Guest Blog: 5th Annual Domestic Study Away: Day One- "We are Going on an #AgEdu Adventure"

Editor's Note:
What is a Domestic Study Away? A Domestic Study Away (DSA) is a non-credit experience that is 100% Student-Developed and Student-led. The Penn State Teach Ag! Society runs where a group of students travel to a State to explore the following:

1. What does #AgEdu look like in other states? How is the total model of school-based agricultural education (Classroom Instruction, Youth Leadership Development <FFA> and Work-based learning <SAE>) uniquely provided? 
2. Who are the #AgEdu Stakeholders in the state? Specifically, what agricultural industry is being served? 
3. A unique yearly selected professional development topic! For #psuaged2WI, it is "Gender in the Agriculture Industry, Agricultural Classroom and Agricultural Education Profession. 

You can virtually-engage with this experience by reading and commenting on the daily blogs and following the experience on Twitter and Facebook with our hashtag #PSUAgEd2WI. We could not complete this transformative learning experience with out the incredible support of our partners including: The Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators, The Wisconsin Team Ag Ed, The Penn State Center for Professional and Personnel Development and the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Student Activities Fund.

Below is the first day reflection of George Dietrich (@TheGeorge4H), a member of the #psuaged18 and a dual major in  Agricultural and Extension Education and Food Science at Penn State.  George will be completing his student teaching internship with Ms. Darla Romberger (@DJR_131) of the Cumberland Valley Agriscience Program (@CV_Agrisciences) in Mechanicsburg, PA. The reflection focus is the first official day of DSA in Cleveland, Ohio at East Technical High School.

Our first stop: East Tech High School home of the

East Tech Scarabs and East Tech FFA Chapter.

Hey Yall! Its your friendly DSA 2017 Crew finally finishing their first day of DSA. Last night we all drove together to the nice city of Cleveland Ohio late last night. In the morning we got up and got ready to visit our first school on the official first day of DSA 2017.

We visited Eastern Technical High School in Cleveland Ohio home to East Tech Scarabs and the East Tech FFA Chapter.  This chapter is led by Mr. Jeremy Grove an Ohio State (The Ohio State as Mr. Gove called it) alumni and former student under Dr. Foster. 

Mr. Grove, five years teaching #AgEdu and his

third year teaching at East Tech High

There we interacted with four different classes. The first we observed him leading the students in an activity. The second was a class with a lot of students with special needs and so we helped him work with the students to complete the activity.  The third class was his senior class and we go to have some “Real Talk” on urban agricultural education.  The last class we had the opportunity to work with them leading some team building activities. 

The biggest impact this experience at East Tech High that will last with me is the urban culture. This visit made me wonder how do we get students to want to be part of FFA? How do we make wearing a blue corduroy cool for them? How do we make Ag Ed inclusive for all? I know as of now I don't have good answers to this but these are the questions I asked as we left East Tech High School.

The DSA 2017 Crew interacting with the students of East Tech High School Ag Ed Program.

We had a wonderful lunch unpacking the experience with Mr. Grove where he gave us even more real talk about what it is like living in a city, teaching in a city, and what it is like being a young teacher.  We had a great discussion about Agricultural Education in Ohio and some of the struggles with starting a new urban chapter such as the difficulty they have with getting students engaged  with the youth organization of FFA. 

Lunch with Mr. Grove 

Lunch at the American Classic Steak 'n Shake

Now that we are done with our visit with Mr. Grove and East Tech High School we are on the road again. Next Stop . . . Wisconsin!We want to say a shout out to @EastTechFFA for being such a great host and a great experience kick  starting this year’s Domestic Study Away.

Check out this link below to see our video for the first day of DSA 2017. The video was created by #psuaged18 member, Michala Kuhlman (@Kuhlman_M40). Michala will be completing her student teaching internship with Mr. Curt Turner at Central Columbia HS in Bloomsburg, PA.:

George Dietrich

2018 Student Teacher

@TheGeorge4H