Amanda Forstater #psuaged15 Nationally Recognized

Congratulations Amanda Forstater! A Penn State Agriculture and Extension Education alum (#psuaged15) is to receive a National Teacher Turn the Key Award from the National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE). She will be recognized at the NAAE Convention in San Antonio, TX in November.

Amanda is currently an agriscience teacher at Taylor M.S/H.S in Perry, Florida. She completed her student teaching internship at Tri-Valley High School with Gretchen Dingman #psuaged92. She had attended high school at W.B. Saul in Philadelphia, PA.

Amanda has kept her eyes on this award since she began teaching. She tries to take advantage of every professional development opportunity she can, and this award is an exact fit. "As agricultural educators not only does our content constantly change to keep up with technological advances but so are the strategies we need to reach our students." Along with this award, Amanda was also chosen to be in the 2018-2019 class of Florida Commissioner of Agriculture's Agricultural Education Leadership Program (AELP). She explains, "Through both of these opportunities this year I hope to expand both my agricultural and teaching method knowledge to become a more well-rounded teacher and flush out all three circles of the Taylor Agricultural Education Program." 

Her favorite experience as an agricultural educator is watching the lightbulb moments that students have. "Those lightbulb experiences also add to the bonding moments with students outside the classroom. Examples such as taking students on a week-long National Convention & Ag Industry Tour and watching kids light up when they see maple production for the first time, or milk a cow, or watch them speak to prospective colleges and employers makes those bonding experiences even more meaningful." Over the past three years her experience in teaching has helped her calm down and become more organized in her program. She is more comfortable seeking assistance and resources to better her classroom, and also offering her own thoughts and strategies. 

Her advice to those entering into the agricultural education profession find your "marigold" and take chances. "I was told both and I remind myself of this advice constantly. Finding your “marigold” refers to seeking out the person(s) who will be your positive flower...Taking chances is also important. You don’t know if it will work/if you’ll like it until you try. If something doesn’t work you can always try again or try a different method. Don’t be afraid to try; if you have built relationships with your students and community, even if it blows up they’ll understand." 

Amanda we are proud of your success so far, and we are excited to see how you continue to make a positive difference in the lives of students! Congratulations!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

Congratulations Cheyenne Wivell, #psuaged18 member Hired!

Another #psuaged18 member has been hired! We'd like to congratulate our very own Cheyenne Wivell, who was recently hired by Gettysburg Area High School in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania.

Cheyenne is originally from Wellsville, Pennsylvania, and a former member of the Gifford Pinchot FFA Chapter. She completed her student teaching internship in the spring of 2018 at Kennard-Dale High School in Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania and graduated from Penn State in the spring of 2018.

During her time at Penn State, Cheyenne has had many great experiences in The College of Agricultural Sciences. Here's just a short list of what she's been involved in:

• Collegiate Horseman Association

• Collegiate Penn State Horse Judging Team

• Photography Chair for the Annual Penn State Quarter Horse Sale

• Employee of the Penn State Horse Barns

Cheyenne was officially hired by Gettysburg Area High School on November 5th, and steps into the position from her previous job as a West Nile Field Assistant with Pennsylvania's West Nile Virus Control Program in York County, where she has been traveling around the County sampling and treating for mosquitoes and testing for West Nile Virus. "Did you know that there are over 60 types of mosquitoes in Pennsylvania? York County found 31 varieties this summer." This position provided her with a very unique experience and a much different view of agriculture that intercepts both animal and human health.

In September Cheyenne was offered a full-time position with the County, but said that she was ready to get back into teaching, so she applied at Gettysburg High School. She was hired for the teaching position on November 5th, and began teaching this past Monday on November 19th, just as one of the current teachers, Ms. Laura Kennedy, left for maternity leave. She joins the agricultural program at Gettysburg with a fellow Nittany Lion, Ms. Jenna Timmons, a #psuaged16 member who was just hired by the district in the spring of 2016 and also completed her student teaching at Kennard-Dale High School!  

As she steps into her position at Gettysburg, Cheyenne will get the opportunity to teach a variety of subjects, including Intro to Agriscience, Ag Leadership, Animal Vet Science 1 & 2, and Equine Science. If you know Cheyenne, you'll know her passion for horses, so she's very excited to teach the Equine Science class, but she says, "each one of these classes brings a special interest to me and I'm super excited." She's ready to get into teaching again, and see the profession from the angle of a full-time teacher after getting the experience of a student teacher. Cheyenne was sure to point out that Penn State's Agriculture and Extension Education program has prepared her to teach by providing her with lessons, patience, practice, and understanding. She says that she's anxious to step back into teaching, but it feels like she's coming home. "I am super excited because everyone is super supportive, excited, and glad I am here; that makes the transition even easier! I love this district and the individuals here." 

We asked Cheyenne if she has any advice for anyone who's thinking about Agricultural Education. She says that if you're thinking about it, just to do it. The opportunity to teach someone else and to be a positive agent of change is an important and influential one. She shared that, "You could be the only reason that student smiled today, the only reason that student felt important. Wouldn't you want to do that for someone?"

We wish Cheyenne the best of luck as she steps into her new position at Gettysburg Area High School, and we can't wait to see her success! She leaves us with one last thing to say: 

"I am very thankful for all of the support that I have received and still receive from the crew at PSU! I greatly appreciate you all and hope you have a great Thanksgiving!"

- Cheyenne Wivell, #psuaged18

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

Team Leader, @TeachAgPSU Communications

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

College of Agricultural Sciences

5 Reasons We're Thankful for Our Agricultural Teachers

As Thanksgiving approaches once again this year, there's always much to be thankful for - maybe it's time with family and friends, a great dinner, or and even better dessert. Before we chow down on our turkey and stuffing, we wanted to give you 5 reasons we're thankful for our Ag Teachers.

1. Ag Teachers know a lot. Whether it's teaching six subjects a day, helping you build that perfect window display for Farm Show, or dispensing useful life advice, Ag teachers truly are as wise as an owl. I can't think of any other teacher who knows as many quick fixes, spur-of-the-moment solutions, and random knowledge.  As an added bonus, they're definitely not shy about sharing any of it! We're thankful for our Ag teachers' wisdom!

2. Ag teachers make sacrifices for their students. Each one of us can probably think of at least a dozen times our Ag teachers have forgone time in their personal lives (yes, they have those!) to lend a hand. From fruit sales to chapter meetings to watering plants in the greenhouse, they're dedicated to it all. We're thankful for the sacrifices our Ag teachers make to ensure every student gets what they need!


3. Ag teachers have an incredible passion like no other. They teach the same things to students every sing day, have the patience of a stone statue, and still get as jazzed about the material as me when I scoop that first slice of warm pumpkin pie. It takes a special type of excitement to be able to explain the steps of photosynthesis multiple times a day, every. single. year. They're passionate about the material they teach, which means they will do anything they can do to share that passion with their students. We're thankful for our Ag teachers' passion!

4. Ag teachers care about their students. Whether they show it or not, Ag teachers have big hearts. Their students are important to them, and Ag teachers truly care about their success. Remember numbers two and three? This is where all that comes from. We're thankful for those big hearts! 

5. Ag teachers are shaping the future. The Ag classroom is a unique place where students can find what they're passionate about and grow as leaders in the world that lay in front of them. We're thankful for all that our Ag teachers do to prepare our students for success. 

These are the people supporting our students every step of the way through their education. These are the people instilling a solid work ethic, good morals, and a sense of responsibility in our students. These are the people willing to help our students get to where they need to be. The list of great things our Ag teachers do goes on and on, and it really wouldn't be feasible to try and think of every single thing to be thankful for! Instead, I want to pose a simple alternative... thank an Ag teacher this week!

 

Hunter Kauffman

Team Leader, @TeachAgPSU Communications

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

College of Agricultural Sciences