Morgan Bear: NAAE Upper Division Scholarship Recipient

NAAE Upper Division Scholarship Awarded to 

Morgan Bear 

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Morgan Bear as the NAAE Upper Division Scholarship recipient. Morgan Bear is a senior in Agricultural and Extension Education with minors in Sustainability Leadership and Leadership Development. She is set to graduate in May 2023. Morgan's hometown is  Newville, PA. She graduated from Big Spring High School.

      During her time here at Penn State, Morgan is involved in the Penn State Livestock Judging Team. In this club, they travel across the country competing in intercollegiate contests on state and

      national levels including NAILE, KILE, All-East, and the World Beef Expo. Some of Morgan's highlights in this club were in the All-East Livestock Judging Contest 2022 where she placed First High Overall individual in Market Evaluation.

      She is also a part of the College of Agricultural Sciences Ag Advocate, AESE Advising Advocate, Teach Ag Avenger,  CPPD Student Worker, Block and Bridle Club, where she is Ag Student Council Representative, and in PSU FFA Alumni and Supporters Club

Morgan's future plan after attending college is to enter the classroom directly in a high school

setting as an Agricultural Educator.  She would like to stay in Pennsylvania and start her teaching

career!

When asked why she applied for this scholarship, Morgan replied: "It is a great opportunity, sought

out a great opportunity to be nationally recognized in an organization that is known across the

profession of agricultural education. It will also help cover the cost of student teaching, as you have

to be placed for student teaching in order to receive the scholarship."

 

We asked morgan how she found out about this scholarship, and she said "I found out through being

an NAAE member and receiving emails from NAAE about it, and from the professors in the

department encouraging me to apply."

The application process included: Submitting a teaching philosophy on “Why I want to Teach

Agriculture”, a description of leadership and service activities, and submitting an official transcript.

Morgan then waited until they announced the winners for each region across the U.S. and she was the only one chosen from Region VI!

We then asked "What do you plan to use the scholarship for/towards?" and she responded:

"I would use it to help cover the costs associated with student teaching (aka traveling to the school every day and help support any other materials or supplies for instruction)." 

"Receiving this scholarship has allowed me to connect more with an organization I feel is very

important to my future profession as an agricultural educator. The support that NAAE provides

future teachers is unmatched. I am really excited to see what other opportunities are ahead for me in

the professional organization as I start my teaching career!"

Sara Lichty

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural Science

Class of 2023

Meet the 2022 September AEE Student of the Month: Grace Shawver

 September 2022 AEE Student Of The Month

Grace Shawver 

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes students that have outstanding achievements both academically and with extra-curricular activities and involvement. This month, we are excited to announce the 2022 Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month for September as Grace Shawver. She is a senior majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education and she hails from Coburn, Pennsylvania.

Grace is from Coburn, PA. She graduated from Penns Valley Area School District high school. Her intended graduation year from Penn State is 2023, majoring in Agriculture Extension and Education, with Minors in Agronomy and International Agriculture.

When asked why she chose Penn State, she responded: "I always knew that I wanted to pursue an agricultural degree and my Dad worked at the creamery. Saying this, I was very familiar with the campus, it was close to home, and it is one of the most popular land grant schools."

Her favorite PSU Class is AEE 349. Which is Shop Processes for Agricultural Educators. She was also involved in many Penn State clubs including Penn State FFA Alumni and Supporters, Penn State Beef/Sheep (Summer 2019- Fall 2021), Pasto Agricultural Museum (Summer 2021), and Global Teach Ag Network (Spring 2020- current). Her favorite Hang-out on Campus is Ferguson 214. Her favorite place to eat in State College is Lupita's Authentic Mexican Food. Her hobbies include "spending time outside like hunting, finding wild mushrooms, riding a dirt bike, and camping."

Grace's 4-H/FFA Background is with Penns Valley 4-H club. "I did various projects such as rocket making, tie dye, sewing, baking, vegetable growing, flower arrangements, and showing rabbits." She was also involved in Penns Valley FFA and was a sentinel for 2 years and competed in Vet Science and Agronomy.

"I can truly say that I have a strong interest in all aspects of agriculture locally and globally, and I want to grow and learn more within every content area. My interest started with working with animals and helping my Dad with fieldwork, so I would have to say that my strongest passions are animal science and agronomy, specifically forage crops."

"I grew up on a small beef farm in Penns Valley helping my Dad with everything that I could, which is where my interest and knowledge in agriculture were founded."

We asked Grace what her favorite experience was of traveling abroad and working for GTAN. She responded: "My favorite experience traveling to Nepal was simply being able to learn and submerge myself in a culture very different from my own. My favorite part about working for GTAN was growing my knowledge of agriculture past my local experience. Through GTAN I connected with educators and agriculturalists worldwide, which have provided me with a network that I will use for the rest of my career. If it wasn't for the Global Teach Ag Network and Dr. Foster and Dr. Miller Foster I would have never experienced such profound professional growth that has transformed me into a globally competent educator."

Grace will be student teaching next semester at Selinsgrove Area High School with Mrs. Val Fry. She shared that she is most excited "to be able to meet the students and get to share my passion for agriculture, which I hope will spark a passion in them." While student teaching she will be instructing the following classes: Agriculture Foundations, Vet Science, Horticulture, and Building Construction.

Grace's favorite quote is "Farmers who wait for perfect weather plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest."- Ecclesiastes 11:4

Congratulations again, Grace! We are so proud of you! To keep up with Grace follow her on Twitter or on Instagram @GraceShawver

Sara Lichty

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural Sciences

Class of 2023

NAAE Region VI Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Awarded to Ms. Darla Romberger

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Ms. Darla Romberger, an Agricultural Education Teacher at Cumberland Valley High School in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, for being selected to represent Region VI of the National Association of Agricultural Educators for the Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Award. 

 Ms. Romberger shares, "After my student-teaching internship at the Milton Hershey School, I was hired at Cumberland Valley High School in August of 2013 and have been at CV ever since! Over the past 10 years, I’ve taught a variety of coursework across the Animal Science, Plant Science, and Ag Mechanics pathways. If I had to choose a favorite course, it would be CASE Animal & Plant Biotechnology or Agricultural Fabrication. I’ve also served as a CASE Lead Teacher since 2016 and have co-taught in-person and virtual CASE Institutes in Animal Science and AFNR." As you can tell, Ms. Romberger has gained a plethora of teaching experiences under her belt as she is entering her tenth year in the classroom!

Ms. Romberger is not new to agriculture in fact she grew up on a farm where her family custom-raised dairy heifers and grew corn, soybeans, small grains, and hay crops. She also got a glimpse into agribusiness as her parents own and operated a feed mill and nutritional consulting service. These led to involvement with 4-H and FFA where she then found a niche exhibiting livestock at county fairs and the PA Farm Show. She said, "I loved being involved in agriculture-related activities and had always considered being a teacher, so I was excited to learn that a career as an Ag Teacher existed so I could combine my interests!"

From there Ms. Romberger was hooked and grew her passion for teaching and agriculture by continuing her education at Delaware Valley University. "During my undergraduate career at Del Val, I was a Supplemental Instruction Leader for several Chemistry courses for 3 years. In this position, I led group tutoring sessions, retaught lectures and labs, and conducted test prep sessions. What I thought was going to be a short-lived job turned into a phenomenal 3-year experience where I solidified my passion for teaching and helping students find success." Her passion and enthusiasm for teaching started to shine through her students and still does today.

She shared why she is inspired to teach agriculture. "My passion is teaching others about the source of food, fiber, and natural resources and the science behind getting agricultural products to consumers. Each day is a new opportunity to make an impact on the future of agriculture and help students find their passion through school-based Agricultural Education. I firmly believe that each student has a strength they can share with others and that every student can gain valuable life experiences through Agricultural Education and FFA."

As Ms. Romberger continues to pave her path through agricultural education she said that her favorite part of being an Agricultural Educator is the variety of experiences that come with the job. "I enjoy teaching a variety of agricultural subjects throughout the day and designing FFA & SAE opportunities to help students apply classroom knowledge to real-world experiences. I also enjoy continuously learning about new advancements in agricultural science through professional development and collaborating with colleagues across the nation." 

While some of her favorite parts about being an Agricultural Educator involve the students, there are challenges that also come along with teaching students day in and day out. "The most challenging part of teaching agriculture is balancing your strengths and agricultural interests as a teacher with student interests and the needs of the community. In some cases, this means taking extra time to learn a new content area or find community resources to support a new course. However, approaching this challenge with an open mind can be extremely rewarding and lead to great relationships with community supporters and unique SAE opportunities for students."

The Agricultural Education program at Cumberland Valley High School is a rockstar program that has gained various recognition across the state and nation. Cumberland Valley Agricultural Sciences is a 3-teacher program that supports 275 students in grades 9-12. The department is split between 2 buildings (a 9th grade academy and 10th-12th grade high school). The program offers a CASE Plant Science and a CASE Animal Science pathway with courses that fulfill science graduation requirements and 3 rotating Agricultural Mechanics courses. 

The program is adding a CASE Natural Resources pathway in the 2023-24 school year to align with a renewed community focus on environmental sustainability. Touted as one of the fastest growing school districts in Pennsylvania, the Cumberland Valley School District is primarily suburban with several preserved farms in the western part of the school district. There are numerous animal nutrition, food science, hydroponics, and nursery landscape businesses within the school district. With these demographics, AgriScience is the primary focus of the coursework so students understand the science, processing, and marketing aspects of agriculture and natural resources industries. An FFA Leadership Team of 7 FFA Officers and 6 Committee Chairs develop and lead a progressive Program of Activities that includes nearly 100 events to Grow Leaders, Strengthen Agriculture, and Build Communities.

Some CV program highlights include:

• 2017 PAAE Outstanding Agriculture Program
• Cumberland Valley FFA has been a nationally recognized 3-Star FFA chapter since 2013
• 15 FFA State Champion Teams since 2013
• 9 FFA State Runner-Up Teams since 2013
• 30 State FFA Proficiency Award winners since 2013
• 89 Keystone FFA Degree recipients since 2013

A few words of wisdom that Ms. Romberger shares for any high school students considering a career in agricultural education is to "take advantage of any opportunity to lead a group, present a workshop, or volunteer with an agricultural organization! Don’t be afraid to talk to current Ag Teachers in your school or county to offer help with ag literacy events, officer retreats, or other education-related events."

Congratulations again, Ms. Romberger on earning the Outstanding Agricultural Education Teacher Award. You represent Pennsylvania Agricultural Education with great pride, and we could not be more excited to have you represent our state and region at the National NAAE Convention this November in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education 

Class of 2023

Michaela Gerhart is named the Agricultural Education April Student of the Month

The Center for Professional Personnel Development is proud to recognize Michaela Gerhart as the Agricultural and Extension Education April Student of the Month for 2022. Michaela is from Honey Brook, Pennsylvania where she attended Twin Valley High School. She is a member of the #psuaged22 cohort and will be graduating this spring with a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education and a minor in Horticulture. She chose Penn State because of the amazing atmosphere that it provides for students and alumni. Michaela shared "a big part of why I chose Penn State was that they offered the major Agricultural and Extension Education which not a lot of colleges around PA offer."

Michaela is no stranger to the agricultural industry. She grew up surrounded by agriculture, but she gained a passion for it through enrolling in her high school agricultural education program and FFA. She stated "both my Ag teachers are PSU alumni and pushed me to always do my best, without them I wouldn't have gone into agriculture. Through one of our FFA events called the 3^rd Grade Tour, I was able to write lesson plans and teach students which inspired me to pursue being an agricultural teacher. From there, both of my Ag teachers started to prepare me for what being an agricultural teacher means."  While being an active member of Twin Valley FFA, Michaela competed in multiple CDE and LDE events where she eventually earned her Keystone FFA Degree and held multiple chapter officer positions. 

Since beginning her Penn State journey, Michaela has been involved in a variety of student clubs and had unique opportunities to grow professionally. She is a member of the Delta Theta Sigma Fraternity, she served as a SAY Clearing House Research Assistant and was the Berks and Chester County 4-H Program Assistant. Some of Michaela's favorite things in State College are hanging out at the Penn State Berkey Creamery, eating at Plaza Mexicana, and cheering on Penn State Football! Additionally, her favorite class at Penn State is Horticulture 202: Plant Propagation. One interesting thing about Michaela is that she breeds Corgis and she is a first-generation college student.

As Michaela is wrapping up her final semester at Penn State, she has been hard at work completing her student teaching experience along with the #psuaged22 cohort. She is student teaching at Dover Area High School with Ms. Brittany Marsh. Michaela said "I've had so many amazing experiences so far and lessons learned while student teaching but the most important one to be is creating good relationships with your students. I've realized that being a teacher is a multi-tasked job and you wear so many different hats. You are a teacher, therapist, planner, designer and so much more all in one day in every single class. Having a great relationship with your students makes all the jobs so much easier and worth it because whether you know it or not, you're creating an impact even if it's a small one. Some of my highlights include helping a student prepare for creed speaking and then winning first place at our regional contest, spending time with my students at SLLC, and showing them that Ms. Marsh and I have amazing dance moves! Overall, just watching my students do amazing things inside the class and outside are the best experiences."

One piece of advice Michaela has for other students in the major is to "enjoy your time while you're in college it really does go by fast. Get all your homework done before the weekend so that you can enjoy your time on campus." WE ARE so proud of Michaela and we can't wait to see where her career as an agricultural educator takes her. If you want to keep up with Michaela on social media be sure to follow her on Twitter or Instagram @Michaela_245.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023

Agricultural and Extension Education March Student of the Month: Nell Barbour

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes students that have great achievement both academically and with extra-curricular activities and involvement. This month, we are excited to announce the 2022 Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month for March as Nell Barbour. She is a senior majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education and she hails from Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

Nell attended Williamsport Area High School and did not come from an Agricultural Education program. She made her way to Penn State after attending the Pennsylvania School for Excellence in the Agricultural Sciences (PSEAS) in 2017, and then she knew that Penn State was the right fit for her so it was the only place she applied to! Throughout her time at Penn State, Nell has spent all four years at the University Park campus. Her favorite course was Biological Science 3 (BISCI 3) at Penn State. She has been actively involved in her community as she served as a West Nile Virus Technician for Lycoming County since the summer of 2019, and she has been a waitress for the Hillside Catering Company since 2017. One of her favorite places to hang out on campus is the HUB Lawn and to grab some food at Otto's Pub and Brewery. You can always catch Nell supporting her favorite team, the Nittany Lions at any given time.

This semester, Nell has been busy completing her student teaching internship at Manheim Central High School. She has been a rock star with this experience and has made a huge impact on the program and students at Manheim. Her greatest passion in teaching agriculture has been getting to educate youth from different backgrounds and make connections with them through agriculture. After graduation, Nell has plans of moving to Dubois, Wyoming to work on a dude ranch.

Nell's hobbies include going to the gym, listening to Zach Bryan on a continuous loop, and horseback riding. Her favorite quote is "The great science of   living happily is to live in the present." 

Congratulations again, Nell! We are so proud of you! To keep up with Nell follow her on Twitter @barbour_nell or on Instagram @nellbarbour.  

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education 

Class of 2023

Meet the 2022 February AEE Student of the Month: Lauren Mchenry

Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes a student that has excelled in the program in a variety of ways both academically and professionally. This month, we are proud to recognize Lauren Mchenry as the February 2022 Student of the Month for Agricultural and Extension Education. Lauren is from Plymouth, Pennsylvania where she attended Nanticoke Area High School.

Lauren is currently a senior at the University Park campus. Lauren has shared why she chose to continue her journey at Penn State. "I chose to attend Penn State because of the amazing opportunities they have related to educational development and personal experiences. I was highly influenced by the many family members who are Penn State alumni and I grew up visiting the campus and attending football games. In high school, I participated in the Pennsylvania Junior Academy of Science where I was able to compete at the state level at Penn State. I got to experience a taste of college life while still in high school, and I really liked it!" 

Lauren did not take a traditional route to agriculture, but we are so happy that she found her path to it while studying at Penn State! She shared "My agricultural journey didn’t start until I came to Penn State majoring in Animal Science. I’ve always had a passion for animals/wildlife and learning about the environment, so I decided to major in Animal Science. Not coming from a traditional Ag background made it a little challenging at first, but I grew to appreciate the world of Ag and all that it encompasses. I gained a passion to learn more about where our food is made and how natural resources play a role in our everyday lives. I then switched my major to Agricultural Education because I’d love to continue learning all about the Ag industry while also instilling the same passion in my students. My goal is to reach those students who may not have a traditional Ag background similar to me and open their eyes to the agricultural industry so they can pursue their interests and passions within it." 

Since Lauren's journey to Penn State, she has been active inside and outside of the classroom. One of her favorite places to hang-out on campus is the Creamery because she can enjoy sitting outside while having some ice cream. She also enjoys going to Penn State football games and watching the women's volleyball team. Additionally, Lauren participated in THON for 3 years at Penn State in various committees. She was a part of the THON Communication committee for 2 years and then the Rules and Regulations Committee for a year, where she joined individuals who want to better the lives of children impacted by childhood cancer. Lauren was also a part of the Small and Exotic Animals Club and the Collegiate Cattlewomen’s club. Aside from college, in her free time, Lauren enjoys reading and going for hikes with her golden retriever, Buddy. She also really likes fishing with her dad in the spring and summertime. Her favorite hobby is nature photography and being able to capture wildlife or flora in different environments. 

This Spring semester, Lauren is completing her student teaching internship at Olley Valley High School with Mrs. Kacey Rice and Mr. Jeremy Deysher. She is excited to engage with students directly in the classroom through exploring ways to connect biological concepts with agricultural content. She stated "One of my goals is to learn lab techniques related to Agricultural Biotechnology so that I can take that knowledge with me to my future classroom. I love being able to incorporate biology with Agricultural concepts, so I am very excited to be student teaching the Animal and Plant Biotechnology course at Oley Valley. My main goal is to gain the confidence I need to be a great teacher for my students, not only when it comes to content knowledge but classroom management as well." While working to accomplish her goals, Lauren has been looking forward to teaching her Food Science students about Microbiology. She said "The labs and activities that I planned for this class are designed to be fun and engaging, so I hope my students will enjoy them just as much as me. Overall, I’m looking forward to forming relationships with my students, Mrs. Rice and Mr. Deysher that I will remember when times might get tough during my first year of teaching and will motivate me to continue." 

One piece of advice she wanted to share with underclassmen is "Don’t get too caught up in the day-to-day life of college classes and assignments. Always keep your end goal in mind as motivation to keep moving forward and hopefully you will achieve it with confidence. Surround yourself with individuals who have similar passions and work ethics and don’t forget to have fun as well!" We are so excited to see where Lauren's journey takes her after student teaching! Be sure to keep up with Lauren by following her on Twitter @LaurenMchenry9 and on Instagram @laurenmchenry_7.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023

January 2022 Student of the Month for Agricultural and Extension Education: Adalyn Reed

 To start off the New Year and Spring semester the Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Adalyn Reed of Derry, Pennsylvania as the January Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month for 2022! Adalyn is currently a senior student majoring in Agricultural and Extension Education with plans of entering the classroom as an Agricultural Educator. Her passion for agriculture was sparked at a young age, Adalyn shares, "My family has always been rooted in agriculture, and I was ultimately inspired to be actively involved in FFA because of the influence of my father. He served as the PA State Vice President in 1976-1977, and always instilled the values of hard work and responsibility when I raised my market animals. My agriculture education teachers in high school, Mr. Roy Campbell, and Mrs. Carly-Jean Rippole encouraged me to turn my passion for agriculture into a career."

In her youth, Adalyn was actively involved in 4-H where she did a variety of activities throughout her community and state. "I have always been involved in the agricultural community and grew up attending 4-H meetings as a Clover Bug when my siblings were members. Once I was old enough to be a 4-H member, I exhibited many projects including market lambs, pigs, goats, chickens, rabbits, and floral arrangements to the Derry Township Agricultural Fair, Westmoreland Fair, and Pennsylvania Farm Show over 10 years. I held multiple officer positions in the Blue Ribbon Ag. Club, and got the opportunity to participate in cultural exchanges as part of the Travel- All Club. Additionally, I was a member of Westmoreland Squares, and participated in the square dancing competition at Farm Show for a few years." Throughout Adalyn's involvement in 4-H, she continued to gain experiences that were valuable as she pursues her education and career. This involvement continued in high school through her journey in FFA.

"My involvement in Derry FFA began in 9th Grade when I took my first Ag class at my high school and was elected 9th Grade Representative. This role allowed me to begin my leadership experiences within the organization, which led me to become chapter Chaplain, Vice President, and President. My SAE project was an owner/entrepreneurship for market lambs and pigs. I competed in various CDE and LDE events including Creed Speaking, Livestock Judging, and Floriculture." The leadership skills Adalyn gained from her FFA experiences have served her well in her college journey.

Adalyn began her Penn State journey at Penn State Altoona which helped her to transition to college from a small high school. She mentioned the benefit of having smaller class sizes for her first two years while at Altoona. While she was there, she was a member of the Altoona Benefiting THON and Ag Club. When she arrived at University Park, Adalyn was involved with LEAD Society and spent a summer working at the Penn State Beef and Sheep Center. Her favorite Penn State class was Agriculture Mechanics (AEE 349/350) with Dr. Ewing. She shares "I really enjoyed these courses because I was able to expand my knowledge on various applications (welding, electrical, plumbing, woodworking, and concrete/masonry) of agriculture mechanics that I didn’t have much experience with before college. I now feel more confident working in the shop, and look forward to applying what I learned in these courses to my student teaching experience."

This Spring semester Adalyn will be student teaching at West Greene High School in Rogersville, Pennsylvania with her cooperating teacher Mrs. Karlie Wright. Adalyn stated that she is most excited to work with the students and help them grow their interests in agriculture, along with attending various FFA events and assisting as a chapter FFA Advisor. She hopes to continue to grow her time management skills, and connect with industry professionals in the local agricultural community.

One interesting thing about Adalyn is that she is the youngest of ten siblings and the fourth to pursue a career in education. One piece of advice Adalyn wanted to share with underclassmen is to "Get involved with the campus community, and spend time making connections with your cohort members, as well as current agriculture teachers. These are all people that will be more than willing to help you in times of need." To follow Adalyn's Teach Ag journey be sure to keep up with her social media on Twitter and Instagram @AdalynReed1. We are so excited to see where Adalyn goes in the future! Congratulations again on being the January Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023