Wasco Ag Boosters host Classic

The Wasco AG Boosters hosted the 5th Annual Charles Craig Classic Invitational at the Wasco High School Farm over the weekend. The event brought together WHS FFA students, FFA and 4-H members from Shafter, Delano, Taft, North Kern and Delano.. Participants competed for the best of the best in breed, market and showmanship with their pygmy goats, poultry, rabbits, swine, lambs and cattle.

For Victoria Carriño, it was a new experience. "Last year my friend had an animal. I helped her, which inspired me and made me want to join. I handled it pretty well. I showed swine and ended up getting Reserve Champion for the lightweight division. I worked with the animal for about five months and learned patience is key."

Emily Sandoval has been in FFA for three years, and this is her third year showing a pig. She took third place in showmanship and fifth place in market.

"We come out here to the WHS farm twice a day to feed them, Monday through Sunday. We clean, bathe and walk them. That's teaching me responsibility and time management. I do it because I love being with the animal and being in the dirt. It's an important part of who I am."

She said she is able to balance her academics with the rigor of caring for her animal. "Schoolwork is done before or after the animal is well cared for. Even though I care about my animal, school is still my number one priority, but I'm lucky I can still make both work."

Victoria Tolin is one of the WHS FFA advisors. "I am in charge of the goat team. I lead and teach them showmanship. At our weekly meetings, we practice, take weights and do feed corrections. We are constantly balancing the nutrition of these animals."

Cultivating collaboration in preparation for competitions like the Classic is critical. "I think the Wasco AG department teachers are a great example to our students. They see us help one another, which is our expectation of them. Our teachers model what we expect. On collaboration, this event would not be possible if not for major collaboration between our staff, kids, parents and several local businesses and put on by our boosters."

Marissa Juarez is president of the Wasco Ag Boosters. "We are a group of parents and community members who help out WHS Ag students, raising funds to pay for conferences at the state, local and national level and for scholarships."

She has been with the boosters for six years, and even though her son graduated last year, she continues to support the students because she has a passion for it. "This is a great experience to get them ready for the Kern County Fair. For some of them, it will be their first time showing there, and this will allow them to know what to work on when it's time for them to show there."

She sees a lot of positive qualities that grow in the students who participate in the Classic. "As a parent, I see that it helps them develop teamwork, presenting in front of adults, public speaking, builds their confidence and many other life skills. I see a lot of benefits."