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Atwater FFA Exhibits Livestock at
Merced Fair
Sixty-three
Atwater High School FFA students are exhibiting
their livestock projects all this week during
the 2009 Merced County Fair. FFA students
throughout the county have been raising their
livestock projects anywhere from three months to
two years in preparation for this week’s
exhibition and show. The Atwater High School
Horticulture program is also showcasing a
landscape project with over fifty students
displaying various plant projects.
“Most of our
students come from non-agriculture backgrounds
and this is an opportunity for them to get
involved, strengthen responsibility skills, and
develop animal science knowledge and “hands-on”
experience,” says Atwater FFA advisor Dave
Gossman. The strong student involvement and
success of Atwater FFA’s fair projects is
attributed to the strong community support. Bill
and Nancy Arnold of Arnold Farms provide free of
charge a family farm facility for forty students
to keep their swine and sheep projects. Brian
and Dee Heller and Silver Bell Barn provided a
ranch to house dairy heifers and beef projects
over the past year and a half. American Ag
Credit supported over $11,000 in zero interest
loans to help students pay for their livestock
investments. Various livestock breeders such as
Small Town Genetics, Golden State genetics,
Gambril Lambs, Gus Del Toro Lambs, Valley Oak
Meat Goats, Richard Gilton, Erica Cardey, Brian
Heller, and Martin Machado provided animals at a
cost that represented the student’s budgets.
Local businesses such as Atwater Feed worked
with the entire agriculture program in supplying
feed and supplies to the students and the
Atwater Ag Boosters and Jacqueline Brigham
Memorial Fund sponsored over $4000 in equipment
and supplies for the students and program. “The
support we receive from our community and local
businesses is what makes our program successful
in providing opportunities for our students to
grow and succeed,” said Atwater FFA advisor Sam
Meredith.
The Merced
County fair Junior Livestock Auction is
scheduled on Saturday, July 25th.
Students have invested anywhere from $425 to
$1500 towards their livestock projects. “Without
the support of our community in purchasing
animals at the auction, we would not be able to
provide this experience for our students,” said
Atwater FFA advisor Beth Knapp, “Our goal is for
students to at least break even financially with
any profits going towards their investment in
another project or future educational
endeavors.”
Atwater High
School FFA students participating in this week’s
Merced Fair include: Swine –
Alfredo Cisneros, Allison Gurden, Amber Dutra,
Ashley Payton, Billy Thomas, Breanne Bryant ,
Brian Sevilla , Brittini Wagner, Catherine
Payton, Chuck Lord-Huff, Collette Wilcox,
Courtney Miscione, Denise Gilmore, Elani
Goodheart, Emily Beresford, Erik Lozano, JD
Brownwood, Jenna Cruz, Jessica Teixeira, Josyln
Apodaca, Kellie Bergstrom, Kelsie Bergstrom,
Lauren Navarro, Lilly Reyes, Matiana Rivera,
Megan Shaw, Michaela Bratcher, Nikki Schiber,
Niklas Ratzlaff, Paul Ortiz, Richard Ornelas,
Ricky Ornelas, Samantha Woodall, Samuel
Lord-Huff, Sarah Rogers, Sasha DelMuro, Sean
Murphy, Terilyn Bettencourt , Timmy Demma ,
Valerie Wiedeman, Vanessa Del Toro , and Zack
Hall. Sheep – Stefani Dias, Amanda
Solis, Arlena Shirley, Cassie Fensin, Christian
Willman, Grant Rose, Jackie Vasquez, James
Summerton, Marissa Haase, Mason Rose, Nikki
Sharafian, Sandra Flores, and Tawny Smith.
Goats – Ali Copeland, Carolyn Schiber,
and Elena Martinez. Beef – Amanda
Buckley, Brogin Wagner, Guadalupe Ayala, Hector
Ayala, and Keziah Brigham. Bred Dairy
Heifer – Lauren Navarro, Marisa Jorge,
Matiana Rivera, and Stefani Dias.
Landscape – Terilyn Bettencourt, Stefani
Dias, Laura Gonzalez, Lilly Reyes, and Christina
Willman.
Written By: Mekayla Coughran, Atwater FFA
July 2009 |
