Gino Farinelli exemplifies the dedication to both agricultural education and their local communities seen in the best of our profession.  Gino was a product of Escalon High School , and returned to his alma mater to help inspire and teach students in the community for 32 years.  He mentored 25 student teachers during that time, and inspired several of his own local students to become agricultural instructors.  The Escalon program was truly a “balanced” program, with several State Champion teams, numerous State and American degree recipients, and a chapter that was always highly competitive in fairs and shows. 

Lloyd Doster served the Agricultural Education profession for 37 years, with 35 years of that service dedicated to the Antelope Valley Unified School District .  Lloyd was a recognized leader among his peers, both in CATA and in his local district.  He served as a State CATA Officer, holding the office of State President in 1983-84.  Lloyd was highly competitive on a statewide basis, coaching several judging teams, including state winning parliamentary procedure teams.  He inspired young people in many ways, as evidenced by the fact that nearly a dozen of his students went on to join the ranks of agricultural teachers. 

Ralph Loya served as an inspiring role model at both the high school and community college levels.  Having coached 10 State Champion teams in his 10 year career at Hanford High School , Ralph brought that same competitive fire and dedication to Reedley College , where he taught for 29 years.  Through his efforts and leadership, he built a nationally recognized Animal Science program at Reedley College , and served as a mentor to some of the industry’s most influential leaders.  Perhaps the greatest testimony to his impact on Agricultural Education is the fact that over 30 of his students went on to teach agriculture at high schools, community colleges, and universities throughout the state.