Future Farmers of America Tab 2015

Spring 2015

The Future of Ag

A special publication of the TURLOCKJOURNAL.COM

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2 FFA • Spring 2015

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4 FFA • Spring 2015

PHS grad named California FFA State

BY ALYSSON AREDAS Turlock Journal

When Tim Truax initially joined FFA during his first year at Pitman High School, it was only for two reasons: to exhibit lamb at the fair and to find a place on the livestock judging team.

However once he experienced his first taste of success during the organization’s Creed Speaking Career Development Event, Truax found himself invested in FFA in more ways than one—or more specifically, two.

“I competed in various speaking contests, including winning a state title in Impromptu Speaking during my sophomore year, and held many different leadership positions,” said Truax.

Now five years later, Truax is set to move to the California FFA center in Galt, where he will spend the next year as State FFA Sentinel on the 2015-2016 California FFA State Officer Team.

“Becoming a state officer—although it brings with it much pride and importance—is an extremely humble position to be elected to,” said Truax. “I was both

honored and surprised to have be in this position, but it was more-so of an honor to have met the candidates that ran against me.”

Truax had always wanted to serve on the California FFA State Officer Team ever since his freshman year of high school. However, when Truax’s father passed away from cancer as he was finishing up his Central Region Presidency, Truax found himself at what he described as a “roadblock.”

Instead of running for a position, Truax instead opted to serve on the State FFA nominating committee and took part in electing the state officers for the next year. However during his freshman year of college when the deadline to apply for state officer was fast approaching, Truax changed his mind.

“I wanted to relinquish the idea of running for the position because it would mean that I would be setting aside a preestablished college life, but I couldn’t escape this once in a lifetime opportunity o serve the members,” said Truax.

“It was my yearning to serve that helped

My hope throughout the year is to build relationships with the members. The greatest story that a young person can have is a testimony in which they found success through the FFA. – Tim Truax

me make my decision,” continued Truax.

Truax reported that his journey to become State FFA Sentinel began with an extensive screening process where he was required to travel to Galt to take a test based on the organization, which narrowed down the candidates from 59 prospective hopefuls to 37. From there, he moved on to interviews at the State FFA Convention in April.

“These interview rounds, scored by the State Nominating Committee, were designed to encompass every aspect of the state office life,” said Truax. “Some examples of the rounds were media interviews, stand and deliver—as if you were presenting to a board of directors—and working in a team setting.”

According to Truax, his favorite round had him conversing with three stakeholders: a representative from the California FFA Foundation, an agricultural industry expert, and a professional in agricultural education.

“We had to talk to them as if we were a state officer addressing concerns regarding the organization,” explained Truax.

Truax finessed his way to the final round, where the committee inquired about his true character through a personal interview, and ultimately made it into the top 12 candidates.

After the committee slated two candidates for each of the six positions, each candidate was challenged to give a speech in front of the approximately 600 delegates that were representing every chapter in the state during a general session, who would then vote for their candidate of choice.

“Towards the end of the last general session, the current state officers each announced the new individuals that would be taking their place,” said Truax. “From there, we were given instructions backstage to proceed with the installation process. We were installed and ushered into our new positions!”

Now as a state officer, Truax will attend meetings and orientations throughout this month and then in June he will move into a house, which is connected to the California FFA Center in Galt, with the rest of his team.

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Officer According to Truax, the early months will consist of state officer trainings that are facilitated by National FFA. Afterwards, he and his team “will hit the ground running” with industry visits and facilitating their first leadership conference In July.

Truax will spend the next 300 days of his term alongside his team traveling the state of California to put on conferences, high school visits, and representing California during the National Convention in October. His term will end in April after his team facilitates the 88th State FFA Convention.

“My hope throughout the year is to build relationships with the members,” said Truax. “The greatest story that a young person can have is a testimony in which they found success through the FFA.” “Throughout the year, it is my goal that I can assist in changing lives through wearing the blue corduroy jacket and give back to an organization that molded me into the person that I am today,” concluded Truax.

Pitman High School graduate Tim Truax was selected to be State FFA Sentinel on this year’s California FFA State Officer Team. Truax will spend his term traveling the state to put on conferences, high school visits, and representing California during the National Convention in October.

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6 FFA • Spring 2015

Ceres students’ swine revel in new home

BY DALE BUTLER Ceres Courier

I tell my kids it’s important to bond with their animals.

They’re responsible for caring for them. The kids also know that these animals are being raised to feed a family.

– Mardel Runnels

DALE BUTLER/Ceres Courier

Ceres High sophomore Zachary Smith practices his pig handling skills outside the new swine barn.

Ceres High junior Kailee Fox fed her pig "Dixie" Fig Newtons while trying to coax her into remaining still for a photoshoot at a school farm located off Blaker Road in Ceres on May 18.

Ceres High sophomore Zachary Smith sprayed cold water on his pig Otis several minutes after the two returned from a walk.

Fox, Smith and fellow Ceres High and Central Valley FFA students will show and sell livestock at the Stanislaus County Fair, including 21 pigs.

“This year, I’m encouraging the kids to be proactive and find buyers before the sale,” said Mardel Runnels, Ceres High animal science teacher/swine advisor.

Each student earned upwards of $1,200 per pig last year.

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FFA • Spring 2015 7 barn.

“That was our major project for the year,” Runnels said. “We started the project in February and just finished it. It was a huge undertaking.

It’s a facility the kids are proud of. It also helped expand both schools’ programs. That’s one of the things that make it great.”

“I had the opportunity to help build it,” Smith said. “This will be here long after I’m gone. It’s permanent. I’d like to come back and be an Ag teacher for Ceres Unified School District.”

The updated swine barn, which is 60 feet longer than the old one, has 11 pens.

The former makeshift barn, which was made of tarps, two-by-fours and hogwire, had just four pens.

“Last year, we could only house six pigs,” Runnels said. “Now, we can house 22.”

“There’s more student involvement because we have more space,” Smith said.

The old swine farm had concrete pens.

The new facility has dirt pens.

“It was a necessary thing for us to do,” Runnels said. “It allows us to have better animal care and manage-

ment. The environment is more comfortable for them now.”

“It helps improve the quality of life for the pigs,” Smith said. “The dirt is softer on their joints.”

The swine-barn upgrade cost more than $3,000.

“We had a lot of parent and community support,” Runnels said.

Fox will show and sell a pig at the fair for the third year in a row.

She spends at least two hours a day caring for Dixie.

“It varies,” Fox said. “I come here in the morning and at night. I love them (the new swine pens). It makes my job a lot easier. They’re so much nicer and sturdier. The pigs are definitely happier. It’s more comfortable for them.”

Central Valley’s and Ceres High’s pigs will be shown July 13-14 and sold for meat consumption on July 18 at the Stanislaus County Fair.

“I’m super excited because I’m the swine advisor for Ceres High,” Runnels said. “I tell my kids it’s important to bond with their animals. They’re responsible for caring for them. The kids also know that these animals are being raised to feed a family.”

DALE BUTLER/Ceres Courier

Ceres High junior Kailee Fox is a frequent visitor to the new swine barn at the school farm as she prepares to show her pigs at the Stanislaus County Fair in July.

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8 FFA • Spring 2015

CV students get handsBY DALE BUTLER Ceres Courier

Andrew Dias, Andrew Rollins, Benjamin Andrews, Kenneth Campbell and Aaron Lengel filled out online EdJoin job applications in April.

The five Central Valley High School FFA students were hired by Ceres Unified School District to work this summer at the Ceres Agriculture Center, located behind Hidahl Elementary School in Ceres.

Dias, Rollins, Andrews, Campbell and Lengel completed two rounds of interviews.

They were required to get work permits and tuberculosis test shots.

“We had 16 students apply for five spots,” said Central Valley agriculture teacher Ken Moncrief. “There’s a lot of interest in this. We emphasize hands-on opportunities. It’s the most valuable way to learn.”

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“My teacher (Mr. Moncrief) informed me of the job opportunity,” Lengel said.

“I figured it would be great work experience and a lot of fun. Ag is a career I’d like to pursue.”

Dias (Jr.), Rollins (Jr.), Andrews (Jr.), Campbell (Sr.) and Lengel (Jr.) will earn between $400-500 as employees of Ceres Unified’s Summer Ag Work Experience Program.

“It’s going to be an awesome opportunity,” Andrews said. “I get to get paid for something I love to do.”

Dias, Rollins, Andrews, Campbell and Lengel will work twice a week, from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., during the months of June and July.

They’ll be responsible for tending, harvesting and processing produce for the district’s Child Nutrition school lunch program.

“We’re raising enough money so we can pay the kids to help,” Moncrief said.

“They’ll make $9 an hour. They’ll apply

all the different subjects they were taught during the school day. They’ll have an opportunity to learn advanced things. It’s hands-on experience. That’s what makes our program special.”

“I’m pretty excited,” said Dias, FFA president. “I’m passionate about agriculture stuff.”

“It’s going to be a great experience,” Campbell said.

“It’s going to be fun,” Rollins said.

“It makes me happy the school district is putting trust into their students to do a good job,” Lengel said.

Dias, Rollins, Andrews and Campbell are in Moncrief ’s first-period plant production class.

“They’re at the farm for three hours a week all year long,” Moncrief said.

Moncrief led construction of the Ceres Ag Center over three years ago.

Ceres Unified provided the land, which has a value of $100,000, for the farm and assistance in financing for a tractor that

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The farm was equipped with a 3,000 square foot metal building for education, processing and storage during the 2013-14 school year. It was paid for by Sid Long and son Scott Long of Superior Fruit Ranch. The slab was funded by the Ceres Rotary Club.

“We’re blessed by a district that supports us,” Moncrief said. “They’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars on operating and maintaining our labs. We have top-of-the-line Ag facilities. We offer better hands-on experience than any other high school in the area.”

Approximately 70 students from Central Valley and Ceres High will show house plants, vegetables and fruits at the 2015 Stanislaus County Fair.

“Last year, our students made about $9,000 in award money,” Moncrief said.

“We’re giving all of our kids an opportunity to have success. That’s why it’s so rewarding.”

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10 FFA • Spring 2015

Hilmar High FFA exhibits competitive side

BY ALYSSON AREDAS Turlock Journal

It comes as no surprise that more than half of the students at Hilmar High School are involved in the agriculture department’s FFA club.

The program, which has been a staple at the high school for 85 years, has continued to draw in students due to its dedication towards promoting the national organization’s mission statement of developing premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education.

“FFA is designed to promote leadership skills in young people and gives them opportunities to develop career skills,” said FFA advisor Monique Reid. “Students don’t just learn about agriculture. FFA helps them to develop the soft skills that employers are looking for—communication skills, decision making, responsibility, work ethic, punctuality, ethics.”

“Every student can benefit from this program,” continued Reid.

The program itself has proven successful with its members this year, as students have showcased their agricultural exper-

tise through various Career Development Events, or more commonly known as CDEs, at the 2015 State FFA Judging Finals in San Luis Obispo.

“Each event is designed to teach students skills that are needed for a particular ag-related career,” said Reid. “At Hilmar we focus on the competitions that would benefit the employers in our community.”

During this year’s competition, the high school’s team placed second in the Dairy Cattle Judging CDE out of 22 participating teams, which helped competitors develop skills in dairy cattle selection and herd management by challenging them to evaluate cattle based on characteristics that are significant to the industry.

The high school’s judging team also placed second in the Small Gas Engines CDE, which tested members’ skills and knowledge for maintaining and repairing small gas engines; and second in the Farm Power CDE, which tested students relating to power equipment used in agriculture.

Students also placed fifth in the Milk Quality and Dairy Foods CDE, where they had to exemplify their knowledge about

quality production, processing, distribution, promotion, and marketing of milk and dairy foods; and 15th in Agricultural Technology and Mechanical Systems CDE, where students developed their technical skills to solve complex problems.

“We have a lot of success in this area,” noted Reid.

Hilmar High School’s FFA members’ competitive side spans out further than just judging season, as Reid reported that students also participate in various FFA speaking events, including FFA Creed Public Speaking for freshmen.

Additionally, although Hilmar High School FFA members have already made an impression during this year’s judging season, they are aiming to continue their success during the Merced County Fair and Stanislaus County Fair in June and July, respectively.

“At the Merced County Fairs, we exhibit dairy cattle, pigs, lambs, goats, beef cattle, rabbits, poultry, ag mechanics and horticulture,” said Reid. “We also take ag mechanics and breeding animals to the Stanislaus County Fair in July.”

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degree

an agricultural career when I first started.

I just wanted to do it as hobby and then after high school go on to something bigger. However when I got involved and learned about how agriculture and the community combine and work together, I realized that this is something I wanted to get involved in.”

Q. What do you plan to do after graduation?

A. “Before I got involved with FFA, I planned to go to college at California State University, Monterey and just move away from the valley. However, when I started to get involved with FFA, I realized I didn’t want to leave this. I’ve grown so much with so many people that I still wanted to be connected and help the animals that I’ve raised. Now I am set to attend Modesto Junior College in the fall for the next two years and then transfer to CSU Stanislaus in order to become a veterinarian or own my own business.

I wanted to give back to the community and give back to something that has changed my life.”

When I became an officer, it wasn’t just about focusing on an animal, it was about focusing and working with five different people to plan one activity.

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ALYSSON AREDAS/The Journal

Following years of inspiration from his agriculturally-involved parents, Denair High School senior Kenneth Carder has been recognized as the only student in his where senior class to earn the State FFA degree.

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14 FFA • Spring 2015

Turlock High FFA prepares students for future

BY ALYSSON AREDAS Turlock Journal

Turlock High School FFA members have had a very busy year.

Students have lent a hand at different organizational events, including Modesto Model Area A’s Swap Meet, the Ag Boosters Crab Feed, Stanislaus County K-9 Unit Dinner, Memorial Hospital Picnic, Yosemite Farm Credit Picnic, Dairy Herd Improvement Association Golf Tournament, and the Sierra Vista Golf Tournament among others.

According to advisor Randee Prada, the chapter has also held various fundraisers throughout the year to raise money for the National FFA Convention and Expo, which was held in Kentucky and welcomed approximately 50,000 FFA members throughout the nation.

For one fundraiser, the organization utilized herds of (wooden) cows to fund its way to the national convention. By placing the fake cows on lawns throughout Turlock—an activity they referred to as “herding”—the chapter was able to raise money as participants donated money to flock their neighbors’ and friends’ yards.

Thanks to these fundraising efforts and more, Prada reported that THS was able to take 22 students to the National FFA Convention and Expo in October, which marked the first time the high school attended the event in four years.

“We attended sessions, listened to keynote speakers, took part in leadership activities and attended a large career fair that they have there with a lot of colleges and ag businesses, so it was a great opportunity for our students to talk to them and see what it takes,” said Prada.

Throughout the year, THS FFA members attended monthly meetings, with each one having a different theme ranging from ice skating to trick-or-treat for canned food.

“We usually have around 125 to 150 members at our evening meetings and 300 at our lunch meetings,” said advisor Joe DiGrazia.

One meeting in particular, the Fall Feast, gave members a first hand look at world hunger when only a small number of students were given a full place setting at a table, which included a table cloth, utensils, napkins, a full meal and unlimited drink refills.

However, a majority of students found themselves sitting on the cafeteria floor with only rice and water. Not provided with any utensils or refills, these students represented third world countries, which

encompass 60 percent of the world.

“We want to get FFA organizations to focus on world hunger and inform students of the need that exists in the world,” said DiGrazia during the November event. “This event will help them understand how other people in the world live.”

Earlier this month, THS FFA members gathered to conclude the end of the school year at their Blue & Gold Banquet, where over $56,000 in scholarships were rewarded to 23 students. Although it is the end of the academic year, members are far from finished.

DiGrazia reported that students attend a number of fairs and expositions throughout the year, one of which is the Stanislaus County Fair in July, where approximately 120 students will participate in various exhibitions from livestock to flowers and plants to ag mechanics projects.

“Each year we have close to 100 head of dairy cattle exhibited at the county fair, with approximately 30 to 40 head being replacement heifers which the students will sell,” said DiGrazia.

When asked on what kind of advice he would give to students who are interested in joining THS FFA, DiGrazia encouraged students not only to get involved, but to get involved soon.

“Go for it. Even if you are not planning to be involved in an agriculture related field after graduation, the skills and experiences gained will be utilized somewhere or sometime in your lives,” said DiGrazia. “FFA has something to offer each student whether it is college prep or career oriented.”

“Each student can gain leadership training, career preparation, people networking skills, and build lifelong friendships,” continued DiGrazia. “Being involved will definitely give a high school student a more fulfilled and complete high school experience."

At the Turlock High School FFA Fall Feast held in November, 60 percent of students represented third world countries and only received a cup of rice and water. According to THS FFA advisor Joe DiGrazia, this event helped students understand the size and severity of world hunger.

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FFA • Spring 2015 15

Family carries on 4-H tradition

BY ALYSSON AREDAS Turlock Journal

Destiny Holmes and Dustin Holmes are preparing to show their Angus steers at the Stanislaus County Fair in July. According to Dustin, they have to learn how to set up their animals properly, practice walking around, and prepare its coat before the annual event ALYSSON AREDAS/ The Journal

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“My favorite part is the whole fair experience,” said Dustin. “It’s always nice with your friends being there and you just get to show your animal to the public.”

The days leading up to the fair, however, are what Dustin referred to as the most significant challenge posed to him, as he is required to dedicate both time and effort to making sure his animal is prepared for the annual event.

“You also have to learn how to set up your animal properly, practice walking around, and prepare its coat by giving it a bath, blow-drying it, and combing it on a regular basis—all while making sure it is well-fed,” reported Dustin.

Denise reported that her children and other members of the Chatom 4-H club are not only involved in animal and nonanimal projects, but in the community as well.

Members have volunteered to the benefit of the community with activities ranging from making food baskets with Turlock Together to signing Christmas cards for veterans to collecting cans for the homeless.

“A lot of people have the misconception that 4-H is all about showing animals, but it’s not,” said Denise. “Those who join 4-H get involved in both animal and nonanimal projects that teach them responsibility and how to be a good leader.”

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When Denise Holmes and her sister left the Chatom 4-H Club approximately 20 years ago, it did not take long for the program’s beef project—which both sisters were avidly involved in—to disappear from the club as well.

“I believe there was one other family showing with us, but once they ended there was almost a 20-year gap where they didn’t have the beef project before I came back,” said Denise. “My kids say they do it for me and it’s true; it’s definitely carrying on a family tradition.”

Now, as the co-community leader of the Chatom 4-H Club, Denise has brought back the program’s beef project along with the dedication and help from her two children, Dustin Holmes and Destiny Holmes.

“Our mom was involved as 4-H as a little girl, so we just followed in her footsteps,” said Destiny. “We also thought it was a good experience to try out.”

Through the beef project, both Dustin and Destiny learn about the anatomy, feeding and showmanship for beef cattle through purchasing, raising, and showing their own animal at the Stanislaus County Fair.

Inspired by her mother before her and with the assistance of her grandfather, Destiny was able to show her first Angus steer in her first year as a 4-H regular member at the age of 10, although she had been involved as a 4-H primary member since she was five.

When Destiny became a 4-H regular member, she not only began to show Angus steer, but she also got involved in nearly every non-animal project, including arts and crafts, sewing, and baking.

She has also held various leadership roles, including reporter, and she is set to assume her position as the club’s treasurer next year.

“I pretty much signed up for everything,” said Destiny.

Just like his sister, Dustin also shows Angus steer through the club’s beef project and has exemplified leadership qualities through his term as the club’s vice president. He will also assume the role of the Chatom 4-H club president next year.

“Being in 4-H definitely helped me with my confidence and showed me how to be a strong leader to help prepare for the future,” said Dustin.

Dustin reported that both his favorite part and biggest challenge from the Chatom 4-H club revolved around the

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