FFA members prepare for this year’s preliminary round of the Project Comp. What is Project Comp? Project Competition (Comp, for short) is a chance for FFA members to showcase their pride and joy in their year-long projects, from welding to showing how to vaccinate a pig.

“This event not only allows students to showcase their pride, but also helps to develop communication skills,” stated Mr. Larry Borelli, FFA adviser.

Mr. Borelli has been in charge of Project Comp when he first started working here, as an Ag Mechanics teacher. “Los Banos FFA has been participating in Project Comp since I was a student here at campus. I never participated in it as a student though.”

Students get to showcase their projects by showing different aspects of their project. Some participants in former years have done milking demonstrations, how to vaccinate a pig, how to put a post in the ground for a future field to house beef cattle, feeding routine for horses, and much more.

Los Banos FFA is forced to have a preliminary round as our chapter is only allowed to send eight people to the Merced-Mariposa Sectional (MMS) Project Competition. For our local competition, Mr. Borelli and two other agriculture enthusiasts judge the nine students competing this year, and score them off of their career goals, knowledge of their project, their records of their project, and their appearance during the interview.

For the MMS Project Comp, a Merced Community College instructor and another agriculturist will come out to judge the students across Mariposa and Merced counties.

This year’s participants are Delaney Rawls, junior with large animals, Joey Rawls, freshman, with horses, Kelly Robins, junior with goats, Siana Barrett, junior with rabbits, Corie Falaschi, senior with pigs, Peter Elgorriaga, sophomore, with almonds, Tyler Incaprera, junior, with a BBQ welding pit presentation, Steven Battle, freshman, with team roping, and Zachary McCullough, freshman with his firewood business. 

The second round will be December 4.  Students will be awarded either a gold, silver, or bronze placing at a ceremony in Merced at the end of January.