CPPD September Student of the Month- Brandon Bixler!

 AEE September Student of the Month

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes one Penn State Agricultural and Extension Education student for their outstanding efforts within the undergraduate program, extracurricular activities and community involvement. For the month of September, Brandon Bixler is being recognized as the Student of the Month. 

Currently, Brandon is a Senior studying Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in International Agriculture. He is from East Earl, Pennsylvania and is a 2019 graduate of Garden Spot High School. During his time in high school, Brandon was a member of the Grassland FFA Chapter. From 2019 to 2020 Brandon served as the Pennsylvania FFA Vice-President and was the 2021 PA FFA National Officer Candidate. He said, "I owe much of my professional and personal growth to my time in FFA and those who influenced me on my journey!"

Brandon shared, "I chose Penn State because of the people and opportunities that make this university all that it is. I was profoundly impacted by agricultural educators who went through the AEE program, and this legacy of enduring impact alongside the vast professional network and opportunities for experiential learning made coming to PSU an easy decision". On campus, Brandon is involved in Ag Advocates, Teach Ag! Avengers, PSU FFA Alumni and Supporters, Collegiate Farm Bureau, Coaly Society, University Park Undergraduate Association Student Government (UPUA), and Presidential Leadership Academy (PLA). He has also been an AESE Student Consultant, INTAG 100N Teaching Assistant, and apart of the GOALS Program. He has also had internships with the Global Teach Ag Network, Corteva Agriscience, HOPE International, and NAAE Teach Ag Ambassador Program.

His agricultural passion stems from his interest in International Agriculture. Brandon stated, "I have a specific interest in international agricultural development and exploring how I can use my background in agricultural education to share agricultural knowledge and practices to support development efforts benefiting entrepreneurs and smallholder farmers. I enjoy connecting international agriculture concepts to each of the subjects I will teach in the classroom!" 

Brandon has had many travel opportunities that added to his experience with international agriculture as well. He shared, "During my time at Penn State, I have been fortunate to travel a fair amount including four new countries (Nepal, Dominican Republic, Canada, and Kenya). Whether doing undergraduate research or participating in an embedded course, I have grown so much through these opportunities to learn from others around the world".

Brandon's favorite class that he has taken was CED 497- Community Engagement with Pennsylvania Farmworkers. In this class he had the opportunity to work with Spanish-speaking farmworkers on a local dairy farm and gained experience teach English. He enjoys hanging out with his some of his favorite people in Ferguson 213. In State College, his favorite place to eat is Sower's Harvest Cafe. The Philadelphia Eagles and Penn State Nittany Lions are favorites of Brandon. His hobbies include spending quality time with his family and friends, time outdoors, hunting down new coffee spots, and playing games. An interesting thing about Brandon is that he has a 7-year-old Golden Retriever named Penny. 

In January, Brandon will begin his student teaching at Athens Area High School with Mr. Dave Steinfelt and Ms. Sarabeth Alderfer. He will be teaching SAE/FFA, Ag Mechanics 1, Ag Mechanics 2, Ag &
Natural Resources, Into to Ag, Animal Science, and Horticulture. He said, "I am most excited to teach a broad variety of courses and gain experience in new content like Ag Mechanics. I'm also excited to experience life and agricultural education in Northern PA - this will be new for me!" After graduating, Brandon plans to begin his career as an agricultural educator and seek opportunities to make a positive impact with his work. 

Brandon's favorite quote is:

 "The time is always right to do what is right." - Martin Luther King Jr.

Follow Brandon on Twitter and Instagram

Twitter: @BrandonBixler

Instagram: @brandon.bixler

Erica Teagarden

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2026

Recap: Farm Show Ag Ed Recruitment Event

PSU Teach Ag Avenger team, faculty, and professors talking with FFA students 

Penn State Teach Ag started the new year off with a bang at the Pennsylvania in Harrisburg PA! On Monday January 7th the Penn State Teach Ag Avenger team put on a workshop for 15 high-school students interested in teaching the future of agriculture. Throughout this workshop, students had the opportunity to as questions, and learn about what it means to study agricultural and extension education, and what it’s like to be a Penn State student. Students heard from current students, faculty, and professors of the Agricultural and Extension Education program to get an inside look at the opportunities Teach Ag at Penn State has to offer. 

One of the main discussions we had with students was that every single person involved in agricultural education has their own path. Luke Kerstetter, Teach Ag Avenger and current member of #psuaged20 said this about the event "Everyone has a different story behind their interests in Agricultural Education. It may be very diverse, but we all have the same goal in mind”.

This event was also held on the same day as the Pennsylvania FFA Mid-Winter Convention where 409 Keystone Degrees were awarded, and 365 first-year members put on their blue corduroy jackets for the first time. Seeing the impact that FFA and agricultural education has on so many students certainly was moving and truly was an amazing thing to watch.

Students at Mid-Winter Convention putting on their brand new FFA jackets for the first time. 

This was also the first day of student teaching for #psuaged19. Seeing the student teachers in action was such an awesome experience. Jess Barnhart, Teach Ag Avenger, and member of #psuaged20 said “I’d like to shine a light on our student teachers at Mid-Winter Convention. They truly were immersed in all that Ag Ed is really about by having that hands-on experience with their students.”

While speaking at Mid-Winter Convention, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Pedro Rivera said: “today’s FFA members are tomorrow’s industry and community leaders”. Here at Penn State, we are proud to play a role in helping to develop those future leaders within FFA.

Erin Langdale

Communications Team Member

Twitter: @ItsErinLangdale

Agricultural Education Student Teacher 2020

82nd Annual Agriculture and Extension Education Banquet

On Tuesday April 24, 2018, LEAD Society hosted the 82nd Annual Agriculture and Extension Education Banquet. We had special guests that had attended which included; Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences Dr. Richard Roush, Associate Dean Dr. Tracy Hoover, keynote speaker Joshua Hersl, PA FFA State Officers Justin Kurtz, Thomas Gabel, and Nathan Moyer. 

Ali Emig, Sara Lang, Alicia Gates,
Megan Royer

Joshua Hersl

Throughout the night students were recognized for their accomplishments throughout the year. The students that were recognized were from each academic standing year. Our outstanding freshman was Megan Royer #psuaged21, sophomore Alicia Gates #psuaged20, junior Sara Lang #psuaged19, and senior Ali Emig. 

Alpha Tau Alpha Initiates

Alpha Tau Alpha, the National Professional Honorary Agricultural Education Organization, held an initiation ceremony for those students who qualified. Those students who were initiated were; Kaitlin Liszka, Rachel Bloom, Ryan Rupert, Macy Fisher, Angela Becker, Allyson Balmer, Lisa Boltz, Olivia Aten, and Karlie Wright. 

#psuaged18

The seniors had also gave a small presentation and thank you's to Dr. Daniel Foster, Dr. John Ewing, Dr. Kevin Curry, Ms. Terra Ingram, Ms. Beth Mathie, Mr. Jon Seaman, and Ms. Tiffany Morey. To end the night Dean Richard Roush had given his kind address and thank you for being invited to the banquet.

LEAD Society Leadership Team

#psuaged19

We thank everyone who had attended the banquet and hope to see you next year at the 83rd Annual Agriculture and Extension Education Banquet.

LEAD Society

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

Agricultural Educators Become Students: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Press Release (@chesapeakebay)

January 31, 2018

For Immediate Release

Contact: B.J. Small, 717-200-4521

CBF to provide agricultural teachers a lesson

in the value of meaningful watershed experiences

(HARRISBURG) – Agriculture teachers will become students when meeting with Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) educators to learn about the value of providing hands-on environmental education that connects students with real-world issues. Called Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE), many teachers have found that supporting classroom work with investigations into local environmental issues engages students in their community and improves critical thinking. The workshops are being held in Harrisburg in February.

“We are excited for the opportunity to share information and resources with these teachers to support and enhance their approaches to teaching about sustainability and the impact of agriculture on water quality, particularly in their local communities,” said Dr. Amy Green, Director of Teacher Professional Learning at CBF. “We also want to show them how the MWEE model can help advance environmental literacy and stewardship through field-based learning, in the context of agricultural sciences.”

CBF staff will partner with the Penn State Center for Professional Personnel Development (CPPD) to address 170 agriculture teachers over the first three Saturdays in February at the Sheraton in Harrisburg.

The workshops for teachers coincide with the annual Agricultural Cooperation Establishes Success (ACES) conference for about 1,500 students from 100 Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters throughout Pennsylvania. At ACES, students will learn social skills, leadership, and teamwork.

Teachers will learn about Pennsylvania’s relationship to the Bay; the Commonwealth’s progress and challenges in reducing pollution; and how agricultural education connects to and can include environmental education with field-based learning, student action, and stewardship.

“We want to expose teachers to some of the tools and strategies we’ve been working with in Maryland and Virginia, and how they can be applied in Pennsylvania,” said Norah Carlos, Education Outreach and Communications Coordinator at CBF. “Studies have shown that environmental education improves academic performance, increases civic engagement, and instills a belief that individuals can make a difference.”

CBF also has a Susquehanna Watershed Environmental Education Program. This field-based program supports MWEE in Pennsylvania, investigating the health of local waterways. Students study the physical characteristics of the waterway, the shoreline, and adjoining lands. They use water chemistry tests to determine water quality, examine stream health through examining the aquatic life that is present in the stream, and use maps to orient themselves in their watershed.

CBF also provides a Mentors in Agricultural Conservation (MAC) program that pairs FFA and 4H students with CBF restoration specialists, to participate in restoration work and learn about agricultural conservation projects on local farms.

“Issues like water quality, soil health, and implementation of best management practices are central to agricultural education, and provide prime opportunities for hands-on study,” Carlos added. “We will also use computer technology to show these teachers how they can compare water quality across the watershed in the Commonwealth.”

The CBF and CPPD partnership at the workshops will have long-term benefits to both organizations and for the teachers attending the workshops.

“Developing a partnership between the Penn State CPPD and CBF will allow Pennsylvania’s agricultural education teachers to obtain the most current knowledge and skills related to protecting our water,” added Dr. John Ewing, Associate Professor of Agricultural Education at Penn State University.

                                                                      ###

CBF Photos

Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) are learner-centered experiences and investigations into local environmental issues that lead to informed action and civic engagement.

Editor’s note: more information on the benefits of environmental education can be found at:

NAAEE (North American Association of Environmental Education)

We request that all the Agriculture Educators that are participating in this workshop to interact on social media to promote the partnership between the CBF and Penn State Center for Professional Personnel Development.

PSU Teach Ag at Wine and Swine Celebration of Blue Corduroy (@PAFFAAlumni)

On September 23, 2017 the 1st Annual Wine and Swine Celebration of Blue Corduroy was held at The Winery at Hunter's Valley. The Pennsylvania FFA Alumni had hosted the event to raise funds for the First Year FFA Jacket campaign. Throughout the night there was a silent auction for chapter baskets as well as other auction items with the money going towards FFA Jackets. Teach Ag was invited to go to represent Penn State at the event. Each of our student cohorts were represented which included George Dietrich #psuaged18, Victoria Herr #psuaged19, Luke Kerstetter #psuaged20, Alicia Gates #psuaged20, Libby Baker-Mikesell #psuaged21, and Sam Loy #psuaged21. It was a casual event with yard games featured for entertainment. Overall the event was successful, entertaining, and Teach Ag was exemplified well by our cohort representatives.

Left to Right - Luke Kerstetter, Beth Winklosky, George Dietrich, Victoria Herr, Sam Loy, Libby Baker-Mikesell, Alicia Gates

Luke Kerstetter

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

Welcome to the #TeachAg Family, Libby Baker-Mikesell (@baker_mi16)!

Libby Baker-Mikesell at the Nittany Lion Shrine.

@TeachAgPSU would like to give a warm welcome to Libby Baker-Mikesell (@baker_mi16) as she joinst the #TeachAg family! After completing her term of service as the Pennsylvania FFA State President, she's ready to take on the next commitment as a Freshman in the Agricultural Extension & Education major, and a member of the #psuaged21 cohort.

Since serving as a state FFA officer in the 2016-17 year, Libby has gained a deeper appreciation for those in the agriculture industry that work to provide us the food we eat every day. We asked Libby what skills she's gained as a state officer that will help her as a future educator, and she said, "...some of the best lessons were learned in the classroom. One of my favorite things I got to do this year was facilitating workshops for high school students. Planning and conducting leadership and agriculture based workshops and investing time into planning effective lessons will help in my future career. Teaching classes with limited resources has taught me to be flexible in lesson planning, timing, and in modifying lessons for students." 

Welcome to the @PSUTeachAg family!

Libby is more than familiar with the agriculture industry, growing up on her family's beef farm and spending a lot of time in her mother's Ag Ed classroom at Greenwood High School in Juniata County. Libby attended Greenwood High School and went through the agricultural education program led by Ms. Krista Pontius (@KristaPontius) and Mr. Michael Clark. It was here that she says her passion for agriculture was realized and her FFA journey began. She was active in the Parliamentary Procedure CDE and Agriscience Fair. She also maintained Agriscience Research, Beef Entrepreneurship, and On-farm Placement SAE projects as well.

She said her decision to teach Ag was made after, "Seeing firsthand the impact that my mother made on her students and in turn, my Ag teachers on myself and my classmates..."  She's excited to be able to combine her love of teaching with her passion for agriculture into a degree in Agricultural Education. Libby sees the agricultural education classroom as a place to make connections and forge relationships with students as they grow over their high school careers. Given the importance of agriculture in our history, as well as its importance in feeding a growing world, Libby says that Agricultural Education is our chance to show students that everyone has their own role in the industry, and Ag Ed programs teach our students how they can "be a key player in creating a world that is no longer food-insecure."

Finally, we asked Libby if she has any advice for those that are thinking about a career in Agricultural Education. She sees agricultural education as a unique opportunity for all; "You can walk into an Ag classroom and see the special education student sitting beside the straight-A student and the star of the football team. There is a place for everyone within the Ag classroom, and it is a privilege to teach all students about the importance of America’s number one industry." 

We wish Libby the best of luck as she begins a new journey down the exciting path of becoming an Agricultural Educator. Surely her passion for agriculture and valuable experiences as a State FFA Officer will help to positively shape her experiences in the AEE program. Welcome to the @TeachAgPSU family!

Hunter Kauffman, Student Blogger

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

The Pennsylvania State University

Email: hlk5120@psu.edu

Instagram: kauffman_hunter

@TeachAgPSU welcomes Jill Palmer to the #TeachAg Family

2016-2017 Pennsylvania State FFA
Reporter, Jill Palmer

Jill Palmer has just recently finished her year of service as the Pennsylvania State FFA Reporter.  In June, she was able to pass her torch onto the newly elected reporter and is now looking towards her future of becoming a Penn State Student.  Jill will be an incoming freshman to Penn State Mont Alto this fall, majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education! 

Jill didn't grow up on a farm but knew from a very young age that she loved being outside and was completely obsessed with driving around and looking at the beautiful farms in her community, thinking to herself “Wow, I wish I can do that someday!”  That day came sooner than she thought, as she entered into high school and was able to hear about her FFA chapter at Southern Fulton Jr/Sr High School.  She was instantly curious and excited to have the opportunity to “be a farmer”.  Little did she know that being a part of the Warfordsburg FFA chapter would be so much more that being a farmer and farming was so much more than just driving a tractor!  She quickly learned that the organization was focused on building lifelong skills that would help guild her on her path to a future dream career. She knew from that point on that Ag Ed was always going to be a part of her life.  “I really found a sense of belonging in a world I was so unfamiliar with, and really understood what it meant to be a leader.”

She began pushing herself to try new things and to become as involved as she could.  From participating in Career development events like dairy judging and competing in her favorite contest

Jill still has a love and
passion for the dairy
industry and cows! 

which was public speaking.  She loved “being able to have the power to talk in a room of 10,000 people and still make a connection with someone!”  Knowing Jill now, you never would guess that she used to be shy.  In school, her favorite Ag classes were Small and Large Animal Science.  She loved them so much that she took them two years in a row, just because she wanted to learn more and improve her grade from before.  She had a few different Supervised Agricultural Experiences over the years but her all-time favorite was her Dairy Exploratory project.  She never grew up on a farm but her Ag teacher married a dairy farmer which opened the door for Jill to explore the dairy industry.  She was able to pick out calves, heifers and cows to halter break, clip and show at the local fair.  She instantly fell in love with dairy and has been able to continue this project every year and still does.  “I couldn’t have picked a more fun activity to teach someone how to work hard and be patient!”      

I asked Jill, What made you want to teach agriculture?  I wasn’t surprised to learn that this has been

Jill Palmer with her Ag Teacher
Rebecca Mosemann

her dream for a long time; ever since the 10^th grade!  This was a hard year for Jill but no matter what she was going through, FFA was there to make life so much more worth it.  Her advisor, Rebecca Mosemann, also had a huge impact on Jill and helped to encourage her to not give up. “From that moment on I knew that I never want to leave FFA and I want to be able to serve others like my advisor served me when I was struggling. Relationships with others are everything to me, and the best relationships I have made have been inside this blue and gold jacket, and I couldn’t have done it without the love and patience of a willing ag teacher.”  Of course serving the past year as a State Officer has only boost her passion and desire to teach.  She was able to learn how to facilitate a classroom and how to convey a message to students.  Most importantly, she says that her past year has helped her to learn how to make solid connections with other and be a better role model.  “When you build up that relationship with others and sharpen the ability to connect with them, as soon as you teach them something they’re going to respect you and listen to the things you’re saying.” 

Jill explained that to her, Agriculture education is important not just because we teach students how to clothe and feed the world, but we also teach them how to be respectful, hard working leaders while doing a lot of the dirty work that no one else in society would make the sacrifice to do. These students are some of the most intelligent, and willing students I’ve seen come out of these high schools. They graduate with a plan, whether it’s working or going to college, and they’re ready to take on life because they’ve been taught how to work hard and efficiently.  That’s why when I asked her what advice she would give someone thinking about Agriculture Education, she simply said “It is so incredibly worth it!  Ag teachers make a lot of sacrifices. They take family time and spend it driving their students to conferences, and they stay after school to help us study for those competitions, but they build relationships with their students.  Being an agricultural educator is a lot of work, but to know that you’re doing work for students’ that has the potential to change their lives, makes it so worth it!”

The retiring 2016-2017 Pa State FFA
Officer Team! 

We want to welcome Jill Palmer to the PSU Ag Ed family and hope that her passion and experiences help to guide her in this upcoming journey!

Macy Fisher, Student Blogger
Twitter Handle: @macy_fisher
#psuaged18 member
2018 Selinsgrove Student Teacher

Welcome @PAFFA Vice President Thomas Gabel (@gabel_thomas) to @TeachAgPSU

Newly elected #PAFFA Vice President, Thomas Gabel, will be joining our @TeachAgPSU

Thomas Gabel, State FFA
Vice President

family this fall!  Thomas will be an incoming freshman to Penn State majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education. Thomas’s interest in the agriculture industry started at a young age as he grew up working and learning on his family’s dairy farm.  He was heavily involved with 4-H as a youth which was mirrored later in his years in the Newport FFA.  His favorite Leadership Development Event was Parliamentary Procedure and his Supervised Agricultural Experience was on farm employment at his home dairy farm in Perry County.  Thomas quickly became intrigued by the countless opportunities and career options within the industry.   This is when his passion for teaching began.  He was able to watch his teacher, Mrs. Natalie Barkely, impart knowledge and wisdom onto students daily. When asked what made you decide to become an Ag teacher, Thomas replied “I was inspired by my teacher, Mrs. Barkley, to pursue teaching so that I could have a positive impact on the next generation of students, and be an advocate for agriculture.”

Thomas is excited and anxious to see what his year of service to our state’s FFA organization has in stake for him.  He has a year’s worth of classroom visits, leadership conferences, and public 

The 2017-2018 Pennsylvania
State Officer Team

speaking engagements yet to come.  I asked Thomas how he thought the skills he is going to gain and sharpen over the next twelve months of being a state officer is going to help him going into Ag Ed, he said “I believe I will gain a better understanding of the agriculture industry, learn valuable teaching and facilitation skills, gain confidence, build connections, and gain experience with teaching and interacting with high school students.”

I actually got to spend some time with Thomas and the rest of the new state officer team, recently at the Pennsylvania Association of Agriculture Educators (@PAAE) conference in Philadelphia.  When I got to sit down and talk with him, he voiced why he thinks Ag Ed is so important.  “Agricultural Education is crucial in the fight against world hunger and in the goal of educating the world.  There are many misconceptions across the globe about the agriculture industry and agricultural education classes provides a platform to better educate people about the industry.  These lessons and knowledge can be applied to many different fields, including those dealing with production agriculture and in result, help feed the world.”  He is a very energetic and enthusiastic young man who is devoted to expressing the importance of the agriculture industry.  I think that he is going to make a great teacher some day and indeed with inspire a few students just as he was by his own teacher. 

In his last remarks, I asked Thomas what he would say to someone who was thinking about being an Ag teacher.  He told me “I would tell them that being an Agricultural Educator is one of the most important jobs in the world.   People in this profession have the unique opportunity to advocate for an entire industry and help students find their future careers and passions.  It is, without a doubt, a career path worth pursuing.”  We wish Thomas and the rest of the Pennsylvania FFA State Officers luck on the year ahead and each of their journeys.  Welcome to the PSU Ag Ed family Thomas!

Thomas has officially been
Tagged to Teach Ag! 

Macy Fisher, Student Blogger
Twitter Handle: @macy_fisher
#psuaged18 member
2018 Selinsgrove Student Teacher


Honoring the @TeachAgPSU Legacy: Ed Yoder

Guests gather and listen to the kind
words spoken about Dr. Yoder.

On June 14, 2017 during the PA FFA State Convention, the Penn State Ag Ed (@TeachAgPSU) family gathered to celebrate Dr. Ed Yoder  and recognize him for his dedication and vast contributions to the Agricultural Education field. Dr. Yoder will retire from Penn State as a Professor of Agriculture and Extension Education after having served 49 years in the profession .

Dr. Yoder not only was showered in praises for his work and past stories of inspiration at a retirement party hosted by fellow faculty, but he will forever have a keepsake in the form of a scrapbook that has touching memories and words of adornment from co-workers, past students and industry leaders.

Dr. Radhakrishna speaks about Dr. Yoder's impact on his career.

Secretary Redding speaks about Dr.
Yoder's  contributions to the Commonwealth.

Following the cheerful reception, Dr. Yoder was recognized at the 88th Pennsylvania State FFA Convention.  He received his Honorary FFA Degree which goes to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and support to agriculture education and the FFA.  This is a prestigious award in our state and only those who have been nominated and approved can receive this honor.  This was not the end of the celebration of just how much Dr. Yoder has influenced and contributed to agriculture education over the years. 

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding also presented Dr. Yoder with a Citation in recognition of his career. This Citation recognized Dr. Yoder as a distinguished member of not only Penn State but of the agriculture education family.  His career embodied research, education and science committed to meeting the challenges in agriculture education.He has taught hundreds, possibly thousands, of students through his career, one of which being the Secretary Of Agriculture himself, Russell Redding.  As a stadium filled with over 1475 FFA members, advisors and guests watched this great and noble educator receive his award, Russell Redding proclaimed the impacts he has felt from Dr. Yoder.  "As your student, which I consider myself even today, I can only be inspired by the legacy you leave and know that other you have impacted feel the same measure of appreciation for their experiences. 

Powerful photo of Three generations of PSU AEE Majors:
(L) Libby Baker-Mikesell (C) Secretary Russell Redding
(L) Dr. Ed Yoder)

Dr. Yoder was presented this Citation with Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, 1982 Penn State graduate in Ag Ed, on one side and Pennsylvania State FFA President Libby Baker-Mikesell, incoming Penn State freshman in Ag Ed, on the other side.  This was a truly motivating and inspiriting moment of the convention.  We wish Dr. Yoder well in all of his future endeavors and are elated and proud to always have him as part of our PSU Ag Ed Family.  In the words of  Russell Redding, "When I think of Penn State as our land grant and the difference this institution and its people can make in the lives of students, you are perhaps its greatest example." 

Macy Fisher, Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @macy_fisher

#psuaged18 member

2018 Selinsgrove Student Teacher

Victoria Herr (@Victoria_Herr) is Living to Serve as National #TeachAg Ambassador!

Victoria Herr, National Teach
Ag Ambassador

A @TeachAGPSU star  has been chosen from nationwide pool of student applicants to serve as a National Teach Ag Ambassador! Our very own Victoria Herr (Victoria_Herr) will be spending the next year as a member of the team of 12 National Teach Ag Ambassadors.

Victoria Herr is a junior at Penn state majoring in Agriculture Education and member of the 2019 Ag Ed cohort (#psuaged19). She served as the 2014-2015 Pennsylvania State FFA (@PA_FFA) Secretary and is very dedicated student who is involved with the Teach Ag! Society, Alpha Tau Alpha and numerous other clubs on campus that are motivated to teach others about the agriculture industry. When asked what drew her to apply to become a Teach Ag Ambassador, Victoria said “One of the main reasons I was drawn to apply is because I love to talk about and advocate for agriculture education. I’m a very talkative and passionate person so when I get to talk about something I love, I always enjoy it! I knew that serving as a National Teach Ag Ambassador would give me lots of opportunities to meet prospective Ag teachers and encourage them on their journeys! I also think it’s always really important to give back; I have always had mentors in Ag Ed and I wanted to do the same for other students!”

Victoria at the Alpha Tau Alpha
inductee ceremony.

A Teach Ag Ambassador, Victoria’s main goal will to be to encourage others to consider a career as an Agriculture Educator. She will do this by sharing her passion and enthusiasm about the industry and profession with others through emails, social media, presentations and other outlets that include the campaign at the National FFA (@NationalFFA) Convention. She will also work with local and state leaders in agriculture education to inspire youth to pursue a major and career in agriculture education. Victoria is most excited about “…the National FFA Convention because I will get to spend the week with the rest of the other National Teach Ag Ambassadors and we will get a lot of time with FFA members! National Convention is always a special time and I’m excited to be spending this upcoming convention in a different role. I have spent several years at National Convention myself as a member and can now spend the week serving the FFA members!”

There is an ongoing shortage of agriculture teachers across the country. There are numerous retirements, new programs opening, current programs expanding and teachers going on to pursue other opportunities every year which lead to this shortage. This is why it is so important for the Teach Ag Ambassadors to promote and help students find their passion to teach! National Teach Ag Campaign Project Director, Ellen Thompson expresses why the ambassadors are imperative to the growth of the profession when she stated,“As the number of agricultural education programs continues to grow, we need more quality and diverse agriculture teachers to fill the roles. The ambassador program gives us an opportunity to deliver the Teach Ag message to a bigger audience, while investing in the next generation of agriculture teachers.”

Ellen Thompson (@ellencthompson),
National Teach Ag Campaign Project Director

As mentioned earlier, Victoria will be spending her year of service with eleven other college students hailing from various institutes across the nations ranging from Oregon State University all the way to Florida A&M University. Each of these new Ambassadors are just as passionate about the Agriculture Industry and Agriculture Education as Victoria is. When asked why it is important to serve as an Ambassador, Victoria said:

“I think it is important for students in our major to consider serving in a position such as National Teach Ag Ambassador because it allows them to gain a lot of experience as well as give back. Opportunities like this give student lots of public speaking experience, facilitating and planning experience, and allows them to make lots of connections. And as I mentioned before, I think it’s really important to give back. When we think about it, most of us have been influenced by past teachers and students, so now it’s our turn to do that. I hope that through my role as an Ambassador, I am able to encourage my peers to take on similar positions!”

Victoria (#psuaged19) along with George Dietrich (@TheGeorge4H), left (#psuaged18),
represented @TeachAgPSU in the 2017 Penn State Homecoming Parade!

Macy Fisher, Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @macy_fisher

#psuaged18 member

2018 Selinsgrove Student Teacher

The 81st Annual Ag Ed Banquet: Celebrating #studentsuccess

Pennsylvania FFA State Treasurer Maddy Buss

On Tuesday April 25th Penn State Collegiate FFA, Teach Ag! Society, and Alpha Tau Alpha hosted the 81st Annual Ag Ed Banquet. The program featured greetings from Madeline Buss on behalf of the Pennsylvania FFA Assocation.

Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding

Keynote speaker,  Pennsylvania's Secretary of Agriculture, Russel Reading  talked about the importance of agricultural education and it's role in continuing to educate and feed the ever growing population.







To culminate another successful year of student achievements and organizational milestone, awards were presented to Collegiate FFA, Teach Ag! Society, and ATA members. Check out the night's award reciepients:

Collegiate FFA Awards

Outstanding Members-

Honorary Member- Terra Ingram

      

  

Graduating CFFA members

Teach Ag! Society Awards

2017 Teacher Candidates

2018 Student Teachers

Congratulations to all award recipients!  2016-2017 proved to be another successful year.  We are excited to see what the next year brings!