The Center for Professional Personnel Development congratulates Mr. Brandon Witmer for his most recent professional achievements. Brandon has been formally hired at Otto-Eldred Jr./Sr. High School as an Agricultural Educator. To learn more about this achievement and school, we asked Brandon a few questions.
Brandon grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, but will be making the move to McKean County in Northern Pennsylvania to begin his new position. Brandon began his time as a Penn State student at Penn State DuBois where he participated in the Wildlife Society and earned a background in Wildlife and Forestry. During Brandon's time as an Agricultural and Extension Education major at Penn State University Park, he was an active member of LEAD Society and an ambitious student. As a senior in the program, he interned with Ms. Laura Metrick at Conneaut Area Senior High School where he taught Ag Mechanics, Ag 1-4, and Ag Science. More specifically, Brandon was able to teach units that focused on Soil Science, Woodshop, Public Speaking, ARC Welding, Pesticides, Food Science, Small Gas Engines, Greenhouse Management, Wildlife, and Forestry. While his time at CASH was made more challenging during the national pandemic, Brandon sees the experience as a unique opportunity to learn and grow as an educator.
After having gained experience through his student teaching internship, Brandon is excited to begin his journey at Otto-Eldred Jr./Sr. High School. Since this is a brand new program, Brandon will be the sole Agricultural Educator with the help of a second teacher who will be teaching two General Agricultural Science courses. The creation of an agricultural program at Otto-Eldred stemmed from student and community interest in agriculture after the retirement of an Industrial Arts Educator. Otto-Eldred has a shop where Brandon sees potential for Welding, Woodshop, and Small Gas Engines instruction. Brandon will be teaching a total of six classes which include seventh and eighth grade Introduction to Agriculture/STEM, Wildlife/Forestry/Natural Resources, Ag Mechanics, Ag Engineering/Technologies, and a course Brandon believes will focus on Horticulture and Landscape Design. Being that Otto-Eldred is a new program brought about by community interest and support, Brandon is excited to see it grow to be strong and centered around the community. Additionally, due to the location of the program in McKean County, he believes the program will be strong in Natural Resources, surrounded by plenty of outdoor learning opportunities such as the Allegheny National Forest. "I know for a fact that we are all going to do amazing things and I cannot wait to be a part of it".
When asked about any advice he might have for future and current Agricultural and Extension Education majors, Brandon is sure to emphasize that choosing Ag Ed was the best decision he has ever made. "There are a lot of fears going into any major but with Ag Ed, there are fears of student teaching, lesson planning, just teaching in general, and so much more. I promise if you do it right, you will be successful. What’s the right way? Don’t go through this alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Lean on your cohort members, teachers, faculty, and even alumni. We’ve all been there, done that. There is no reason for you to go through this journey alone. The more help you ask for and the more support you have, the greater of an impact you will have on your future students. We are all here to help and support you! Just ask!"
Congratulations to Mr. Brandon Witmer on his new position at Otto-Eldred. We look forward to seeing your impact on this program, your students, and the agriculture industry.
Taylor Halbleib
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural and Extension Education
Class of 2022
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