Rep. Kevin McCarthy highlights the 23rd Congressional District 2015 Merit Award winners

 Rep. Kevin McCarthy, House Majority Leader, gives us his weekly view from Capitol Hill. In his words:

 "As the school year begins to wind down and graduation season approaches, I wanted to highlight a number of the exceptional high school student leaders we have in our community. Each year, I honor

these students with the 23rd Congressional District of California 2015 Merit Award created created to recognize outstanding high school students who have demonstrated exemplary school citizenship, volunteerism, community service, involvement in extracurricular activities, leadership skills and have earned a GPA of 3.5 or higher. Our high school principals were invited to select one outstanding graduating senior per school to receive the 23rd Congressional District of California 2015 Merit Award.



This week I was able to personally recognize these individuals and celebrate their accomplishments. Below are the names of each student:


Miss Olivia Espinoza - Bakersfield Christian High School

 Miss Alexandra Vaughan – Bakersfield High School

 Mr. Timothy Andersen – Centennial High School

 Miss Adriana Alcala – East Bakersfield High School

Miss Ebony Turner – Foothill High School

Mr. Robert Norris – Frontier High School

Mr. John Soper – Garces Memorial High School

Mr. Douglas Johnston – Highland High School

 Miss Amrit Dhillon – Independence High School

Mr. David Mackey – Kern Valley High School

Miss Bailey Slayton – Liberty High School

Miss Kaylee Dunham – Maricopa High School

 Miss Jennifer Hernandez – North High School

Miss Breanna Ramos – Ridgeview High School

Miss Po Tsui – Stockdale High School

Mr. Phuc Nguyen Ngo – Taft Union High School

 Mr. Kasey Brockelsby – Tehachapi High School

 Miss Diana Hurtado – West High School

Miss Laura Koemmpel – Porterville High School

Miss Sarah Vehrs – Granite Hills High School

Mr. Raymundo Lopez – Harmony Magnet Academy

Miss Sabrina Mahal – Monache High School

Miss Josefina Lopez – Strathmore High School

Miss Stephanie De La Melena – Lancaster High School

Miss Darlene Mendoza – Desert Christian High School

Miss Melody Mendez – Quartz Hill High School

Mr. Austin Leonardo – Rosamond High School

Miss Monica Gonzalez – Mojave High School

Miss Erica Tyson – Desert High School

Miss Ellyse Adamczyk – California City High School

Miss Joelle Steichen – Sherman E. Burroughs High School

Mr. Keith Core – Boron High School


Each student was also asked to select a teacher that inspired them and here are the educators they chose to recognize. We thank the teachers in our community that work so hard for our children.


Mr. Frank Thiessen - Bakersfield Christian High School

 Ms. Clair Richards – Bakersfield High School

 Mr. Ryan Coleman – Centennial High School

 Mr. Brad Sanders– East Bakersfield High School

Mr. Wade Tavorn – Foothill High School

Ms. Nicole Nelson – Frontier High School

Mrs. Cheryl Rhodes – Garces Memorial High School

Mr. Geoffrey Ruud – Highland High School

 Mrs. Kip Glazer – Independence High School

Mrs. Erin Woodward – Kern Valley High School

Mrs. Leandrea Slayton – Liberty High School

Mrs. Debbie Myers – Maricopa High School

 Ms. Natalie Ryan – North High School

Mrs. Marlys Brimmer – Ridgeview High School

Mrs. Denise Sande – Stockdale High School

Mrs. Sarah Hamblin – Taft Union High School

 Mr. James Henderson – Tehachapi High School

 Mrs. Angela Jenkins – West High School

Mrs. Linda Shearer – Porterville High School

Mr. Rich Lambie – Granite Hills High School

Mr. Jeromy Blackwell – Harmony Magnet Academy

Mr. Grant Wagner – Monache High School

Mr. Ben Nelson – Strathmore High School

Mr. Thomas Shepardson – Lancaster High School

Mr. Devin Thomas – Desert Christian High School

Mr. Jeff Culver – Quartz Hill High School

Mr. Caleb Schroeder – Rosamond High School

Mrs. Maysha Dawson – Mojave High School

Mrs. Debbie Lewis – Desert High School

Mr. Shane Moore – California City High School

Mr. Chris Ostermann – Sherman E. Burroughs High School