Liberty High: Bakersfield.com

Congratulations Amanda Haney

Amanda Haney is a senior at Liberty High School. She has been very active on campus and off throughout her school years. She has maintained a 4.4 grade point average in high school.

This last year she was chosen to participate in the Ford Foundation Dream Builders in which her group won the top award for their moving presentation call Every Fifteen Minutes. They have made it into a video and have presented it to other high schools, hoping to get the message to teens about drinking and driving and its consequences. For this effort, she won the California Highway Patrol Commander Certificate of Commendation.

She has received several scholarships and awards from Bakersfield Jr. Miss American Legion, the Spanish Club, the Math Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society and is in the California Scholarship Federation, a Gold Seal recipient.

She is in the choir that will be singing at Carnegie Hall in New York on May 27. She is also an active member of the Bible Club on campus.

She works part-time at Foot and Ankle Institute, which is helping her in her career choice. She will be attending Long Beach State University next year, majoring in kinesiology and minoring in dance.

From the time she was three years old, she has danced for Dancers Workshop. Now she is helping to teach the 3 and 4 year olds. She has received several awards for her dancing. Last year she received the Most Exemplary Dancer award at her studio. She also dances with a group of girls that have danced in California and Las Vegas for competition where they have won many awards. One summer vacation she was privileged to dance with the New York Rocket's dance program.

Amanda has worked very hard to accomplish and maintain her good grades, her other accomplishments and activities and her family wants her to know how very proud of her they are.

Go Beach.

Congratulations Kate Greenwood - Liberty High School

It’s the Cal Berkeley Alumni Scholarship Overnighter. I watch as a tall, beautiful young woman mingles with new acquaintances a few feet away. After a couple of minutes, she comes over to me and says, ‘Mom, I love you but it’s time for you to go.” She is right in a far greater sense than she realizes.

Kate Greenwood has always been a high achiever. Even in Kindergarten, the teacher selected her to be the first one to take the milk money to the office because she saw Kate’s maturity and desire to do her best. Throughout grade school, teachers appreciated the interest and inspiration she brought to her classes. Her projects were done with genuine interest in the subject and, of course, she had to ‘out do’ any example the teacher had presented to the class.

Straight ‘A’s and excellent class work was not all that Kate has strove to attain. She has always wanted to give back to her school, classmates and society. She has been able to do this by becoming involved in clubs and youth groups. As an officer of the Liberty High Bible Club, she initiated the sponsorship of Silvia, a child from El Salvador, through Compassion International. As the design editor for Liberty’s yearbook, she worked hard to provide multiple interesting and innovative templates, captions and spreads. As a member of the Riverlakes Community Bible Church youth leadership team, she has helped to build houses and relationships in Mexico, prayed for her fellow students and been an example of Christian virtues to her peers. As a Sunday School teacher at Riverlakes, Kate has also reached out to 3^rd and 4^th graders with the love Jesus Christ has placed in her heart.

By Kate’s achievements, one might think that she hasn’t had too many other responsibilities. However, this isn’t true. Kate has twin sisters Emily and Laura, only two years younger than herself. Emily has cerebral palsy and is unable to walk or do many things for herself. Kate has always been a very attentive big sister and has helped Emily have a ‘normal’ childhood. From the time Kate was only a few years old, she has included Emily in many of her activities; even if it meant picking her up and carrying her to another room. Daily during the grade school years, Kate helped to push Emily to and from school in her wheelchair and helped her participate in parties and sleep-overs. She has helped Emily with homework, art work, hobbies and making friends. Currently, as high school students, the three sisters regularly enjoy a ‘girls’ date out, undaunted by the inconvenience of accessibility issues.

Now, graduating from Liberty High with the number one ranking, Kate is ready to begin a new adventure. As UC Berkeley provides the backdrop for this adventure, it is time for me to step back and let her spread her wings. Kate will soar! And we will miss her greatly!

Congratulations Kate! We love you! Mom, Dad, Laura, and Emily

My Big Brother

Ricardo Antonio Herrera, also known as "Richie," is a senior attending Liberty High School. He is my big brother and I look up to him a lot. I can’t wait to see him graduate on May 31.

I am very proud of my brother. He played football and basketball during all of his years in high school. Richie won many awards on these teams, even a few MVP awards. Richie also had many hard classes, including four AP and Honors classes. My brother is a member of the Spanish Honor Society and the Safe School Ambassadors.

These are the last few months I will ever live with my brother. This fall he will be leaving to go to college at UC Santa Barbara. His time at Santa Barbara will be to help him become a pharmacist. Richie’s roomate will be Joseph Marcus who was Tuesday, May 15 Saluted Graduate.

Jessica Fischer Soaring to New Heights

There is always that one person you come across in your life that you know is bound and destined for great things. Jessica Fischer is that person, and for her, the sky is the limit, literally. She has accomplished many things most people can only dream of. Most people have a few things to be proud of but Jessica has many. The United States Air Force Academy holds their students to the highest standards, and I am certain that Jessica will exceed their expectations. Her academic achievements include, but are not limited to, her 4.0+ GPA and honorable position of Co-Captain of the Liberty Academic Decathlon team. Jessica also belongs to the Math Honors Society and the Spanish Honors Society and is part of the California Scholarship Federation.

Jessica is a highly esteemed athlete and has been a member of the varsity track team since her freshman year, competing all four years in the Valley Championships. She has individually, and as a decisive part of relay team, broken school records enabling her to become a recruited athlete.

Community service is not a distant idea to Jessica. She has been a member, treasurer, representative, and captain of various clubs throughout high school. Key Club, Spanish Club, Interact Club, Link Crew, Ski Club and Math Club are only a few clubs she has assiduously participated in, many of them all four years of high school.

Excluding her high school career, Jessica has accomplished many other admirable things and has met many life-long goals. She started flying as a young and ambitious girl and conducted her first solo flight at only 16, something that is almost unheard of. Jessica then proceeded to receive her Private Pilot’s License as soon as she turned 17.

With all of her accomplishments it is understandable why Congressman Thomas bestowed upon Jessica a nomination to the United States Air Force Academy. Jessica has accepted her appointment and is heading to the academy one month after she graduates. Jessica is privileged to be going to the USAFA, and they will be lucky to have her.

Congratulations to Joseph on your graduation from high school

Joseph Gregory Marcus will be graduating from Liberty High School on May 31st. In attendance will be his parents David and Marissa Marcus, along with his three younger brothers, Sam, Mike and Aaron.

Joseph participated in basketball, choir and French all four years at Liberty. His time in these three areas were very important to him and brought great joy to his life. Joseph played two years of football, began taking AP classes in 10th grade and helped teach religious school for two years. He is a member of the French Honors' Society, Math Honors' Society, and CSF. Joseph sang the National Anthem at one of his home basketball games this year.

Joseph will be attending one of the top public engineering schools in the country at UC Santa Barbara as an engineering major.

We are all very proud of Joseph for his hard work and good choices he made all four years at Liberty. We look forward to the same effort at Santa Barbara. Joseph, your family loves you so much and will always support you.