Street Signs Honor 2 Cathedral City Students

CATHEDRAL CITY – In keeping with a longstanding tradition, members of the City Council — Mayor Mark Carnevale and Councilmembers Raymond Gregory and Ernesto Gutierrez — on Wednesday morning unveiled new street signs  that honor two high school students from Cathedral City for their academic excellence.

The Annual Student Street Naming Ceremonies recognized Haley Bartsch of Cathedral City High School and  Jesus Giron of Mount San Jacinto High School by renaming the street adjacent to their respective schools in their honor for one year.

Street signs bear each of their names.

One of the street signs bears Bartsch’s name. Graduating with an earned 4.75 GPA at Cathedral City High School and a candidate for the International Baccalaureate Diploma, Bartsch  has excelled in academics as well as athletics, according to Chris Parman, communications manager.

During her freshman and sophomore years, Haley played sports in softball and golf.  She was honored as the Most Valuable Player her freshman year for softball and was a letter winner in both years in golf.  During her junior and senior years, she competed in track  and golf.

As a senior, Bartsch qualified for the Desert Valley League golf championship.  It was the first time a Cathedral City High School student had achieved this stature. Upon graduation, Haley plans to attend Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, majoring in Biology.  Bartsch hopes, one day, to become a surgeon.

One of  the street signs bears Giron’s name. According to Parman, Giron struggled academically from elementary through high school, often made poor behavior choices, and felt at an early age that he would never graduate high school.

Giron has overcome those barriers to graduate with distinction from Mount San Jacinto High School.  Not only has Giron completed his high school requirements nine weeks early, but he has completed nine college units towards an associate’s degree at College of the Desert.

Giron is a prime example of how alternative education can connect with students, lift their outlooks and change their trajectory in life, Parman said.

The street signs are located at the corner of Landau Boulevard and McCullum Way and at the corner of Date Palm Drive and Dave Kelley Road.

Note: Photos courtesy of Cathedral City