Following the axiom that it’s important to start the day with a good breakfast, the Santa Maria High School Agriculture Department, FFA officers and agriculture teachers went a step further recently, opening the 2025-26 school year with their Annual Staff Ranch Breakfast.

More than 50 students prepared food and welcomed hundreds of staff members and some district office employees.

Held in front of the Ag Mechanics and Welding Shops, the meal included omelets, breakfast burritos, fresh fruit, and other tasty offerings, said Mark Powell, ag teacher and department chair.

“I had the opportunity to visit the school farm and help pick produce for the FFA Ranch Breakfast,” said Anahi Nuñez, a junior at SMHS. “It was a rewarding experience to contribute in this way, and to see the teachers and staff enjoy the fresh fruit we harvested by hand.”

“It is always exciting to host the Ranch Breakfast alongside our FFA members. This year, we are especially proud to highlight that most of the produce used in our omelets was grown by FFA members at the Mark Richardson CTE Center,” said Shannon Powell, SMHS ag teacher.

The SMJUHSD has more than 2,700 FFA student members: SMHS FFA, over 1,000 members; PVHS FFA, some 900 members; RHS FFA, some 880 members.