SANTA MARIA JOINT UNION HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT
PRESS RELEASE
May 19, 2017
PVHS FFA member Steven Cervantes has won the Agriculture Mechanics Design and Fabrication Proficiency State Champion Award at the 89th State FFA Leadership Conference in Fresno, CA.
Steven will now await to hear if he is a western regional finalist and earn a right to compete for the National Proficiency Champion in Indianapolis, Indiana in October.
Steven’s project began as a young child being trained and supervised under the direction of his father at their family business called Shorty’s Welding. He continued to develop his talent for designing and fabricating large to small metal projects for the local agriculture industry in Santa Maria.
“It makes me proud of what I have accomplished and gives me the confidence that I can achieve anything,’’ Steven said. “My father, I know, would be very proud of me for accomplishing this achievement. He came into this country as an immigrant working in the fields and soon was able to be the American dream and own his own shop and do what he loves.”
The young man’s friend Saul Rodriguez of Pioneer Valley FFA says, “Steven is a hardworking man, someone who can achieve anything he wants to achieve and I am proud to know him my whole life and see him become the man he is.”
The Agriculture Mechanics Design and Fabrication Proficiency involves the design and construction of agricultural equipment structures, and/or selection of the structural materials, and/or implementation of plans for utilizing concrete, electricity, plumbing, data communication cable systems, heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning into agricultural settings. It may also include the development of new and emerging agricultural technologies such as engineering, remote sensing, precision agriculture,ag-robotics and other new technologies not covered by a more appropriate area.
The State Award was sponsored by Ponderosa Telephone Company and the National Award is sponsored by Carry-On Trailer Corporation and Lincoln Electric.
SMJUHSD Media Contact: Public Information Officer Kenny Klein
805 709-1454 or kklein@smjuhsd.org
