Local FFA and 4H students competing at California Youth Ag Expo
Local FFA and 4H students competing at California Youth Ag Expo
Transcript
00:00 The California Youth Ag Expo is happening this weekend in Tulare.
00:03 It's one of the largest livestock shows throughout the state, featuring students from all over,
00:08 including Kern County.
00:12 It was the best decision I've ever made.
00:14 This week, some of the best FFA and 4-H students in the state will compete at the California
00:19 Youth Ag Expo.
00:21 Students like Claire Banducci, a recent graduate from Garces Memorial High School whose history
00:25 with ag stems all the way back to helping her uncle on the Banducci farms in Bakersfield.
00:31 I get to help plant the pumpkins.
00:32 I've been doing that since I was like six or seven years old.
00:34 I get to go out with my uncles.
00:36 Now Banducci is pursuing her dreams in ag, showing dairy heifers at the California Youth
00:41 Ag Expo, where she'll get one-on-one face time with industry leaders and experts from
00:46 all across the country.
00:47 The best in the business that are able to work with the exhibitors in the ring and be
00:51 one-on-one with them, but also just to give their expertise and advice out here with these
00:56 young people.
00:57 Executive Vice President for the California Youth Ag Expo, Cass Newell, said the expo
01:02 is not only an opportunity for students to show off their hard work, but gives them opportunities
01:07 for their future.
01:08 You know, the goal of CYE is basically to build future leaders for the state of California.
01:13 The expo includes livestock shows, an ag mechanics contest, and a skill-a-thon where students
01:18 will be tested on their knowledge of agriculture.
01:22 They also have opportunities to explore potential internships, and winners will be granted scholarships
01:27 courtesy of CYE.
01:29 This whole show that they put on is amazing, from the showing aspect to the different job
01:34 interviews, skill-a-thon, all the competitions they put on.
01:37 Sisters Ashby and Emma Lane are both current FFA students at Garces, and both of them say
01:42 their experiences have inspired them to explore career opportunities in livestock pharmaceuticals.
01:47 You get to learn a lot of responsibility, and you have to learn to care for your animals
01:51 and how you have to take care of them, and if they're sick, you've got to take care of
01:55 that.
01:56 Now that she's graduated, Banducci says she wants to take her love of ag and FFA and run
02:00 with it, becoming an ag teacher for future students.
02:04 Get them involved in FFA and 4-H and agriculture, and I just want to keep doing that in the
02:09 future.
02:10 So like, this brings me joy, and I want to help bring joy like this to other people.
02:13 So when I can, if I become an ag teacher, I can help the students do stuff like this
02:19 and be happy like I got to be when I showed.
02:23 Once again, the California Youth Ag Expo is taking place all weekend at the International
02:27 Ag Center in Tulare.
02:29 For 23 ABC News, I'm Veronica Morley, connecting you.