Ag Department Chair

 I grew up in Fresno and Clovis and Graduated from Clovis High School in 1998. I was an active member of the Clovis FFA serving as the Chapter Reporter for two years, and as the East Fresno Madera Section Secretary. I was a State Champion in Best Informed Greenhand and Meats Evaluation. I attended Reedley College where I was involved in the Agriculture Ambassador Program. At Modesto Junior College I was on the livestock judging team and worked in the schools greenhouse and horticulture facility. I attended Fresno State for my Bachelors in Ag Education with an emphasis in Animal Science. While at Fresno State I was a member of the College Meats Evaluation Team where I placed 2nd in the International Competition. I was also the President of the Meat Science Club and was able to travel on tour to many food and meat processing facilities which enhanced my knowledge in the area of Food Science and Technology. I also hold a Masters Degree in Agriculture Education from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. My first Ag Teaching job was at Central High School’s West Campus where I taught Ag Biology and Ag Leadership, coached a State Champion Meats Team, supervised the Sheep SAE’s and coached Creed Speaking for five years. I was Hired at Clovis East in 2012 and have the honor of being the only Clovis FFA Alumni on our Ag Staff. While teaching at Clovis East I have taught Animal Science, Botany, Ag Leadership, Exploring Ag, and ROP Veterinary Science. I also wrote new curriculum to open a Food Science Class, which I currently teach. It is my pleasure to serve the Ag Department as the Department Chair and Supervise the Sheep SAE’s. I also serve as the coach for the Vet Science and Meats Evaluation Teams, where we have won 3 State Championships.

I grew up in the small foothill community of Tollhouse, California. As a child I was involved in 4-H from age 9-13 showing market hogs and horses in addition I participated in local gymkhanas and 3 day eventing on my horses.  Growing up my family embraced the idea of farm to fork, always having a large productive garden and a variety of food producing livestock, one of my favorites being our Jersey Cow Lucy.  I attended Sierra High School where I was involved in the FFA program serving as a Chapter Officer, showing beef, sheep and hogs and participating in extemporaneous public speaking and parliamentary procedure. After graduation I attended Fresno State where I was part of the Equestrian team for 1 year and Rodeo team for 2 years. I graduated in 2004 with my bachelors degree in Agriculture Education and pursued my teaching credential.  In the Fall of 2005 I was blessed to be given the opportunity to  student teach at Clovis East High School and I was hired in the Spring of 2006.  In 2009 I surpassed my educational goals by earning my masters degree from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo.  This is my 19th year teaching and I am currently teaching Art & History of Floral Design, Advanced Floral Design and Ornamental Horticulture Collaborative Mentoring. In 2023 I became a Certified Florist which has helped me better train and prepare my students to work in the floral industry. 

Agriculture has always been a part of my life. Growing up on a vineyard is Selma taught me foundational skills needed on a farm. I started driving tractors at age nine and quickly fell in love with how things worked and how to fix them. I attended Selma High school where I was very involved in sports, FFA and student leadership. I was fortunate enough to be part of the state winning CA FFA Tree Judging Team. I continued my education at Kings River Community College(Reedley College) and then transferred to Cal Poly SLO. I decided to finish my education at CSU Fresno and was very involved in the Livestock and Market Animal Evaluation Teams. This experience gave me the experience to judge swine and beef jackpots, county fairs and regional shows.  While at CSU Fresno I was the Student Manager of the Swine Unit where I was incharge of the 200 sows operation. I left Fresno State with a double major, one in Agriculture Education with emphasis in Agriculture Mechanics, and a Bachelors in Animal Science with an emphasis in Meat Science. After college I worked for Harris Ranch Beef Company, after a few years I decided to get my teaching credential and enter the education field. My career started at Kingsburg High School. I had stops at Central High West, Washington Union and then landed here at Clovis East. This is my 30th year as an Agriculture Educator. I have taught numerous different ag classes over my career, but mainly focused on Ag Mechanics. I have coached numerous teams, from vine and tree pruning, livestock judging, meats judging, Ag Mechanics and Welding. I have worked with students on Creed, Prepared Public speaking, Extemporaneous Public Speaking, opening and closing and Parliamentary Procedure. I have supervised most animal projects and ag mechanics projects. My current duty at Clovis East is supervising swine projects, coaching banking team, co-coaching welding, Ag Mechanics and Ag Fabrication team with Mr. Ravy. 

Born and raised in southern California, I attended Fallbrook High School, but actually wasn’t an FFA member.  I discovered FFA and Ag Education while attending Cal Poly San Luis Obispo and while finishing my degree from the BioResource and Agricultural Engineering program, decided to pursue my teaching credential. When I saw the opportunities that students had in Ag classes, FFA activities and competitions, and the SAE projects, I knew I wanted to be a part of teaching Ag. Through high school and college I worked in construction, a restaurant, hardware store, fabrication shop, Ford dealership shop, and the fleet maintenance division at the university as well as starting a small business for powersports and motorsports.  I started teaching at Sanger High school in 2009, moving to Clovis East in 2016.  I have also taught night classes at Reedley College and with the Reedley Adult School, and Agriculture summer programs.  The courses I have had the opportunity to teach are introduction to Agriculture, Agriculture Mechanics/Engineering 1-3, Small Gas Engines, Advanced Engines and Diesels, Ag Manufacturing, Engines internship, Ag Welding 1-2, ROP Welding Processes and Procedures, ROP Welding Fabrication, as well as Jr. High Exploratory Ag Mechanics and Jr. High Exploring Agriculture.  I have supervised swine, goats, turkeys, chickens, rabbits, ag business, and ag mechanics SAE projects and currently am in charge of the Ag Mechanics SAE’s while assisting Ms. Santos with the small animals.  I currently coach the Ag Mechanics, Ag Welding, and Ag Fabrication CDE contest teams along with Mr. Valdez. You can usually find me in the shop building or fixing something with my students.

I grew up in Tulare, CA. When I entered high school I joined the Tulare FFA chapter where I was involved in the Dairy Show Team, Prepared Public Speaking, Ag Issues CDE Team, and served as a Chapter officer for 2 years. My favorite memory from my time being a part of the Tulare FFA chapter was when my Ag Issues team earned the title of State Champions and then had the opportunity to compete at the National level where we were awarded 2nd in the nation. I was blessed with the Ag teachers that surrounded me and they inspired me to be an Ag teacher as well. I went on to attend Fresno State where I earned my Bachelors Degree in Ag education and I just recently earned my Masters Degree at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I currently teach Ag Exploration, Sustainable Ag Biology, and Advanced Interdisciplinary Science for Sustainable Ag (AISSA). I coach Creed Public Speaking, Opening and Closing, Ag Science Fair, and Ag Issues Forum. I also advise the Greenhand Officer Team, Co-Advise the Chapter Officer Team, Turkey Show Team, Rabbit Show Team, and the Layer Hen Co-Op. 

I grew up in the foothills above Clovis in Prather CA. I participated in 4h for two years when I was in 7th & 8th grade, showing horses in the western discipline. When I entered high school I joined Sierra FFA. I started my FFA career showing sheep and then I made my way to the hog barn. I ended my FFA show career with the Reserve FFA Duroc pig my Senior year. After graduating from Sierra High school, I attended Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. I really enjoyed my time attending Cal Poly. I was involved and competed on the horse judging team, I was a student manager for the equine unit for 2.5 years, and I volunteered to judge the numerous FFA contests Cal Poly hosted. I graduated in 2011 with my bachelors degree in Agriculture Science, an Agriculture Business Minor, with a concentration in Animal Science.I returned and graduated in 2014 with my Masters in Agriculture Education. Currently, I have been teaching for 13 years. I teach all of the Ag chemistry classes, Equine Science, and sometimes 7th/8th grade exploratory AG. I coach the horse judging team and I am in charge of the Goat, Beef, and Equine projects. 

Lead FFA Advisor

I grew up in Firebaugh, CA. I quickly fell in love with the FFA when I was part of the champion Best Informed Greenhand Team my freshman year. I went on to become a chapter officer, competed in Job Interview, Nursery Landscape, and showed multiple market goats for the next three years. I also had the opportunity to represent California as a National FFA Delegate for two years. I attended Fresno State and graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education. I am starting my ninth year teaching agriculture (third year at Clovis East). I currently teach 8th Grade Exploratory Ag, Plant Production, Farm to Table and Ag Leadership. I coach the California Water, Best Informed Greenhand, Vegetable Judging, and Job Interview teams and serve as the Clovis FFA Advisor.  I also oversee the farm and crop projects at our farm through the McFarlane Coffman Co-Op. 

I was born and raised in Tulare, California and have lived there for most of my life. While I grew up around agriculture, I didn’t develop a passion for it until I joined Tulare FFA in my freshman year of high school. After raising a steer, attending State Conference, and competing on the Opening and Closing team, I found a new love for the organization and the agriculture industry. I competed on several judging and speaking teams through my time in the program, and served as a Chapter Vice President as well. Upon graduation, I helped coach and judge several speaking teams in the Tulare-Kings and Sequoia sections while I was earning my Associate’s Degree at College of the Sequoias. I quickly transferred to Fresno State and earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture Education with a minor in Mass Communication Journalism, all while continuing to coach and judge FFA teams. I completed my Single Subject Credential and Master’s Degree in Agricultural Science in May 2024. I currently teach the 7th and 8th grade agricultural mechanics courses, the 8th grade agricultural science course, and the introductory level agricultural mechanics and science courses. While this is my first year, I plan to coach the citrus judging team, impromptu public speaking team, and extemporaneous public speaking teams. I also plan to supervise the Beef SAE projects later this year.