My daughter Victoria is about to enter high school this fall. My wife and I have taken her to orientation, bought her PE clothes and helped pick her electives. As excited as she is as a freshman, I am even more excited as a parent. Looking ahead, I see many great opportunities for her and know that many great things are ahead.

It’s no secret that high school is tough. With all the classes, clubs, sports, peer-pressure and…boys, I know this is going to be a challenging time. High school students these days have more and more stress put on them as they look to conquer the years before college. With all the challenges on the way, she knows that her mother and I will do all we can to help her succeed and give her the tips needed to master this new world. 

I hope that she, along with all freshmen this year, will find inspiration in our feature this month. This month we highlight 17 of the brightest young men and women in Bakersfield. The only thing that stands out to me in this list is the diversity of this group. Their academics are flawless as all members of this group bring a 4.2 GPA or higher.

This senior class is due to graduate within weeks and head out to many prestigious colleges. UCLA, Dartmouth, Stanford, Cornell, Penn State and more great schools are well represented by this group. You’ll find that one of our local graduates is on his way to Yale to join his two brothers who are both products of Bakersfield high schools. These are great kids I’m sure they are making their parents proud. I know they are making their community proud.

Additionally in this issue, it’s time to release the results. Since January, we have been counting votes from the “Best of Kern County” poll and creating a list of your favorite businesses, parks, air personalities and entertainment options. This year, the readers of The Bakersfield Californian came through with a record number of votes and left no doubt who their favorites are. 

Although unscientific, this feature has become one that many people take pride in, so much that you can see the Best of Kern County logo at many local businesses. It’s one of the few logos that you will see in Bakersfield that says, “We trust this business and are happy with their products and services.”

We have listed the best and two favorites in each of the categories. These are the top three in our polling. Trust me, you send in many different names and these that are listed truly represent your favorites.

Who is the best car dealer? The best Chinese restaurant? The best bank? Did you know that Snider’s Cyclery has won the “Best of Kern County” award for the last 10 years? Lets find out if they kept the tradition alive. 

Many of these winners may not be such a surprise as they are long-time established businesses, but it is interesting to see some new businesses to town show up on our list. Our friends at Sports Authority and Sports Chalet can be found in this list for the first time this year.

Thank you for all your votes and your continued readership. Bakersfield Life has become a much-anticipated monthly magazine and we are proud to be able to continue to show you the best that our great city has to offer.