Michaela Smith was Born for Ag Ed

As the educator gene runs in her family, it is no surprise that this successful senior is studying Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State. "My parents inspired me to pursue Agricultural Education. Both are great teachers themselves and have always been supportive of my love of agriculture". While Michaela Smith has spent quarantine with her nose in a book, dreaming about the days when she can enjoy fair food again, she is beyond excited to wrap up her fall semester and jump in to her Student Teaching Internship.

Growing up, Michaela was involved in agriculture from a young age showing market hogs through 4-H when she was eight years old. "From there I went on to show market goats, rabbits, market lambs, steers, breeding beef, and dairy beef in 4-H until I was 12. I also took part in other projects for the fair such as flower arranging, scrapbooking, and sewing". She attended Juniata Valley High School and took advantage of their agriculture program with Ms. Raylene Russell right away. As an active Blue Juniata FFA member, Michaela served as her chapter Treasurer and Vice President and earned her Keystone State Degree. She continued her work with market hogs through her Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE) and had a soft spot for the Parliamentary Procedure Leadership Development Event (LDE). Proud of the foundation these two organizations laid out for her, Michaela says, "I had so many amazing experiences through 4-H and FFA and I am thankful to have spent those years and experiences with my family, friends, and new friends I met along the way". 

After graduating, Michaela chose to pursue a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education through Penn State because, "The College of Agricultural Sciences is an amazing place to learn about agriculture and meet people who share the same passion". As a Penn State student, Michaela has gotten the opportunity to work for Ag Progress Days and connect with hundreds of agricultural companies. This position has especially helped to develop her ability to adapt to a variety of situations in the midst of the pandemic.

This spring Michaela will be completing her Student Teaching Internship with Ms. Jasmine VanSant and Mr. Doug Masser at Pequea Valley High School. Since Michaela comes from a single teacher program, she chose to Student Teach at a program with multiple Agricultural Educators. While she is excited to learn how to manage her classroom and provide students with learning opportunities, she is nervous about the online and in person dynamic that COVID-19 has created. However, along with her new favorite quarantine snack of popcorn and M&M's, Michaela has acquired new skills during these trying times.

Though challenged by a lack of motivation this semester, Michaela explains that she has been able to improve her time management skills and expand her knowledge of online education. "There are some really amazing tools and opportunities through online learning that we got to experience for almost a year now that will be very useful for student teaching in the spring". In order to better prepare for the spring, Michaela has researched various virtual engagement techniques that she is excited to try out in the classroom. She explains, "COVID-19 has shown me how imperative it is to continue to adapt and be there for students as they try to adapt as well. I know that the uncertainty of not knowing if we will be remote or in-person at any given time is daunting for many students, and I want to make the transitions as easy as possible for them and myself". After completing her college education, Michaela hopes to obtain a job teaching Agricultural Education in Central Pennsylvania.

With her positive, compassionate outlook on spring, WE ARE sure that Michaela will make us Penn State proud in her Student Teaching endeavors and beyond. Stay updated on her journey in Agricultural and Extension Education through her blog "Marvelous Life of Michaela" at https://marvelouslifeofmichaela.blogspot.com/.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022

January 2021 AEE Student of the Month: Brandon Bixler

 The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to start off the year by recognizing the January Student of the Month for Agricultural and Extension Education who is a freshman from East Earl, Pennsylvania and the 2021 Pennsylvania FFA National Officer Candidate, Brandon Bixler! Brandon is planning to major in Agricultural and Extension Education with minors in International Agriculture, Entrepreneurship and Innovation, and possibly Wildlife and Fisheries.

Brandon attended Garden Spot High School in New Holland, Pennsylvania where he was involved in the agricultural education program as a Grassland FFA member. Brandon shares

"I didn't come from an agricultural background, so I have a passion for teaching others who may not have agricultural experience. My own experience proves just how valuable and transformative an agricultural education can be, and I want to pass on the positive impact my own agriculture teachers have made on my life! I also value teaching with a global perspective and helping to improve food security around the world. Agriculture is essential for a sustainable future for our world, and I find it exciting to be a part of that!" He has shown great growth and determination as he served the Pennsylvania FFA Association in 2019-2020 as the State Vice-President. As Brandon's journey through agricultural education continues he has chosen Penn State to further his studies.

While in high school, Brandon had numerous agricultural educators that attended Penn State and encouraged him to check out the program."I was privileged to learn from and work with numerous ag teachers who went to Penn State for Agricultural and Extension Education, and in those teachers I saw leaders and role models of the kind of person I wanted to be! After I made the decision to teach ag, coming to Penn State was a no brainer!" These were not the only reasons Brandon chose Penn State, he also chose Penn State because of the incredible agriculture teacher training program Penn State offers and the professional networks that Penn State holds within agricultural education across the state and country.

While attending Penn State for the first year, Brandon has gotten a great start at developing his leadership roles in student organizations and clubs. He currently serves as the LEAD Society Treasurer, and Ag Student Council Financial Chair, while he is also involved in Collegiate Farm Bureau. Brandon also works as an Undergraduate Intern for the Global Teach Ag Network and as a Teach Ag Avenger. In addition to the time Brandon spends across these areas he also is involved in an Undergraduate Research Project with a group called Agriculture for Africa. "I review best practices in using agricultural education to support high-risk youth populations. An end goal of this project is to use agricultural/career and technical education to support high-risk youth in jails/correctional facilities in the country of Cameroon."

Outside of Penn State and agriculture, Brandon enjoys cheering on his favorite team, the Philadelphia Eagles and Penn State any chance he gets! He also enjoys spending time outside such as hunting, fishing, and hiking. He loves spending time with family and friends, playing card/board games, and reading good books! Upon graduation, he plans to become a high school agricultural education teacher in Pennsylvania and is interested in exploring research, international teaching, and business opportunities. Brandon's favorite quote he shared that helped him to gain a different perspective on leadership was "Leadership is lonely" from Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding. 

Brandon, we are so excited to watch you grow over your years at Penn State and know you will continue to accomplish great things as a student and future agricultural educator! WE ARE so proud to have you represent Pennsylvania FFA and Penn State Ag Ed at the national level. To keep up with Brandon on his Ag Ed journey be sure to follow him on Twitter @BrandonBixler and on Instagram @brandon.bixler.

   

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2023

Alyssa Landis is Tagged to Teach Ag #psuaged21!

WE ARE happy to share this Penn State senior's journey to becoming an Agricultural Educator. As Alyssa Landis gears up for her student teaching experience in Columbia County, Pennsylvania, she shares many experiences that shaped her passion and love for Ag Ed. 

Alyssa was an active member of FFA at Selinsgrove Area High School where she was involved in many committees, served as a chapter and a SUN Area officer, and participated in as many CDEs and LDEs as she could. The highlight of her time as an FFA member was receiving her American FFA Degree in 2019! She also shared with us who inspired her to pursue Ag Ed as a career. "I was inspired to pursue Ag Ed by my ag teachers, Mrs. Fry and Mr. Swineford. I was very shy and lacked self-confidence when I entered high school, but FFA completely changed that. My ag teachers always pushed me out of my comfort zone and encouraged me to take opportunities in FFA, whether that was competing in an LDE or using a chainsaw. Mrs. Fry and Mr. Swineford saw potential in me that I didn’t see in myself at the time, and I don’t know where I would be without all of their support and motivation."

While following her passion for Ag Ed, Alyssa did not see herself at Penn State originally. "Penn State was not my first choice school. While I did get accepted into my first choice school, I realized that it was further from home than I could probably handle and it was way too expensive. Originally, I chose Penn State because it’s where my ag teachers went, it was reasonably priced (at least as reasonably priced as I could hope for), and it seemed like a safe choice. Today, I couldn’t imagine myself anywhere else and I absolutely love Penn State. I’m a firm believer that everything in life works out as it should, and I think I am exactly where I am supposed to be." The experiences she gained at Penn State have shaped her as a person today. One of her favorite opportunities at Penn State was Domestic Study Away with LEAD Society to the state of Montana. She found it eye-opening to see the diversity of FFA programs on the other side of the country and visit National Parks on her bucket list.

The current pandemic of COVID-19 has challenged and pushed Alyssa to succeed this year. Her go to quarantine snack has been cucumbers with cream cheese and everything bagel seasoning and she has developed a hobby for puzzles as well. After quarantine she is most looking forward to attending concerts. COVID-19 has helped her to prepare for student teaching, Alyssa explains. "I’ve become a lot better at managing my time and holding myself accountable since quarantine. At the beginning of the shutdown, I found myself wasting a lot of time and not being very productive, so I had to find little ways to motivate myself and set goals and deadlines." In addition, she has been collecting a lot of virtual resources she can use with her students in an online environment. "One of the reasons that students sign up to take ag classes is for the hands-on aspect, so I know how frustrating it can be trying to learn topics like electrical wiring and small gas engines through a computer. By using online tools like simulators and games, I can keep my students engaged and still allow them to apply the theory that they are learning." Overall, COVID-19 has forced Alyssa to become a lot more self-disciplined as she moves towards her student teaching experience this spring. 

Alyssa will be heading to teach with Mr. Douglas Brown at Central Columbia High School. There are a lot of reasons why she chose Central Columbia as a cooperating center, but a few are the community support, facilities, and all of the wisdom that she can gain from having Mr. Brown as a cooperating teacher. In addition, she is most excited about meeting the students that she will be teaching and sharing her passion for agriculture and FFA with. One thing she is nervous for is teaching units on welding. She says, "it’s definitely a content area that I’m not as strong in."

After graduation and her pre-service teaching experience, she hopes to find a job teaching agriculture somewhere in central Pennsylvania. She has had a journey like no other while at Penn State and we are excited for the journey to follow for Alyssa. Best of luck student teaching and we look forward to all of great accomplishments you will continue to make. To keep up with Alyssa's teaching experiences, be sure to check out her blog at agventuresofalyssa.blogspot.com. 

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

Nicole Guise's Journey to Agricultural Education

"You better have snow tires". Every time this Agricultural and Extension Education senior at Penn State talks about her Student Teaching Placement, warnings of a Westmoreland County winter always enter the conversation. However, as a soon to be Student Teacher in the midst of a global pandemic, Nicole Guise has learned a thing or two about weathering a storm. 

Born and raised in York County, Nicole was able to engage in agriculture on her family farm, through York County 4-H, and the Future Farmer Club at her high school. As a 4-Her, she was involved in Dairy Club, Dairy Beef Club, and Teen Council. She also enjoyed being a camp counselor, competing at the national level for Dairy Judging twice, and being a Dairy Princess. It was through her 4-H extension agent Linda Spahr that Nicole became inspired to pursue a career in Agricultural Education. "I always admired how she made learning fun... I never even comprehended how much I learned in 4-H until after I aged out, because when I was at a 4-H meeting with Linda it was just fun!" Additionally, Carol Richwine from Northern York High School encouraged Nicole to attend college and pursue a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education after a day of Nicole shadowing her as a high school senior. 

After graduating, Nicole says she chose to attend Penn State because, "I really liked how the program has foundations in the sciences. So, before you even think about the methods of teaching, you have a background in animal science, plant science, and mechanics." At Penn State, Nicole had the opportunity to be a Teaching Assistant for ANSC 201 and be "the teacher" for the first time in her academic career. She was also able to engage as a Graham Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership Fellow which gave her a chance to design and implement a business plan and found a gardening service. 

However, in preparing for life at Penn State, Nicole did not expect her college experience to include COVID-19. While she has developed an appetite for spaghetti squash, enjoyed walks with her family, and took part in bargain hunting at local auctions, her unique pre-service Student Teaching experience has proved to be challenging. "It has been hard to stay motivated, but I have also had to get really creative about how I complete assignments. I decided to not go back to campus, and I have been online all semester which has been challenging for my hands-on classes like AEE 350. However, my professors have been great, and I appreciate that they work with me. Most recently, in AEE 350 my classmates built dog houses and I did a smaller version out of cardboard and was still able to learn all the same concepts." 

While quarantine has her dreaming of the days when she can travel to Puerto Rico or Nova Scotia, Nicole feels that this unique situation has given her a chance to spend more time with her family and focus on her academics. Having more time to prepare for Student Teaching, she explains that the usual AEE senior time crunch is made even more challenging by travelling to conferences and conventions, not to mention the occasional Dunkin' distraction. The current social distancing guidelines have instead allowed Nicole to engage in various virtual opportunities such as the Future Agriscience Teacher Symposium (FAST), ACTE VISION Conference, AFA Leaders Conference, and becoming a certified Level 1 Google Educator, all experiences that are helping her gear up for her time battling the snow in western Pennsylvania.

Despite her reservations about the winter weather, Nicole will be Student Teaching with Mrs. Carly-Jean Rippole at Derry Area High School this spring. "I picked this school because I believe it is a place where I can have the most well-rounded and diverse experience possible. Also, the facilities are AMAZING and so varied". While she is nervous that she will not get to Student Teach in person, she is excited to try out all of her teaching ideas and get to know herself as an educator. "I hope to learn how to create a work life balance. I really admire how my Cooperating Teacher sets boundaries in her professional and personal life and I hope some of that will rub off on me." Nicole is also looking forward to future job prospects that may open up as she completes her Student Teaching Internship. She hopes her experiences in the spring will help her to decide what environment she would like to work in after graduation. "I have had an internship with the PA Friends of Agriculture Foundation for a few summers now and if school-based Agricultural Education isn’t for me, I think I would also really like working for a non-profit doing outreach". 

While the icy prospect of virtual instruction leaves Nicole's road toward Student Teaching a bit slippery, we know that her resilience, organization, and poise will act as her snow tires as she blossoms into an incredible Agricultural Educator. Nicole, WE ARE Penn State proud of you and thankful to have you as part of the Agricultural and Extension Education program. Be sure to keep up with Nicole's Student Teaching experience through her blog "The Hoot" at https://theh00t.blogspot.com/.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022