Perris FFA Student Marko Deganci Wins Scholarship

Press release from Altman Plants:

June 14, 2022

Altman Plants’ Perris nursery is pleased to announce that its Perris FFA Scholarship for this year has been awarded to Perris High School Class of 2022 member Marko Deganci.

Deganci, 18, of Nuevo participated in FFA all four years at Perris High, served as a chapter officer, and won a 2022 state championship with the nursery/landscape team. He will be attending Reedley College, near Fresno, in the fall, and majoring in agriculture education.

The Perris nursery created the $1,000 scholarship in 2021 to benefit graduating Perris High School seniors active in FFA and moving on to college in pursuit of careers in horticulture or agriculture. The scholarship is awarded annually to one such student.

The scholarship's second recipient, Deganci capped his final year by winning with his three teammates the state championship (aka "championship silver bowl") in the Nursery/Landscape team category at the State FFA Finals at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on May 7.

Deganci described the day as nerve-racking but not entirely for reasons having to do with performing in a statewide competition.

Despite nerves, "I was confident in my abilities and the abilities of my team due to the fact that we were all studying very intensely for months before in preparation," he said.

Two speaking portions before judges? No sweat, really.

"No, I enjoy public speaking and find no issue or discomfort in speaking to those older or more experienced than me."

A big post-competition activity was also on his mind.

"We immediately left San Luis Obispo after the contest because our prom was the same night and three out of the four people on our team, including me, were attending, so that was a stressful car ride home," he said.

Jim Hessler, director of west coast operations for Altman Plants, presented the scholarship award to Deganci at the Perris FFA Awards Banquet on May 24.

Since his first year at Perris High School, Deganci has had his sights set on one day becoming an agriculture teacher and an FFA adviser.

"I know the impact that this program has had on me, and I want to be an adviser who inspires students, like in the way my advisers inspired me, especially Mr. Nering and Mr. Cousins (Perris High teachers Aaron Nering and Douglas Cousins). They were my role models and are the main reasons I want to be an ag teacher. They changed my life so much, and I owe so much to them. My dream is to one day be an ag teacher alongside them at Perris High."

Graduation day at Perris High School was June 8.

This press release was produced by Altman Plants. The views expressed here are the author's own.