November 2017 Program of the Month: State College Little Lions

All across the great state of Pennsylvania there are 145 school districts that have Agriculture Education courses and the FFA program. Each month we like to highlight a chapter that has stood out from the rest. November's program of
the month goes to State College Area High School, Little Lions FFA Chapter.

Background Knowledge
State College Area High School's first Agricultural Educator was Edwin Dale in 1929, and since then there has been five others who have or are currently teaching at State College. Those include Robert Smith, Donald Cross, Dave Seamans, Paul Heasley, and Jessica Harpster. Former students that have went through the program at State College that are now teachers are Matthew Rider, Allison Hover, and Morgan Campbell, and previous student teachers are Jennifer-Stinglin-Keefer and Lydia Everhart. 

Classroom Instruction
In the classroom the students have a choice of four career paths which include Animal Sciences, Plant Sciences, Natural Resources, and Ag Mechanics. Some of the courses offered are Ag Science I, Exploring Ag Science, Large Animal Science, Equine Science, Horticulture, Landscaping, Agroecosystems, Wildlife, Ag Mech Construction, and Ag Mech Power. Some innovation that they have done in the classroom include production of hydroponic plants using Dutch Bucket System and Aeroponic system in their greenhouse. They also had processed and marketed 220 bottles of the hot sauce the developed its name is rather interesting, "Peachy Sweet Raspberry Heat."

FFA Accomplishments
State College Little Lions FFA Chapter has been successful in recent months with their 4th place Poultry Judging Team at the Eastern States Exposition, receiving a $3,000 donation to the chapter, and Justin Kurtz, a student, who was elected to a Pennsylvania FFA State Officer position.


SAE Accomplishments
Their recent SAE accomplishments are four students are currently completing work placement experiences and all 16 new freshman are entering SAE records into the AET record book system. 

State College Little Lions are thriving and accomplishing great things! We look forward to seeing what all your program will produce in the future as for the innovative thinking that you have now!

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog.

Luke Kerstetter

Communication Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

November 2017 Student of the Month: Karlie Wright (@Wright_KarlieM)

Every month, we like to highlight students that have gone above and beyond in the Agriculture Education program at PSU! We are proud to announce that Karlie Wright was selected as the November Student of the Month! Lets learn about her story and accomplishments so far.

Karlie is a Post Baccalaureate student seeking for certification in AEE. She had graduated from Penn State in 2014 with a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences and a minor in Environmental Soil Science. After she gets her certification in AEE this spring she plans to obtain a teaching position in Agricultural Education. Her story is a little bit different from most students at Penn State. She states, "If you would have asked me 10 years ago, 3 years ago, or even 1 year ago, do you want to be a teacher? I would have simply replied, absolutely not. I only wanted to "teach" in non-formal ways - workshops, being a 4-H leader, or CDE/LDE coach. However, my thoughts and mind have been open by people I look up too and experiences I have had at my job for the County Conservation District." 


She wants to make an impact in students' lives, and that is what had kept her motivated to become certified to teach agriculture. She simply exclaims, "Whether I get an agricultural education teaching job close to home, become an extension agent, or end up later down the road teaching another subject, I will be carrying out my dream – wherever God takes me." 

Fun Facts:
Outside of Class Activities: Teach Ag Society
Hometown: Waynesburg, PA
Birthday: April 22, 1992
Favorite PSU Class: Undergraduate Studies - Soils Morphology/Currently AEE 350
Favorite Place to Eat in State College: Home delivery; Texas Roadhouse
Favorite Athletics Team/Sport: PSU Football

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

Penn State's 2017 NAAE Upper Division Scholarship Winners

Angela Becker

22 students from across the United States had received the Upper Division Scholarship from the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE). Their efforts in academic performance, leadership, service, and passion to become an agricultural educator has allowed them to qualify for this scholarship. Penn State has three students that were selected to receive this scholarship Angela Becker, Allyson Balmer, and Rosalind Cowan. Each of them will receive $1,500 to offset their expenses during their student teaching experience this spring.

Allyson Balmer

Rosalind Cowan

Angela will be student teaching at Manheim Central High School in Manheim, PA, and she plans to use the scholarship to help with finances including teaching supplies and rent for her apartment. Allyson plans to use the scholarship for living expenses and supplies as well while she is student teaching at Tri-Valley High School in Hegins, PA. Rosalind will be student teaching at Penn Manor High School in Millersville, PA, and she plans to use the scholarship to offset living expenses during her student teaching experience.

The funding for this scholarship came from Growth Energy, National Geographic Learning | Delmar Cengage Learning, and donations from Herman and Bobbie Wilson. Growth Energy as stated in their mission statement, "represents the producers and supporters of ethanol, who feed the world and fuel America in ways that achieve energy independence, improve economic well-being, and create a healthier environment for all Americans now." National Geographic Learning is a part of Cengage Learning and they, "believe that an engaged and motivated learner will be a successful one, and they design our materials with a highly interactive storytelling approach which is a great way to invoke these connections." 

The NAAE is a professional organization in mission to provide advancements to agricultural education, grow agricultural educators, recruit and prepare future agricultural educators that have a passion to teach. They provide their 7,800 members with resources that can be used inside the classroom as well as professional development through conferences and conventions. The mission of the NAAE is, "Professionals providing agricultural education for the global community through visionary leadership, advocacy and service."

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

#FirstYearSeries Check-In with #psuaged16 member Mason Tate (@mttate18)

Mason Tate, #psuaged16 member, is currently
teaching at Athens Area School District.

It's great to keep in touch with our past #TeachAgPSU graduates! As part of our #FirstYearSeries, we check in with our recent Teach Ag grads and get to share how their first year of teaching is rolling! 

This week, we're checking in with Mason Tate (@mttate18), a #psuaged16 member and 2016 Penn State graduate. During Mason's time at Penn State, he took full advantage of what the College of Agricultural Sciences has to offer, with membership in Ag Student Council, Collegiate FFA, Alpha Tau Alpha, Agronomy Club, and more. His semester of student teaching took place at Lampeter-Strausberg High School under the guidance of Ms. Holly Oberholtzer. 

Mason was hired in his home school district of Athens, where for the past year he had the opportunity to teach a variety of subjects, including 6th grade Earth Science, and for sections of 7th grade Life Science. When he was first hired, he said, "I find this age group fascinating, and they have an enormous amount of energy. Just like me!”. It seems as though after a year, Mason is still enjoying the same enthusiasm and positive energy! In the beginning of his second year this fall, Mason and his students even kicked off an Ag Club, with 47 interested students in attendance of the first meeting.

Mr. Tate taught agricultural mechanics, among
other topics during his timeat Lampeter-Strausberg.

We asked Mason what hist first year of teaching has taught him, and he detailed lots of small tasks and tricks that you may not necessarily think about until you find yourself with a teaching job. One overarching theme connected much of the acquired wisdom from his first year; be organized and prepared. "I have a monthly calendar on my desk that is filled with events and deadlines. If you think you can keep it all straight in your head you're in for a surprise." He emphasizes on the organizational tools such as lists and sticky notes (which are his best friend!). 

We asked Mr. Tate if he has any advice for those who are currently student teaching, or those who just began their first year. He says, "Prepare. Plan. Ask questions. Set goals. Find something to laugh about each day." One of his most inspiring moments was hearing from his students how much they enjoyed his 7th grade science class.He says that staying positive is an important part of the job. 

We want to give a big thank you to Mr. Tate for his take on the first year on the job, and look forward to following up with him in the future! 

If you would like to read about his student teaching experience, check out his blog!

Other Posts on Mason Tate:

Hired! Teacher Candidate Mason Tate hired at Athens Middle School #psuaged16
Student of the Month: Mason Tate #psuaged16 #teachag
"How do I choose?": A Practical Guide to Selecting Classes for AEE Majors. Part 1 of 3.
#psuaged16 returns: They are CHANGE agents

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog.

Hunter Kauffman, Student Blogger

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

College of Agricultural Sciences

Email: hlk5120@psu.edu

Instagram: kauffman_hunter