Pennsylvania Ag Teacher "Turns the Key" to Success!

With a continued shortage of Agricultural Educators, it is imperative that new and beginning teachers are encouraged to stay in the profession. For this reason, the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) has created the “Teachers Turn the Key” program and a scholarship to support an individual from each state to be involved! 

This award is given to teachers in their 2nd-5th year of teaching (at the time of the NAAE National Convention) that show great promise and interest in participating in a program to grow themselves as positive agents of change. This year, Katherine (Katie) Ranck will be representing the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators (PAAE) at the NAAE National Convention in December!

Katie, a member of #psuaged16 is currently in her third year of teaching at Garden Spot High School in New Holland, PA. She is deserving of this award because of her active engagement in the professional community encompassed within Agricultural Education. In fact, it is this community, or “village” as she calls it that she appreciates most as an educator. Katie says: “One piece of my career that I am extremely grateful for is my personal and professional village and the endless support and encouragement they have provided me. These are the people whom I need to be able to even have a vision to advance agriculture education in my local community and school.” Despite only being in her third year of the profession, Katie has found the support network that motivates teachers to stay involved in Pennsylvania Agricultural Education, which is also the goal of the "Teachers Turn the Key” professional development program.

Katie says that she has continued to learn even in the teacher role. Her advice to current #PSUTeachAg students is to “Remember that Rome is not built overnight, but it was built. The foundation you set for yourself is what you build from.” Also, it is important that as a professional you are “being intentional about building positive relationships among colleagues, administrators, school personnel, and community members.”

#PSUTeachAg is ecstatic to see Katie’s successes and hopes that her village continues to grow! We wish her luck as she represents PAAE in December at the NAAE National Convention!

Keep turning the keys that unlock the potential of Pennsylvania Agricultural Education! 

To learn more about the "Teachers Turn the Key" program and scholarship, visit the NAAE website!

Justin Kurtz

#PSUAgEd22

Twitter Handle: @JustinDKurtz