Thursday, December 7, 2017

December 2017 Program of the Month: Bald Eagle High School

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. December's program of the month goes to Bald Eagle High School, Bald Eagle FFA Chapter.

Background Knowledge:

The current agricultural educators at Bald Eagle are Mr. Todd Biddle, Mr. Jade Thompson, and Ms. Morgan Campbell. The program was charted on January 12, 2012, and had not been a charter for over 30 years prior to that date. The students that were interested in learning about agriculture attended State College's program, and as that number grew the district decided to start a General  Agriculture program. Bald Eagle has a three period forestry program to train students for that industry.

Classroom Instruction:

The current offered of courses are Introduction to Agriculture, Animal Production, Animal Science, Horticulture, Agriculture Mechanics, Forestry Production (wildlife management taught within), and Agriculture Leadership. They have expanded animal science offering this year for those who have strong ambitions toward animal agriculture. All of the teachers have general science and biology certifications, and have taught science courses at Bald Eagle currently or in the past. Mr. Thompson had started the program in 2012, Mr. Biddle has been teaching agriculture for five year, and this year is Ms. Campbell's first year. Some innovations that are being implemented are producing and drying the lumber that the woodshed students will use since they have their own sawmill. There is also talk about selling the lumber to other local school districts.

FFA Accomplishments:
Bald Eagle FFA had earned the two star National Chapter Award in both 2016 and 2017. Their application has ranked in the top 10 within Pennsylvania for the past three years. The students are also very successful in area agricultural competitions with winners and winning teams in ag sales, forestry, poultry judging, livestock evaluation, public speaking, etc. At PA Farm Show the students also have done very well with tractor restoration, landscape box, window exhibits, and youth rabbit competitions. The chapter has received several grants that have allowed them to establish a pollinator garden on campus that is affiliated with the Snetsinger Butterfly garden at Tudek Park. The FFA chapter has worked with local state agriculture clubs as sites for agriculture conferences.

SAE Accomplishments:
Since 2012, Bald Eagle has had 14 students earn their Keystone Degrees. Seven of those students will receive their degree this year. In 2016-2017 one of the students was the state winner in goat production efficiency area, and scored silver at the national level.

Bald Eagle is a newer program, but still producing fantastic results from their short time as a chartered program! We are excited to see where your program will go in future years. Congratulations on being program of the month!


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


Tuesday, December 5, 2017

#psuaged18 Final Presentations Schedule

What an exciting time of the year! As the fall semester winds down and comes to an end, it's time for the final presentations from our outstanding #psuaged18 members! 
You're welcome to join in watch their presentations via Zoom connection as they show what they learned through their past three and a half years at Penn State!

Our 11 members of #psuaged18 standing at the Nittany Lion Shrine.
What are the presentations about?
The presentations are meant to be a holistic overview of total preparation expiring, but they also represent the final for the following 13 credits of courses:
·        AEE 295 (3) – Early Field Experiences in Agricultural Education
·        AEE 350 (3) – Teaching Methods in Agricultural Education Laboratories
·        AEE 412 (4) – Teaching Methods in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
·        AEE 413 (3) – Program Planning in Agricultural Education
Each candidate is allocated 1 hour. Of that one hour, 30 minutes is provided for public presentation and the 30 minutes is utilized for individual consultation/discussion with the agricultural teacher education panel. Time will be provided for questions and answers as part of the public presentation. Questions are accepted from both the face-to-face audience as well as the virtual audience.

The candidates have been asked to answer the following three essential questions as part of their public presentation:

Question I – Who do I aspire to be as a teacher? 

Description: The teacher candidate will present an overview of the type of teacher they aspire to be. Teacher candidate will share their fundamental beliefs and philosophy as well as evidencing their comprehension and integration of a total agricultural education program.

Question II – What experiential education opportunities have I engaged in to become a better agricultural educator?

Description: The teacher candidate will present relative coursework, internships, study abroad experiences, and life experiences that helped prepare them to be an agricultural educator. The key for the candidate to draw the connections from the experiences to how it will help them succeed in the agricultural education profession.

Question III- How am I prepared to maximize my student teaching internship opportunity?
Description The teacher candidate will show evidence of planning completed to be prepared to best serve the secondary students of the cooperating center.


#psuaged18 Final Presentation Schedule

Wednesday, December 13th

9:00am         Rose Cowan, @Cowan_Rosalind

Professional Blog: Grace & Growth 
Internship Location:            Penn Manor HS (Millersville, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Neil Fellenbaum, @NeilFell
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/406185396 [+1 669 900 6833 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 406 185 396]

10:15am       Angela Becker, @BeckerAngelaM

Professional Blog: Inches to Acres: Teaching to Grow 
Internship Location:            Manheim Central HS (Manheim, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Deb Seibert
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/278828215 [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll)Meeting ID: 278 828 215]

11:30am       Karlie Wright, @Wright_KarlieM

Professional Blog: Karlie Writes
Internship Location:            Fort Cherry HS (McDonald, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:         Jodie Hoover, @HGParkinsonFFA
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/294109116 [+1 669 900 6833 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 294 109 116]

1:15pm         Macy Fisher, @Macy_Fisher

Professional Blog: Macy's Moments
Internship Location:            Selinsgrove HS (Selinsgrove, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Valerie Fry, @ValSFry
Zoom Connection:               https://psu.zoom.us/j/603171146 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 603 171 146]

2:30pm         Allyson Balmer, @Allyson_Balmer

Professional Blog: The Agrication Station
Internship Location:            Tri-Valley HS (Hegins, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:         Gretchen Dingman
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/733802451[+1 669 900 6833 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 733 802 451]

3:45pm         Michala Kuhlman, @Kuhlman_M40

Internship Location:           Central Columbia HS (Danville, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:         Curt Turner
Zoom Connection:             https://psu.zoom.us/j/350629115 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 350 629 115]


Thursday, December 14th

9:00am         Heather Wasson, @heatwasson

Professional Blog:  From the Plow to the Owl
Internship Location:            Cowanesque Valley HS (Westfield, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Marty Heyler
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/979627927 [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 979 627 927]

10:15am       Halee Wasson, @Wasson_Halee

Professional Blog:  Rooted in Agriculture
Internship Location:             Derry Area HS (Derry, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:           Roy Campbell
Zoom Connection:               https://psu.zoom.us/j/497123380 [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 497 123 380]

11:30am       Katie Smith, @KatieLady1995

Internship Location:            Northwest HS (Shickshinny, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Anthony Honeycutt, @thehoneyowl
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/434509673 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 434 509 673]

1:15pm         Cheyenne Myers, @MyersCheyenneN

Professional Blog: Galloping Into Ag Ed
Internship Location:            Kennard Dale HS (Fawn Grove, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Abigail Cornett, @AbigailSSmith
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/189541741   [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 189 541 741]

3:45pm         George Dietrich, @TheGeorge4H

Internship Location:            Cumberland Valley HS (Mechanicsburg, PA);
Cooperating Teacher:          Darla Romberger, @DJR_131
Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/864454949 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 864 454 949]







Hunter Kauffman, Student Blogger
Wildlife and Fisheries Science
College of Agricultural Sciences
Email: hlk5120@psu.edu
Instagram: kauffman_hunter


December 2017 Student of the Month: Cheyenne Myers (@MyersCheyenneN)

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 Cheyenne Myers was selected as the December Student of the Month! Lets learn about her story and accomplishments so far.

Cheyenne is a senior majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education, and after graduation she would like to apply and be accepted to a job either at a 4-H Extension office or high school agriculture program. She had became passionate about teaching agriculture due to the huge impact that 4-H and FFA had on her life and who she is today. She exclaims, "My goal is to be able to impact youth in a positive way through Agriculture, the way my advisors, agents, and mentors impacted me growing up." She stays motivated towards her major by is graduation and to start a career to give back to her community to thank those who helped her become the person she is today.

Outside of class she is very active in clubs and organizations which include, Collegiate Horseman Association, Collegiate Penn State Horse Judging Team, Photography Chair for the Annual Penn State Quarter horse Sale in the Spring of 2017, and an employee of the Penn State Horse Barns.

Fun Facts about Cheyenne:
Hometown: Wellsville, PA
Graduation Year: 2018
Birthday: April 14th
Favorite Class: AnSci 426 Horse Judging
Favorite Hangout: 3rd floor of ASI or Horse Barns
Favorite thing at PSU: Horse Barns and friends she made through the years
Involved in 4-H for 11 years (3 different Clubs)
Involved in Gifford Pinchot FFA Chapter (Student Advisor and Vice President offices)
Student Teaching at Kennard Dale High School, York County, PA




Luke Kerstetter
Communications Team Member
Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96
2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher