Honorary American Degree: Caleb Wright

At the 92nd National FFA Convention this past October, Pennsylvania was able to have one of our own FFA Alumni, Caleb Wright, was recognized as a recipient of the Honorary FFA American Degree, one of the highest honors that can be received by an Alumni.

Caleb was recognized for his role in helping Pennsylvania and the National FFA Organization through his work as a lobbyist with Versant Strategies. Caleb is one of our own Penn State Ag Ed graduates, and has dedicated much of his life post-college to furthering the interests of many agricultural organizations, with the FFA being just one on a lengthy list.

We reached out to Caleb to lean more about what drives him to do a tough job in one of our nations hardest work environments; Washington D.C.

1. What does it mean to you to receive your Honorary American degree?

It’s an amazing honor. I’m very fortunate to be able to be able to support FFA at the local, state, and national levels in varying capacities, which I take great pride in. This award is presented to a select group of individuals, and I’m humbled to be included with such great recipients from all across the country.

2. When you were wearing your blue jacket, did you ever expect that you would end up where you are today?

Absolutely not! If the life plan my younger self had determined panned out, I’d be practicing veterinary medicine with a wife and kids by now. None of those have happened! However, I wouldn’t change a single part of my life’s course. I’m especially grateful my life’s path included FFA and agricultural education to a deeper level than originally planned. It’s been a true blessing personally and professionally.

3. What part about your job do you enjoy the most?

I like the many places my  job has taken me. I know it sounds like the Dr. Seuss book, but I’ve been in fancy dinners in New York City, to tours of forests in Washington state, to our nation’s capital with FFA members, and a lot of places in between. I’ve made amazing friends and connections, all while lifting up rural America through Versant Strategies’ work and clients.

Caleb regularly donates his time to the Pennsylvania FFA Foundation, our Gold Toe SOCS leadership program, and can always be found around Harrisburg whenever anything ag occurs.

To learn more about Versant Strategies, please visit their website at versantstrategies.net

NJAAE Vice President Reflects Upon Her @TeachAgPSU Experience!

Deanna Miller (#psuaged15) has been using her @TeachAgPSU education to make a positive impact in the lives of students and her fellow teachers in New Jersey! Though now in the Garden State, she is a Pennsylvania native. Deanna went to Red Lion Area High School in York County and was an active FFA member. To continue her education, she found herself here at Penn State to major in Agricultural and Extension Education and graduated in 2015.

Deanna (far right) pictured with her ACTE award

Currently serving as Vice President and Southern Representative of the New Jersey Association of Agricultural Educators (NJAAE), Deanna is showing off her drive to serve others. In addition to her current positions, Deanna has won prestigious awards that serve as a testament to her skill and passion in this line of work. These awards include but surely are not limited to: 

NAAE Teacher Turn the Key Award Recipient - 2017 

ACTE Region 1 New and Beginning Teacher - 2019  

NJ FFA Advisor of the Year - 2019

Additionally, she can proudly say that she has become CASE certified in 6 courses, secured over $15,000 in grants and has increased total program enrollment by more than 120%. This is REMARKABLE considering the short time Deanna has spent teaching in the classroom.

Looking at these accomplishments, it would be great to credit all of this solely to her @TeachAgPSU experience, but we know that it takes a special individual, such as Deanna, to implement this knowledge so effectively. She says that the two things that still stands out about her education are:

"The purposeful and intentional instructional programming which included materials that I used and implemented my first year teaching, and continue to use" and "My student teaching experience at Penn Manor High School with Neil Fellenbaum- I learned more than I could have ever imagined and have made lasting professional connections."

We are proud to see past @TeachAgPSU students engaging in ways to serve others through Agricultural Education. Deanna is an example for her peers and future teachers to do that very thing.

Justin Kurtz

#PSUAgEd22

Twitter Handle: @JustinDKurtz

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

Douglas Brown Wins the Outstanding Service Citation Award

“My experience in instructing students and advising [FFA] members for 28 years has developed me into being a passionate, motivated, organized as well as, believe it or not, patience instructor” is what Douglas (Doug) Brown said when asked how teaching has made him a better person. This serves as a true testament to why he has received the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators (PAAE) Outstanding Service Citation Award.

This prestigious award goes to current and retired individuals who have made significant contributions to Agricultural Education at the state, regional, and national levels. A member of #psuaged95, Doug dedicates his time and energy to being an agricultural educator and FFA Advisor, which he says is a rewarding vocation. “...seeing student reaction upon their performance on a class project or an FFA achievement, this creates a wealth of pride for me as an instructor on today’s youth and tomorrow’s future leaders.” It is obvious that he cares about his students and considers their success as a measurement of his own, which is a trait that charismatic and selfless educators possess.

However, he admits that things have not always been easy! His advice to beginning and pre-service instructors is “…you are in this profession BY CHOICE NOT BY CHANCE. It is a challenging profession if completed correctly. There will be many hours devoted to your classroom, laboratory area, professional development, etc. that you will not be reimbursed for, however remember that students in ninth grade through life will depend upon you for guidance, strength in decision making, problem solving and just being there for them when maybe no one else is.”

It is this thought process that has led him to earn the PAAE Outstanding Service Citation Award. In December of this year he will be representing Pennsylvania at the National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) national convention as he vies for the NAAE Outstanding Service Citation Award!

Congratulations on this remarkable achievement Doug! Here at Penn State we are excited to continue to see the impact you make on your students and Pennsylvania Agricultural Education!

Justin Kurtz

#psuaged22

Twitter Handle: @JustinDKurtz

2K18 NAAE Convention Highlights

In November the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators (PAAE) had several members receive awards at the 70th National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Convention in San Antonio, TX as well as other members from the organization attend to aid in directing the national association for the next year. 

The members of PAAE had also participated in professional development focusing on agriculture, sessions on building partnerships between agricultural educators, agribusiness leaders, and policy makers. Our award winners from PAAE were Meagan Slates receiving the Outstanding Early Career Educator Award and Janae McMichael receiving the National Teacher Turn the Key Award. 

Meagan Slates gets her drive by student success in and outside the classroom. She utilized technology and experiential based learning to make her daily instruction interactive. Along with experience based learning, Meagan makes her courses engaging, rigorous, and model job expectations. Meagan currently serves on the Policy Committee for both NAAE and PAAE, and has attended the National Policy Seminar in Washington D.C. to advocate for career and technical education. 

Janae McMichael is a strong supporter of the three-circle model for Agricultural Education, she actively searches for ways to incorporate the three components in a way to create contextual, inquiry-based, and engaging learning experiences for her students. Janae is devoted to be a lifelong learner and does her best to seek out opportunities to grow as an educator, advisor, team member, and industry representative.

Penn State University also had members from #PSUAgEd19 cohort at the convention to experience professional development at the national level as well as network with future colleagues. Three Penn State students received the Upper Division Scholarship from the NAAE, Victoria Herr, Ryan Rupert, and Lisa Boltz. Penn State University was also named Region VI Outstanding Postsecondary Agriculture Program. The faculty at Penn State, Dr. Daniel Foster, Dr. John Ewing, and Dr. Kevin Curry, provide their students with current methods and how to effectively use them. The curriculum utilizes eight core courses to prepare teacher candidates for their future career.

Congratulations to all award recipients, and we hope that the convention provided you with many new and innovative ways to lead your classroom and exceed expectations.

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: Luke_Kerstetter

Agricultural Education Student Teacher 2020

Myken Poorman - PA Teacher of the Year Finalist

We always enjoy watching students succeed in classrooms, but it is also very rewarding to see the teachers who facilitate the success of their students achieve goals and awards. Myken Poorman, an Agricultural Educator at Bellefonte High School, is a finalist in the Pennsylvania Teacher of the Year award. Myken graduated from Penn State in 2006 with a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences and a minor in Environmental Soil Science as well as a M.Ed. in AEE from Penn State in 2009.

Myken was nominated for Teacher of the Year by her superintendent. Once she was nominated she had to apply to determine if she was a semi-finalist. After being a semi-finalist, she had a phone interview, which was used to select the finalists. Once she became a finalist she had more steps to complete before the end of June. Next week, December 9-11, 2018 she will be attending the NSTOY-PA and SAS Conference in Hershey where she will meet the current and past finalists. She will learn more about the NSTOY organization and the 2019 Teacher of the Year will be announced.

If she is selected as the Teacher of the Year she will be fulfilling the following goals throughout 2019:

• Encourage quality education for each individual through quality teaching
• Recognize the excellence and commitment of professional educators
• Promote the image of education through public awareness
• Stimulate the personal and professional growth of our members through their participation in workshops or seminars
• Mentor young people entering into the educational profession

Myken is passionate about giving her student real-world experience and practical application to the concepts that she teaches. "Whether it’s having a wildlife biologist speak about their job or dissecting a ruminant stomach to really understand how food moves through the digestive system as a way of exploring how nutrition is a key factor in animal health, I keep my classes relevant." When her administration observes her classroom, they always enjoy and comment about how her students are engaged with the lesson. She will explain a concept, but also show them the concept. Her classes go deeper into the content so students can grasp an understanding of the material.

Her advice for new and current teachers, "Make your classroom one where students are encouraged to do their best, taught that it’s ok to make mistakes, and challenged to create and think for themselves, and be respectful citizens. Never stop learning! Keep your classes up-to-date, relevant, and relate them to real-world experience."

Myken the TeachAg family at Penn State are so excited for you, and we wish you the best of luck next week at the NSTOY-PA and SAS Conference! Congratulations on being a Teacher of the Year finalist!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

Amanda Forstater #psuaged15 Nationally Recognized

Congratulations Amanda Forstater! A Penn State Agriculture and Extension Education alum (#psuaged15) is to receive a National Teacher Turn the Key Award from the National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE). She will be recognized at the NAAE Convention in San Antonio, TX in November.

Amanda is currently an agriscience teacher at Taylor M.S/H.S in Perry, Florida. She completed her student teaching internship at Tri-Valley High School with Gretchen Dingman #psuaged92. She had attended high school at W.B. Saul in Philadelphia, PA.

Amanda has kept her eyes on this award since she began teaching. She tries to take advantage of every professional development opportunity she can, and this award is an exact fit. "As agricultural educators not only does our content constantly change to keep up with technological advances but so are the strategies we need to reach our students." Along with this award, Amanda was also chosen to be in the 2018-2019 class of Florida Commissioner of Agriculture's Agricultural Education Leadership Program (AELP). She explains, "Through both of these opportunities this year I hope to expand both my agricultural and teaching method knowledge to become a more well-rounded teacher and flush out all three circles of the Taylor Agricultural Education Program." 

Her favorite experience as an agricultural educator is watching the lightbulb moments that students have. "Those lightbulb experiences also add to the bonding moments with students outside the classroom. Examples such as taking students on a week-long National Convention & Ag Industry Tour and watching kids light up when they see maple production for the first time, or milk a cow, or watch them speak to prospective colleges and employers makes those bonding experiences even more meaningful." Over the past three years her experience in teaching has helped her calm down and become more organized in her program. She is more comfortable seeking assistance and resources to better her classroom, and also offering her own thoughts and strategies. 

Her advice to those entering into the agricultural education profession find your "marigold" and take chances. "I was told both and I remind myself of this advice constantly. Finding your “marigold” refers to seeking out the person(s) who will be your positive flower...Taking chances is also important. You don’t know if it will work/if you’ll like it until you try. If something doesn’t work you can always try again or try a different method. Don’t be afraid to try; if you have built relationships with your students and community, even if it blows up they’ll understand." 

Amanda we are proud of your success so far, and we are excited to see how you continue to make a positive difference in the lives of students! Congratulations!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

#psuaged14 Alum Receives National Award!

Congratulations Quinn Cashell-Martin! A Penn State Agriculture and Extension Education alum (#psuaged14) has received a National Teacher Turn the Key Award from the National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE). She will be recognized at the NAAE Convention in San Antonio, TX in November.

Quinn is currently teaching at Boonsboro High School in Boonsboro, Maryland. She attended Chambersburg High School with Jon Seaman #psuaged07 as her agriscience teacher. When she was a Penn State student she completed her student teaching experience at Athens High School with David Steinfelt #psuaged02 as her cooperating teacher. 

Quinn is humbled to receive the chance to attend the Teacher Turn the Key program. She states, "We are constantly encouraging our students to be actively involved in their organization (our FFA Chapter), and we should expect nothing less from ourselves." Everyone should continue to set goals for themselves, and she has been working towards this goal since her first year teaching. "My mission has always been to commit myself to a lifetime of learning. I believe this program is going to help me find new and invigorating ways to make sure that continues to happen." She is excited to bring back what she learns from this experience to her classroom in Maryland, and begin creating a new set of goals for herself and her program.

Her favorite experience as an Agriculture Educator so far was taking her students to National FFA Convention. The school she began teaching at was built five year before she became the agriscience teacher there. Through the building stages of the agriculture education program she had to overcome the challenge of getting students to understand what was available to them in the blue corduroy jacket. Once a group of students had gone to National FFA Convention for the first time it finally clicked. "It was after that experience that more students began to fully “buy in” to the experience and work hard to make a name for their newly established FFA Chapter. That easily made all the late nights worth it!"

Her advice to those who are in the Agriculture Education program is to find an organizational system that works for you as soon as you can. "The life of an agriculture educator is undoubtedly overwhelming at times. However, if you find a good way to organize the chaos, it is far less overwhelming. Never be afraid to ask for help. However, the hardest part of the first year in your own classroom is realizing that you don’t always know what questions you need answers to until you are up against a fast approaching deadline. If you establish a great working relationship with the staff in your building (secretaries, custodians, teachers, and administration) they often are understanding of the learning process you are going through, and are willing to work with you if you find yourself in a tight spot."

We are proud of all the accomplishments you have made as an Agriculture Educator, and we would like to congratulate you once more on your National Teacher Turn the Key Award! We are excited to see how you will advance throughout the rest of your career!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

Meagan Slates Receives National Award

Congratulations Meagan Slates! A Penn State Agriculture and Extension Education alum (#psuaged14) has received an Outstanding Early Career Educator Award from the National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE). She will be recognized at the NAAE Convention in San Antonio, TX in November.

Ms. Meagan Slates is currently teaching at Penn Manor High School in Millersville, PA. Meagan had completed her student teaching internship at West Perry High School with Ayla Miller #psuaged10 and John Hines #psuaged04. She attended Fort Cherry H.S. with Ms. Jodie Hoover #psuaged95 as her Agriscience Teacher.

Meagan is encouraging her to continue to be the best educator she can be for her students. She is always looking for new ways to advance her curriculum, getting students involved, and help them better themselves to be productive and successful members of society. "The best part about being selected for this award is the opportunity to attend NAAE conference network with other agriculture educators from across the US and attend workshops from both NAAE and ACTE where I can continue to grow and learn." Meagan enjoys watching her students find their passions, develop their stories, and achieve their goals. She teaches mostly freshman so she is just now seeing her first group of freshman graduate, and enter the workforce or go into a post secondary education. "Some students have come back to tell me about their experiences or have shared them with me on my professional social media platforms so it’s amazing to see where they are and what they are doing."

Her experiences as a teacher have provided her opportunities to grow and learn. She is thankful for the community of teachers she is friends with that she can collaborate and brainstorm with. Meagan's advice is, "New teachers should stretch themselves to try new things but don’t give up if it doesn’t go as planned, readjust and try again tomorrow or next time. It DOES get easier!"

Congratulations Meagan on your accomplishments and your award! We are proud of the positive impact you have made so far, and we are excited to see the impact you make throughout the rest of your career!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

Janae McMichael Receives National Award from NAAE

Congratulations Janae Herr McMichael! A Penn State Agriculture and Extension Education alum (#psuaged16) has received a National Teacher Turn the Key Award from the National Association of Agriculture Educators (NAAE). She will be recognized at the NAAE Convention in San Antonio, TX in November. 

Janae is currently an agriscience teacher at Lampter-Strasburg High School in Lancaster, PA. She completed her student teaching experience at Midd-West High School with David Bittner (#psuaged07) as her cooperating teacher. 

Janae believes that receiving this award provides a role model experience for her students as well as inspired her to become a mentor pre-service or new and beginning teachers utilize the tools and resources she had gained from this award program. She has fallen in love with this profession, and finds it rewarding even though there are long days. She states, "I’ve learned the extreme benefit from the pursuit of professional development experiences to help me be better for my students." Janae loves watching her students identify themselves with a career choice. "I have loved watching my students finally realize their passion and skill set and fall in love with their work," she exclaimed.

Her advice for those who are entering the Agriculture and Extension Education major is to seize the moment. "Your plate will likely always be full, but take advantages of the opportunities put in front of you to better yourself. Attend the workshop. Listen to the podcast. Join the webinar. Read the article. Ask the hard questions. Ask yourself frequently, what did I today, this week or this month to make myself better for the sake of my students?"

We are very proud of you Janae! We are excited to see the impact you make in your students' lives as well as the community around you! Congratulations on receiving the National Teachers Turn the Key Award through the NAAE!

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

Jillian Gordon (@jillianedu) and Clarke Central High School FFA featured in Athens, GA News Magazine

Ms. Jillian Gordon, teacher at Clarke Central
and #psuaged15 alumni, holds up her FFA jacket.
Image courtesy of Odyssey Media Group. 

Recognition of our alumni and their accomplishments is always a welcome site! We're proud to see Clarke Central High School's FFA program, headed by #psuaged15 member and 2015 Penn State alumni Jillian Gordon, featured on the cover of Odyssey NewsMagazine, Clarke Central's student-run magazine.

When Ms. Gordon was hired in the Clarke Central School District two years ago, there was no FFA program in existence. In the article published by Odyssey Media Group, she explains that one of her main goals was to build a program that provides leadership and personal growth opportunities to students that aren't already invested in other school programs. So far, she's had great success in her program and takes pride in it. Also featured in the magazine is an article about Clarke Central High School FFA's president, Jordan Butler. You can read the Odyssey article about here here.

We're proud of Ms. Gordon and all of our #TeachAg alumni and friends fostering student success across the nation!

You can follow Clarke Central FFA as they continue to do great things and build their FFA program:

via Twitter: @FFAglads

via Facebook: @clarkecentralFFA

Read about Ms. Gordon's second year of teaching here:
Second Year Check-In with #psuaged15 member Jillian Gordon (@jillianedu)

To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog.

Hunter Kauffman, Student Blogger

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

College of Agricultural Sciences

Instagram: kauffman_hunter

Email: hlk5120@psu.edu

Agricultural Educators Become Students: Chesapeake Bay Foundation Press Release (@chesapeakebay)

January 31, 2018

For Immediate Release

Contact: B.J. Small, 717-200-4521

CBF to provide agricultural teachers a lesson

in the value of meaningful watershed experiences

(HARRISBURG) – Agriculture teachers will become students when meeting with Chesapeake Bay Foundation (CBF) educators to learn about the value of providing hands-on environmental education that connects students with real-world issues. Called Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE), many teachers have found that supporting classroom work with investigations into local environmental issues engages students in their community and improves critical thinking. The workshops are being held in Harrisburg in February.

“We are excited for the opportunity to share information and resources with these teachers to support and enhance their approaches to teaching about sustainability and the impact of agriculture on water quality, particularly in their local communities,” said Dr. Amy Green, Director of Teacher Professional Learning at CBF. “We also want to show them how the MWEE model can help advance environmental literacy and stewardship through field-based learning, in the context of agricultural sciences.”

CBF staff will partner with the Penn State Center for Professional Personnel Development (CPPD) to address 170 agriculture teachers over the first three Saturdays in February at the Sheraton in Harrisburg.

The workshops for teachers coincide with the annual Agricultural Cooperation Establishes Success (ACES) conference for about 1,500 students from 100 Future Farmers of America (FFA) chapters throughout Pennsylvania. At ACES, students will learn social skills, leadership, and teamwork.

Teachers will learn about Pennsylvania’s relationship to the Bay; the Commonwealth’s progress and challenges in reducing pollution; and how agricultural education connects to and can include environmental education with field-based learning, student action, and stewardship.

“We want to expose teachers to some of the tools and strategies we’ve been working with in Maryland and Virginia, and how they can be applied in Pennsylvania,” said Norah Carlos, Education Outreach and Communications Coordinator at CBF. “Studies have shown that environmental education improves academic performance, increases civic engagement, and instills a belief that individuals can make a difference.”

CBF also has a Susquehanna Watershed Environmental Education Program. This field-based program supports MWEE in Pennsylvania, investigating the health of local waterways. Students study the physical characteristics of the waterway, the shoreline, and adjoining lands. They use water chemistry tests to determine water quality, examine stream health through examining the aquatic life that is present in the stream, and use maps to orient themselves in their watershed.

CBF also provides a Mentors in Agricultural Conservation (MAC) program that pairs FFA and 4H students with CBF restoration specialists, to participate in restoration work and learn about agricultural conservation projects on local farms.

“Issues like water quality, soil health, and implementation of best management practices are central to agricultural education, and provide prime opportunities for hands-on study,” Carlos added. “We will also use computer technology to show these teachers how they can compare water quality across the watershed in the Commonwealth.”

The CBF and CPPD partnership at the workshops will have long-term benefits to both organizations and for the teachers attending the workshops.

“Developing a partnership between the Penn State CPPD and CBF will allow Pennsylvania’s agricultural education teachers to obtain the most current knowledge and skills related to protecting our water,” added Dr. John Ewing, Associate Professor of Agricultural Education at Penn State University.

                                                                      ###

CBF Photos

Meaningful Watershed Educational Experiences (MWEE) are learner-centered experiences and investigations into local environmental issues that lead to informed action and civic engagement.

Editor’s note: more information on the benefits of environmental education can be found at:

NAAEE (North American Association of Environmental Education)

We request that all the Agriculture Educators that are participating in this workshop to interact on social media to promote the partnership between the CBF and Penn State Center for Professional Personnel Development.

Kayla Hack (@HackKayla) Hired! 2017 Teacher Candidate Hired at Honesdale High School

"I think Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.... because there are so many students that education, especially in agriculture or career and technical education truly does change the course of their life and even their families." 

Kayla Hack is originally from East Troy, Wisconsin, but she is here to stay in Pennsylvania as she becomes Honesdale's Agricultural Educator and FFA Advisor in Wayne County. Throughout her college experience Kayla has been involved in Teach Ag! Society where she had served as an officer for two years; Navigators Ministry; worked for National FFA as a facilitator; studied abroad and conducted undergraduate research in Costa Rica.

Kayla completed her student teaching experience at Pequea Valley High School in Kinzers, PA, in the heart of Lancaster County. She taught five different classes: Foods Unwrapped, Power Technology, Intro to Agricultural Mechanics, Ag Biology and Horticulture. While she was there she had the opportunity to do some interesting things with the students which included: Horticulture students preparing and hosting a workshop at The Factory Ministries for community members teaching flower arranging. The Factory Ministries empowers others to strengthen their community, and the students helped accomplished that with their workshop. The project was possible through a grant from the Pequea Valley Education Foundation. 

At Honesdale High School, Kayla will be opening up a brand new agricultural education program. The last time Honesdale had an agriculture program was in the 1960s. She will be required to build the program from the ground up. This includes curriculum to facilities, but she couldn't be more excited! The community and county are extremely supportive of the program and are giving her a helping hand in getting things started. She recently attended the Wayne County Economic Development Council Annual Dinner where she had the opportunity to meet agricultural leaders in the area.  Agricultural leaders are excited for the program to begin and ready to help in any way they can.  Honesdale agricultural program will be a general agriculture program where in the first year will feature Agriculture 1, a year long introduction to agriculture course with forestry, Foods Processing, Horticulture, and Animal Science. She is ecstatic to meet many community members and producers this summer as she moves up to Wayne County and meet the students in the fall.  Kayla states, "Starting a new program can be intimidating, but when you've been working hard and prepared and mentored well, it's every agriculture teacher's dream." A little fun fact about Wayne County Highlands is 75 miles from Manhattan, NY!

Congratulations Kayla on your recent position at Honesdale High School we wish you the best of luck starting this program!

 To learn more about starting on the path to having a career that makes a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe by becoming an agricultural educator, please contact the agricultural teacher education program at teachag@psu.edu. Follow us on Twitter at TeachAgPSU, on Facebook, or on our blog.

Luke Kerstetter

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher