City Council honors Students of Year, valedictorian

BY Aprile McKinnon

Members of the Canyon Lake City Council took time at its recent City Council Meeting to honor three top graduating high school seniors from Canyon Lake. Two of the students were named Students of the Year at their high schools and the third was chosen as his school’s valedictorian and Student of the Month.

“With all three of these students, this is our first graduating class that had to deal with Covid,” Councilmember Jennifer Dain said. “They came in with challenges from the beginning as freshmen.”

David Menendez of Elsinore High School, Faith McCloskey of Keith McCarthy Academy and Harrison Rowe of Temescal Canyon High School were honored at the meeting.

David Menendez is a student at Elsinore High School and was a Student of the Month and will be the valedictorian at his school graduation next month. He is graduating with a 4.59 GPA.

David struggled as a young child because he did not speak English, but he has overcome that in a big way. He is active in many clubs and sports at his school. David will be attending UC Berkeley to study Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

“I couldn’t have done this without my parents,” David said.

Faith McCloskey, a student at Keith McCarthy Academy, was awarded the Student of the Year for her school. Faith achieved a remarkable feat by simultaneously earning her Associate‘s degree from Mt. San Jacinto College and her high school diploma at the academy.

As the student board representative for her school, she demonstrated exceptional leadership skills and actively contributed to the betterment of her educational community. Faith has set ambitious goals for her future. She will be attending Arizona State University to pursue a degree in criminology. Driven by her passion for justice and the legal field, Faith plans to graduate with a Bachelor‘s degree in December 2024, allowing her to commence law school in 2025.

With this plan, she aims to become an attorney by the age of 22, showcasing her determination and drive to make a difference in the field of law.

“I really couldn’t have done any of this without my family or honestly the Canyon Lake community,” Faith said.

Harrison Rowe, a student at Temescal Canyon High School, was recently honored as the Male Student of the Year at his school. Engaging in various extracurricular activities, Harrison was an active member of the mountain bike club, So Cal Youth Cycling, and the engineering club. With a passion for cycling and a keen interest in engineering, he dedicated himself to these clubs throughout his high school years.

Looking ahead to his future, Harrison has set his sights on Southern Utah University, majoring in engineering and technology. The experience of attending online classes during the COVID-19 pandemic taught him not to take anything for granted. It instilled in him a sense of gratitude and a deeper appreciation for education.

Known for his remarkable school spirit, Harrison regularly attended various school events, dances, and actively worked at the student store. His commitment and enthusiasm for his school were recognized by his teachers, who described him as an exceptional individual.

“One of Harrison‘s teachers praised him, stating that he was the best student they had encountered in their 26 years of teaching, and that he was impeccably raised,” Jennifer said.