garces community, numerous items are donated and auctioned off at these events.

The Garces curriculum offers college prep, honors, and Advanced Placement (AP) courses in many subjects. As a Catholic institution, the high school requires theology classes for all four years. Electives include Computer Programming, Art, Theatre, Journalism, Year Book, Psychology, and others.

The Garces sports teams, nicknamed the Rams, compete in CIF Central Section Division III. Coached by David Fanucchi, the Garces Rams football team recently won the Valley Championship (2006). Garces also holds the Valley Championship in girl's volleyball (2007) and both girls and boys basketball teams (2008). Also, in boys and girls swimming (2007).

Clubs and activities include speech and debate, mock trial, the theater company under Porter Jamison, Key Club, and others.

Garces Memorial High School celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2007.

[edit] Trivia

Mike Ariey, former Green Bay Packers' lineman is a Graduate
Mark Chavez, former lead singer for Adema (now lead for Midnight Panic) graduated from Garces in 1997.
Gerald Haslam, noted author
Ken Ruettgers, former Green Bay Packers' lineman is a graduate
Robert Swift, center for the Seattle Supersonics, first gained the attention of NBA scouts at Garces before transferring before his Junior year. During his time the Rams the men's basketball team broke into the USA Today top-25 high school basketball team rankings for the first time.