The Agriculture Club is a way to get involved and to meet a lot of different people, according to Carlos Diaz, a club member.

The club meets twice a month and is open to all students, said adviser Gay Gardella.

“It’s a way for students to meet students of other disciplines,” she said.

Students attend two events put on by the Agriculture and Natural Resource Organization of Student Leaders, a statewide community college organization.

A College Bowl is one, where members compete against other community colleges in “Jeopardy”-style quizzes and speaking contests, participate in discussion groups and attend an awards banquet.

The other event is a leadership conference, which was held at Lake Tahoe last fall.

At the conference students hear special speakers on agriculture in the state, and meet ambassadors from several states.

“It’s a blast,” said Justin Price, the club’s president. “It helps you further yourself as a person.”

The Ag Club also is involved in the community, working with the Kern County Farm Bureau, and sponsoring Future Farmers of America contests for high school students.

Club members volunteer as guides at the Kern County Fair for elementary school kids and senior citizens. At the fair last year, the club won second place for a display promoting college and agriculture.

The club is a great way to learn leadership skills, according to Price.

“The skills they’re gonna learn aren’t skills you learn in a classroom,” Price said.

In March, the club is inviting high school juniors and seniors to “Field Day” at Bakersfield College for a barbecue and tour of the campus, said Price said.

The club consists of about 30 members. Most are ag majors, from ag economics to animal sciences, but it’s open to all. No meeting has been set for this semester yet.