Throughout my three years at Elk Grove High School, I have been an employee at the school's greenhouse. I was a part of the first greenhouse crew which only included me and four other students. We began by learning the basics of greenhouse management, such as learning how to germinate, propagate, and transplant. While learning the basics, we also had to organize the plants and supplies, as the program had been unattended for years prior. After learning the basics, we began our now annual plant sales. These sales include a pumpkin sale in the fall, succulent and house plant arrangements in the winter, and another vegetable sale in the spring. The profits from these sales go back into the program, to support students' animal projects or fund the purchasing of their FFA jackets. While I was the only student left of the original group by the beginning of my second year, we continued to grow the program. We began experimenting with new routines, and I individually continued to build upon my horticulture skills and knowledge. During this time, we fixed the wall evaporative cooler, and grew our stock of plants within the greenhouse and have also gained new technology, like our germination chamber, all working together to make our greenhouse program much more efficient than when it started. This year, I have been promoted to greenhouse manager and work at least four days every week to maintain greenhouse operations. 

My SAE project is an unpaid placement where I have worked on my family's cattle operation for the last four years. Arditto Ranches is a commercial cow/calf operation that runs approximately 250 head of cows and 16 bulls. My responsibilities have changed over the years, but currently on the operation are feeding, vaccinating, doctoring, culling, genetic management and assisting in the processing of the cattle. Day to day operations on the ranch consist of feeding four big bales (two alfalfa and two wheat, weighing anywhere from 1200-1500), I use the tractor with the hay grinder implement attached and feed the cows in the feed bunks. After all the cows are fed I will drive through the herd to ensure that none are sick. My other responsibilities on this operation are to help when we are branding and working cattle. During this time I will assist with worming, vaccinating and fly spraying the cows. I also work new calves getting them ear tagged, ear notched, vaccinated, branded and castrated (if they are a bull calf). Checking and repairing fence while riding through the herd on checks is also a common job of mine when we have grass for the cows to graze and are not feeding. As my skills have developed on the operation, I have also taken on the role of selecting bulls for breeding and making selection choices for replacement heifers. My experiences during this placement have given me the skills to be successful in my future goals.