PAAE Teacher Turn the Key Award Recipient Ms. Allyson Balmer

As the national shortage for Agricultural Educators continues to grow, now more than ever it is important to encourage those young educators who are working hard to support growing programs. In order to do so, each year the Pennsylvania Association for Agricultural Educators (PAAE) names one individual to be recognized with the Teacher Turn the Key Award for their dedication to their programs and professional development. The 2020 PAAE Teacher Turn the Key Award recipient is Ms. Allyson Balmer.

Ms. Balmer's decision to become an Agricultural Educator was threefold, "First, my love and learning of education. Second, my fierce passion for the agricultural industry. Third, my gratitude to the National FFA Organization". Throughout her academic career, Ms. Balmer had countless educators that inspired her daily, leading to her wanting to become an educator herself. She also has a love of learning as it opens endless opportunities for curiosity, self discovery, and career exploration. Ms. Balmer believes in the value of the agricultural industry, recognizing that society relies on it everyday, at least three times a day, and because of their dependency on the industry, it is imperative that students understand it to become informed consumers and advocates for agriculture. Finally, Ms. Balmer would not be who she is today without her high school agriculture program and FFA chapter. While these opportunities allowed her to travel, experience new cultures, and be a part of something bigger than herself, belonging to her own FFA Family was the most rewarding part of her high school experience.

"It is my goal, as FFA Advisor, to make the Tulpehocken FFA an inclusive organization where students can feel purpose and belonging". Tulpehocken's agricultural program strives to use inquiry-based, experiential learning opportunities to help students become familiar with the agricultural industry. By working to incorporate more Curriculum for Agriculture Science Education (CASE) into her classroom, Ms. Balmer's students are encouraged to use curiosity, discovery, and higher-order thinking skills to learn. Students that are a part of the Tulpehocken agriculture program are also able to engage in internships, career exploration, and skill attainment through their own Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's). The program also utilizes greenhouses, metal and wood shops, and the laboratory for research, projects, and hands-on learning to enhance the student's real world skills and material retention.

Outside of the classroom, Ms. Balmer's program is, "Blessed to have incredible community support from businesses, parents, school board, and administration". In order to give back to their community, the Tulpehocken Agricultural Education Program supervises a variety of events. During National FFA Week, they host a community appreciation breakfast for business representatives, parents, administration, and faculty of the community. They also hold a food drive to benefit the Bethel-Tulpehocken Food Pantry around the same time. Another event the program hosts is the Elementary Agriculture Adventure Day where they take all of the third graders in the district to a local robotic dairy farm to learn about how the business cares for the animals, environment, and land in addition to hearing from some guest speakers from NRCS, Master Gardeners, Berks County Extension Office, Center for Dairy Excellence, and Agricultural Veterinary Associates.

Ms. Balmer's advice to other new Agricultural Educators would be, "As a new agricultural teacher, you have so many different responsibilities and wear so many 'hats' each day. Never forget that it is okay to ask for help! There are dozens of Agricultural Educators across the state who are ready to help you, but you have to ask. Also, always know that if you are doing your best, that is enough. You do not have to be perfect or have a flawless teaching practice. If you are passionate and care about your profession and kiddos, you are already a rockstar!"

Congratulations again to Ms. Balmer on being awarded the 2020 PAAE Teacher Turn the Key Award. Thank you for serving as an inspiration to your students and other budding Agricultural Educators.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022

PAAE Outstanding Teacher Award Recipient Ms. Holly Oberholtzer

"Outstanding agricultural educators are innovators and catalysts for student success in agricultural education" which is why, each year, the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators chooses an individual who embodies these qualities to receive an award for their contributions to Agricultural Education in Pennsylvania. This year, the 2020 Outstanding Teacher Award Recipient is Ms. Holly Oberholtzer. 

Ms. Oberholtzer began at Penn State Berks as a History Education major, but her strong roots in the agriculture industry led to switch her major to Agricultural and Extension Education, though she still incorporates her interests in history and political science in her classroom today by entwining current issues and trends in the news into different agricultural topics. Ms. Oberholtzer decided to become an Agricultural Educator because she has wanted to be a teacher since elementary school. "Having a parent and older siblings participate in the FFA and Agricultural Education at Ephrata High School, it seemed only natural that I follow the same road", says Ms. Oberholtzer. While in high school, she thoroughly enjoyed her classes and experiences in FFA. These fond memories even serve as examples for her as to how she can guide and improve her own program, today. In 2007, Ms. Oberholtzer began teaching at Lampeter-Strasburg High School as a student teacher and was hired soon after she graduated college as a full-time Agricultural Educator. Lampeter-Strasburg is a two-teacher program which teaches Agricultural Education courses as electives under the school's Practical Arts Department and serves approximately 150 students. Additionally, this program teaches ten different courses and is home to the Gardenspot FFA chapter along with a junior FFA program. In this program, the high school FFA members are responsible for conducting lessons for the middle school students.

Lampeter-Strasburg is home to Gardenspot FFA where each of Ms. Oberholtzer's students have the opportunity to engage in Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE's). Many of her students have unique interests with working with youth, so Ms. Oberholtzer helped them connect with different elementary teachers from across the school district. In their placements, these students work to plan mini-lessons based in agriculture and teach them to the elementary school students they work with. In addition to these unique SAE's, Ms. Oberholtzer takes the time to attend Inquiry-Based Learning Conferences and Lancaster's STEM Alliance's Externship at Eurofins Lancaster Labs where she has learned valuable skills that she is able to apply in the classroom.

To remain involved in the community, the Gardenspot FFA chapter helps to set up and clean up the local fair each year. They also are involved in the Strasburg Shade Tree Program. Here the students help community members plant container and balled-burlapped trees along the streets of the community. Additionally, the members organized a Local Farmer and Supporter Breakfast for those who work each day to support Ms. Oberholtzer's program. Gardenspot FFA has also helped to organize a Community Blood Drive and Pot Pie Meal MiniThon Fundraiser this past February in honor of a member who has bone cancer.

One of the biggest challenges Ms. Oberholtzer has faced in her career has been miscommunication with the parents of her students. On the other hand, one of the biggest triumphs in her career has been hearing about the success and careers of former students."I love fair week when I see so many of them blooming with families and success, employment and careers". A few words of wisdom that Ms. Oberholtzer has to share with new Agricultural Educators is, "Allow yourself to fail, adjust, achieve, fail, adjust... it is important to be flexible and to continue to grow as an educator. Use information from other teachers, but don't compare results. Each program, teacher, students, community, etc. is different". 

Congratulations again to Ms. Holly Oberholtzer for being awarded the 2020 PAAE Outstanding Teacher Award and wish her luck as she applies for a regional award with the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE).

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022