Introducing this Year's GOALs Cohort from the University of Idaho

 

For the second year in a row, Penn State is partnering with the Global Teach Ag Network, the University of Idaho, and the World Food Prize foundation to bring us GOALs, a food security education program built for preservice educators. Today we will be introducing this year’s GOALs cohort members from Idaho. 

Kirsten Gilbert

The first member of cohort number two that we are highlighting today is Kirsten Gilbert. She is a sophomore in the agricultural education program at the University of Idaho. Kirsten has experience in both 4-H and FFA, showing market lambs and goats. She is excited to gain knowledge in both global agriculture and teaching strategy.

 

Tanner Anderson

Let’s welcome Tanner Anderson to the second cohort of the GOALS program. He is a pre-service agriculture educator at the University of Idaho. Tanner is a junior and has a passion for agriculture that began in Garfield, WA on his family farm. He hopes that this experience will be a way for him to highlight the fantastic opportunities that the agriculture industry has to offer.

 

Cassie Moody

Say hello to Cassie Moody, our next pre-service agriculture educator to meet. She is a second-year student at the University of Idaho majoring in Agricultural & Extension Education! Cassie is excited to learn more about agriculture on a global scale through her GOALs experience, as well as connecting with other great agriculturists. 

 

Welcome, Shaylyn Young, a member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. She is a pre-service agriculture educator in her junior year at the University of Idaho. Her favorite topics are the dairy industry and food labeling. She is also able to serve her community as a resident assistant which gives her a unique perspective of working with students. 

Shaylyn Young

Welcoming, Courtney Marshall, our next member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS cohort. She is a pre-service agriculture educator in her Junior year at the University of Idaho majoring in Agricultural & Extension Education! She is originally from Eagle, Idaho and looking forward to participating in GOALs. 

 

Courtney Marshall

A big welcome to Makenna DeWitt, our next member to introduce of this year’s #WFPFGOALS cohort. She is double majoring in Agricultural Education and Agricultural Business at the University of Idaho. She is looking forward to building a knowledge base that will help her future students better understand Global Agriculture.

Makenna DeWitt

 

Welcome Sophia Cori, a member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. She is a pre-service agricultural educator at the University of Idaho, and she brings amazing experiences to share with the cohort. Sophia is an officer of the Student Idaho Cattle Association, giving her knowledge of advancements in animal agriculture and current beef industry issues.

Sophia Cori

 

Say hello to Jacob Falk, a member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. He is a pre-service agricultural educator at the University of Idaho. He is also a cowhand for Beef Northwest in Oregon and brings his passion for the outdoors to share with the cohort. 

Jacob Falk

 

Say a big welcome Cassie Morey. She is our next member to highlight of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. She is a pre-service agricultural educator at University of Idaho majoring in Agricultural & Extension Education! She is excited to interact with her peers in Iowa in October. 

Cassie Morey

 

Introducing Kennedy Cox, the last highlight of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. She is a junior pre-service agricultural educator at the University of Idaho majoring in Agricultural & Extension Education! She is from Walla Walla, Washington, and is currently serving as Washington’s Miss Agriculture USA. Bring these programs together will allow for Kennedy to make a difference in the agricultural industry.

Kennedy Cox

 

Now that we have met the whole #WFPFGOALS cohort, we are ready to travel to the World Food Prize! Are you interested in participating in this program? Learn more about the program at https://globalteachagnetwork.psu.edu/goals-program/.

Introducing this Year's GOALs Cohort from Penn State

GOALS, also known as the Global Orientation to Agricultural Learning, is a project funded by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). This project involves the partnering of many organizations including the Global Teach Ag Network, the University of Idaho, Penn State, and the World Food Prize Foundation. 

This program gives preservice educators a unique opportunity to spend 9 months learning about food security education with the intention of sharing this information in classrooms across the country during their Spring Immersion Experience.

Brandon Bixler

Today we are excited to be introducing the second cohort of the GOALS program that are coming from Penn State University. This year, there are a total of 19 preservice agricultural educators who will travel to Iowa for the World Food Prize where they will network with the nation’s biggest names in agriculture and food security. Join us in celebrating what each of them brings to this program.

The first cohort member to introduce is Brandon Bixler. He is a pre-service agricultural educator at Penn State. Brandon is also an intern for the Global Teach Ag Network where he helps with a variety of aspects of the Global Learning in Ag community. 

Emily Jay

Next, we will learn a little bit about Emily Jay. She has just transferred to Penn State and is a junior majoring in agricultural and extension education.  She is looking forward to the connections she will make as an active member of the GOALS program this year.

Noah Phillips

    Noah Phillips is the next cohort member we will meet. He is a pre-

service agricultural educator at Penn State University. Noah is also in the third year of his college career and looks forward to drawing on his previous knowledge through his 10 years of being involved in                                              4-H in the classroom. 

Cheyenne Bastian-Brown

A big welcome to Cheyenne Bastian-Brown. She is a sophomore in the pre-service agriculture education program at Penn State University. Cheyenne brings so much to the table as a GOALs participant. She is an intern with the Global Teach Ag Network and serves university organizations like Delta Theta Sigma, the Penn State Dairy Science Club and many more. 

Introducing Paige Rohrbach, a member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. She is a pre-service agriculture educator at the Penn State University. Paige is a junior in the major and brings her experience through her university involvement in the PSU FFA Alumni and Supporters chapter                                          and Delta Theta Sigma to the GOALs cohort this year. 

Paige Rohrbach

Connor Gross

Introducing Connor Gross, a member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. Connor is a third-year student majoring in Veterinary and Biomedical Science at the Penn State University. His career goal is to become a small-animal veterinarian and own his own practice. Connor’s experiences in the Penn State Blue Band, Delta Theta Sigma, and the local veterinary hospital will bring a unique perspective to the cohort. 

Say hello to Marissa McPeak-Kennedy, she is our next member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program to highlight. She is a pre-service agricultural educator at the Penn State University. The GOALs program will incorporate her love for traveling out of the country and being immersed into different cultures.  

Marissa McPeak-Kennedy

Welcoming Seanna Geiger, our next member of the #WFPFGOALS program to put the spotlight on. She is a pre-service agriculture educator in her third year at the Penn State University. She is excited to bring her experience from being a member of the Athens FFA Alumni to the cohort. 

Sean Geiger

Introducing Lily Schoenman, a member of this year’s #WFPFGOALS program. She is a sophomore in the pre-service agricultural educator program at Penn State University. She is an active member of the University’s Student Farm Club where she has been able to impact local food security by volunteering at events and traveling to work and learn with the club. 

Lily Schoenman

    Now, this is just half of the #WFPFGOALS cohort, so we aren’t quite ready to travel to the World Food Prize. Meet our friends from the University of Idaho in our next blog! Are you interested in participating in this program? Learn more about the program at https://globalteachagnetwork.psu.edu/goals-program/.

Announcing the October Student of the month, Elizabeth Holtry

  October 2022 AEE Student Of The Month

Elizabeth Holtry 

    Each month the Center for Professional Personnel Development recognizes students that have outstanding achievements both academically and with extra-curricular activities and involvement. We are excited to announce that Liz Holtry is the October 2022 Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month!

    Liz’s hometown is Newburg, PA, and she is a 2020 graduate of Chambersburg Area Senior High School. Liz attended the PSU Branch Campus Mont Alto. She said that "it was a wonderful time at a beautiful campus conveniently situated 45 minutes from home. This is where I completed a year of dual enrollment and my freshman year of college".

    She will graduate in 2023 with a BS in Agricultural and Extension Education. When asked about her future plans she responded, " I plan to teach high school agriculture and inspire the future of such a growing and changing industry. I hope to give my students the same if not more opportunities than I was given in high school to develop themselves as tomorrow’s leaders".

    Liz shares that she chose Penn State because of the welcoming Teach Ag! Family! Penn State was also where all three of her ag teachers attended college, and since they had inspired her to become an agricultural educator, she thought it would be a great fit.

         "My favorite PSU Class has been Animal Science 201. Mr. Dale Olver and the TAs of my lab taught me so much relevant animal science knowledge that helped prepare me to teach animal science to my future students."

    "Over the course of my time at Penn State, I have been a member of the PSU FFA Alumni and Supporters chapter and Penn State Dairy Science Club. I have also enjoyed working during my time at Penn State as an intern for the Global Teach Ag Network, milking cows for both Beidel Brothers and Rustik Dairy, and serving as a Substitute teacher for Chambersburg Area School District."

Awards banquet for PSU FFA Alumni
and Supporters Chapter

Penn State Dairy Science Club

    

    Something about Liz is that her favorite sports team is  "The Roxbury Red Socks, a local Adult Men's Softball team from my area". And her favorite hangout on campus is in Ferguson. "On most days I can be found in 214, or somewhere in the building! There is always someone to lend a helping hand or answer one of my many questions!" Her favorite place to eat in state College is Champs Sports Grill. Her hobbies include being outdoors, hiking, fishing, and hunting with her family and friends. Another thing she enjoys is reading and traveling when she has time.

    Liz has an FFA Background and was a member and officer of the Chambersburg FFA from 8^th through 9^th Grade. "I initially served as the Middle School’s secretary, and then served as the high school’s historian (9^th), secretary (10^th), and president (11^th and 12^th) for two years. I enjoyed participating in community and chapter events like the Franklin County Fall Farm Fun Fest, Gleaning Apples for those in need, and our Fall Harvest Party. I also enjoyed competing in Forestry, Wildlife, and Public Speaking at both the area and State levels."

"Picture from Grandparents' farm in 2004"

   "My passion for agriculture originated as I grew up spending time on my grandparent’s farm. I was able to help raise steers, hogs, sheep, and chickens on their farm. Seeing my Mimi and Pappy’s hard work turn labor into food to feed our family inspired my love for agriculture. My childhood was filled with fun adventures of sheering sheep, feed runs, and chasing hogs and steers, creating a love for the ag industry. I also considered going into Forestry to follow in my dad’s footsteps. Forestry is still a passion that I have, and I think that Ag Ed is a great way to tie many of my passions into a career."            

    "One interesting thing about me is that I am a recipient of the Dairy Shrine and Dairy Management Inc. Education and Communication Scholarship this year, which I received at the World Dairy Expo in Maddison, Wisconsin."

Liz and her cooperating teacher

    Liz will be student teaching at Shippensburg Area Senior High School. When asked what she is most excited about during student teaching, she responded: "I am most excited to learn how to balance planning for the classroom and running FFA activities during student teaching. I will be teaching 6 classes while student teaching. It will include Ag Leadership, Companion Animal Science, Small Gas Engine, Horticulture, Wildlife, and Ag Mechanics.

    Her favorite quote is "I alone know the plans I have for you, plans to bring you prosperity and not disaster, plans to bring about the future you hope for." Jeremiah 29:11

                                                Be sure to follow Liz on her journey on Twitter @MsHoltry

Sara Lichty

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural Sciences

Class of 2023