Animal Sciences and Agricultural Education
Thomas Flores
Student Teacher
Area of Emphasis: Mechanics
Fall 2024 Initial Student Teaching Placement: Los Banos High School
Spring 2025 Final Student Teaching Placement: Atwater High School
Becoming an Ag Teacher was not something I ever thought that I would be doing. I sort of fell into the idea of it and it started in the junior college I transferred from in Merced. It was there that I developed relationships with instructors that showed me a pathway to a different career. I became enthused in pursuing this career with all the experiences that I have had putting on contests and field days as well as diving into fields such as animal science and production classes. These experiences molded me and my interest in teaching. A tell tale sign of this was my degree. I completed my bachelors in Ag business. I had some mechanics classes but for the most part I learned in classes like ag econ and accounting. Before that I pursued welding technology. Otherwise I have completed a plethora of classes in agriculture ranging from mechanics and business through animal and plant sciences.My initial student teaching took place at Los Banos High school where I taught intro to small engines. Some challenges I faced while there were first of all learning a subject I have had previous difficulty with learning in the past. I was also fortunate enough to be able to dip my toes into CDE teams such as job Interview and also was able to help with cotton judging. Current specialties include welding and some wood working as well as plumbing as well as skills in small engines. I plan to teach and make my impact positive by providing students with the experiences and knowledge to help further them in their future endeavors.
Most of my hobbies include being outdoors. I also enjoy pursuing my health by working out. I have some agriculture connections I've made whether it be friends, past coworkers or even some family members. I also hope to create more throughout my future career.