November 2021 AEE Student of the Month: Gabrielle Kriley

The Center for Professional Personnel Development is proud to name Gabrielle Kriley as the November 2021 Agricultural and Extension Education Student of the Month. Gabby is a senior studying Agricultural and Extension Education with a minor in International Agriculture. She is from Rural Valley, Pennsylvania where she graduated from Lenape Technical School. 

Gabby's passion for agriculture was sparked at a young age from growing up on her family's fruit farm and continued as she began her journey as a member of the Armstrong County 4-H. She was apart of the Young Ruff Riders, Square Dancing Team, and Teen Leadership Council. She shares "Once I became actively engaged in 4-H, I began to learn the way plants grow, the importance of agriculture literacy, and became more familiar with the importance of agriculture on society. I grew such a love for agriculture as I realized that without it, the human race would no longer exist. As I continued my education through high school and college, my passion for agriculture has only grown."

Before starting her journey at Penn State, University Park, Gabby attended the Penn State New Kensington commonwealth campus where she was involved in THON and served as a biology lab assistant as well as the president of the Student Government Association. Once arriving at University Park campus Gabby has not skipped a beat. She is involved in LEAD Society, serves as a Teach Ag! Avenger, and Student Worker for the Professional Personnel Development. 

Some of Gabby's favorite things on campus include hiding on the third floor of the library to study, exploring new places, and eating at URBN Flavourhous in Bellefonte. Her favorite course that she has taken so far has been AEE 350: Teaching Methods for Agricultural and Environmental Laboratories because of the hands-on opportunities that she can take into the classroom. In her spare time she also enjoys horseback riding and listening to new music. 

Gabby is currently gearing up for her student teaching experience at Bermudian Springs High School in York Springs, Pennsylvania where she will be teaching Agriculture Environmental Awareness and Plant Science. She has shared some goals she has set for herself going into student teaching "My goal is to experience classroom teaching while also pushing myself to learn new content knowledge that I am unfamiliar with. Having the hands-on opportunity of teaching can change my whole perspective of teaching and ultimately, I know it is for the better because my Cooperating Teacher is incredibly helpful and has allowed me to run with the ideas that I have experienced so far."

One piece of advice she is offering underclassmen is "Do not allow your grades to define who you are as a person. College is challenging and you have various resources that can help you advance in your education." The Center is excited to see what else Gabby accomplishes in her Teach Ag journey. To keep up with Gabby be sure to follow her on Twitter @KrileyGabrielle and on Instagram @Gabrielle_mae128.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

Emily Schulz Dances from Florida to Pennsylvania for Agricultural Education

Originally from Florida, Ms. Emily Schulz is no stranger to weathering a storm. So when life handed this senior in Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State challenges, she danced around them to pursue her passion for the industry. 

Emily was raised in the Indian Rocks Beach Area of Pinellas County, Florida. Growing up, the Schulz family had limited knowledge about the agricultural industry. "The area I am from is what I like to call agriculturally deprived... very few people are involved in production agriculture or have knowledge of agricultural practices". So when Emily attended the Career Academies of Seminole Veterinary Assisting program and was opened up to the beautiful world of agricultural education, it is no surprise that she wanted to tell everyone she knew about what she was learning. Emily says, "Throughout high school, I was constantly sharing the information I learned in ag class with my friends and teachers. It really became my mission to educate the people in my community about agriculture and where their food comes from". While at the Career Academies of Seminole, Emily became a Certified Veterinary Assistant and became involved in their FFA chapter. In this program Emily earned her Greenhand, Chapter, and State Degrees, served as the Reporter for her chapter, and showed pigs. Her agricultural educator, Mr. Shrum, inspired Emily and helped her to eventually decide that she wanted to pursue a career as an ag teacher in the future. 

When Emily was unable to attend the University of Florida, the school of her dreams, to pursue her degree, she was understandably discouraged. She knew that community college was not for her, so she decided to pursue a better fit for her future and was recruited by The Pennsylvania State University, Cornell University, and Purdue University. "As soon as I told my ag teacher about being recruited by Penn State he told me I needed to seriously consider attending the school because they have one of the best agricultural education programs. I eventually decided to take the leap of faith and sign with Penn State because I could earn a Dance degree and Agricultural and Extension Education degree all at one time, something that I could not have done at the University of Florida". 

Pursuing a double major in Dance and Agricultural and Extension Education is a challenge in and of itself, but Emily has made the most of her time in college by pursing opportunities that have greatly benefitted her. "I could probably write multiple paragraphs about my experiences at Penn State because I had so many great ones. One of my favorite experiences was attending the National FFA Convention. Some highlights include helping Dr. Foster with the Parliamentary Procedure LDE, exploring the expo hall, attending a general session, and my all time favorite experience was competing in the Alpha Tau Alpha conclave Parliamentary Procedure competition. The whole experience of attending National FFA Convention is definitely one of my favorites".

Emily is currently completing her Student Teaching Internship at Durant High School in Plant City, Florida with Mr. Thomas Sturgis. While she picked this Cooperating Center for many reasons, the main reason was how different this program is from the program she attended in high school. "I came from a small chapter mainly focused on Veterinary Science and only involved in one CDE. Durant has a large FFA chapter, is very involved in the community, competes in at least 10 CDEs, and has been extremely successful at the state and national level for CDEs. I have always been very curious in what drives this success". Looking to the future, Emily is hoping to learn as much as possible from her Student Teaching Internship. After graduation however, her plans are up in the air because of the pandemic. Emily explains, "My original plans after graduation were to dance professionally for a few years and then #TeachAg!. Obviously the entertainment industry is still shut down because of COVID, so I hope to one day dance professionally but my immediate plans after graduation is to just get a job".

The pandemic has not only presented Emily with challenges for her time after college, but has presented her with many obstacles to navigate during her senior year. With severe asthma and a parent who is immunocompromised, Emily has to be extremely vigilant about following COVID-19 protocols. "This has been very hard as Florida classrooms don’t allow for proper social distancing. Due to this, I get tested for COVID every week and I am extremely diligent about disinfecting. Overall, COVID has just caused more stress and anxiety in my life". On the other hand, Emily finds that the pandemic has better prepared her to be flexible and adapt to sudden changes quickly as well as increased her love of snacking on celery and carrots with peanut butter. She states that being more relaxed in uncertain situations has greatly improved her ability "to just roll with the punches". 

A performer at heart, Emily is most looking forward to being able to dance without a mask on and in front of a live audience once we are able to "return to normal". Excited to see her grow and succeed, her peers and educators at Penn State are excited to see her shine in the classroom. Emily, your family in Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State is proud of the hard work and perseverance you have shown in the midst of the challenges COVID-19 has presented you with. WE ARE some of your biggest fans! To watch Emily take the stage of agricultural education, be sure to stay up to date with her blog "Dancing Ag Teacher" at dancingagteacher.blogspot.com.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022

Megan Royer Hits a Home Run with Agricultural and Extension Education

Growing up in a house that frequently hosted professional baseball players, it is no surprise that Ms. Megan Royer is a HUGE baseball fan. So, after her experience with agricultural education in high school, FFA, and 4-H, Megan knew that in pursuing a degree in Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State she would be hitting a home run for her career.

As a student at State College Area High School, Mr. Paul Heasley introduced Megan to a multitude of topics in agriculture. Alongside her academic interests in the industry, Megan also took advantage of developing as a leader through the State College Little Lions FFA Chapter. She served as her chapter's Parliamentarian and Vice President, participated in various local, state, and national events, and was awarded her American degree. Megan participated in the Capstone Program and completed two Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE) as well. Her first SAE involved working at her local USDA-ARS station on Fescue and Kentucky Bluegrass research. Alongside this project, she also completed an entrepreneurship SAE by raising pigs to be sold at the Center County Grange Fair. Megan also brought her community into her high school Agricultural Education experience by putting on an Ag Science Fair. In the end, it was the collective work of Mr. Paul Heasley, Mrs. Myken Poorman, and her great grandparents Randall and Charlotte Albright who inspired her to pursue a career in teaching. "They all taught me what agriculture and education meant to them as well as the impact you can leave on the world through agriculture". 

When it came time for Megan to apply to colleges, she had been sold on the idea of pursuing her degree anywhere but at Penn State. "I have lived in State College my entire life so... I wanted to explore, get out of my home town and see what else the world had to offer". After some persuasion from her family however, Megan realized that while she had not chosen Penn State, Penn State chose her. Though she was hesitant to dive into the program at first, she was welcomed with open arms by her peers and the faculty of the Agricultural and Extension Education major. The atmosphere at Penn State made her feel like she was a part of something so much bigger than her home town and she delighted at the opportunity to travel and meet people from all over the world as a Teach Ag Avenger and member of L.E.A.D. Society. "I also had the opportunity to participate in some pretty amazing internships some involving research, others focusing on extension and educator development. I learned so much from these experiences from content knowledge, organizational skills, technology skills, as well as building relationships I plan to carry with me throughout my Ag Ed Journey." 

When the COVID-19 pandemic came along and disrupted her junior and senior year, Megan found that she was challenged in some interesting, but not necessarily negative ways. While she was no longer able to participate in in-person classes and events, her cohort tried to make the best of their situation by   channeling their inner Shania Twain when one of them needed to be reminded of how great they are. "Most importantly, we became creative in our thinking, lesson planning, and unit planning. Finding ways to engage with our cohort member during lab both in person and online as well as getting the most out of our activities and interest approaches. From creating an online game of Guess Who, participating in online observations of pets, or simply navigating what working in partners looks like over the computer. It forced us to find new ways to reach our students but it also created a spring board of ideas that we constantly were bouncing off of each other." 

In addition to challenging Megan to grow through the situation she found herself in during the pandemic, COVID- 19 also allowed her to become more familiar with Zoom. She was able to facilitate 4-H camp virtually this past summer and says, "This challenged me to think about what I could do with the resources typically found at home that members ages 8-18 would also have access to. There were lots of days of trial and error, many giggles, and a whole lot of fun. This experience I would say has had a huge part in my preparation for student teaching and I am grateful that Christine and Huntingdon County 4-H were willing to give me the opportunity." Getting familiar with different ways to reach students has allowed her to become confident in using technology in the classroom, which is one less task she needs to be anxious about when Student Teaching. 

Despite COVID-19's best efforts to bench Megan and the rest of the #psuaged21 cohort, she is Student Teaching at Athens Area High School with Mrs. Sarabeth Alderfer and Mr. David Steinfelt. "I picked this cooperating center for many reasons, but what I believed to me the most important was their focus on their students. In the crazy world we live in both Mr. Steinfelt and Mrs. Alderfer are incredibly focused on meeting the students’ needs, making sure they are properly prepared for life after high school whether that looks like a 2-year program, 4 year program, or entering directly into the workforce". In addition to being excited about the dedication they give to their students, Megan is looking forward to helping her cooperating center participate in different events through FFA, teaching her Shark Tank Unit in Ag Mechanics 2, and her veterinary science course. All of these things will push Megan out of her comfort zone, but she is up for the challenge and ready to learn. Looking forward to her internship, Megan admitted that she was most nervous for her first day as a Student Teacher because she wants to be respected by her students, but understands it takes time to earn the kind of respect that Mr. Steinfelt and Mrs. Alderfer receive. Overall, Megan hopes, "to learn classroom management and engagement skills with my students. Each student is different and navigating their needs is important to me so I hope, through this experience, I can better gain an understanding of what to do when various situations arise".

Going into her Student Teaching Experience, Megan recognizes that online teaching is difficult, because it’s hard to know where your students are at. However, she knows that online teaching will not be forever and her virtual experiences have only made her desire to be in the classroom stronger.  About her experiences with online teaching Megan states, "Ultimately, it reminded me of the big picture which is showing my students how much they can do with a little bit of knowledge".

When asked what her plans are after graduation, Megan jokes, "Hopefully a job". Though she is unsure of whether she would like to pursue a formal or non-formal position, since she has experience with both, she knows that she wants to look out of state for a job and take advantage of an opportunity to travel. Megan, your Ag Ed family is cheering you on as you run around the bases of your agricultural education experience. We know that your drive and dedication to your students will have you hitting home runs no matter where your takes you! Remember to take time to breath and enjoy your favorite quarantine snack, Middleswarth Barbeque Potato Chips. Be sure to stay up to date with Megan's Student Teaching Experience at Athens Area High School through her blog Megan's Crowning Moments https://meganforaday.blogspot.com/.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022

Madelyn Bentz Climbs Mountains for Agricultural Education

When the pandemic gave her a mountain to climb, this "little adventure every day" senior in Agricultural and Extension Education was glad she was no stranger to hiking. Where others may have stumbled on the uncertain path that COVID-19 carved out of her senior year, Madelyn (Maddie) Bentz made herself a cup of whipped coffee, laced up her hiking shoes, and started toward the top, preparing herself for her Student Teaching Experience and career after graduation. 

Maddie's journey in Agricultural Education began with her enrollment in Seacoast School of Technology in Exeter, New Hampshire. In this two-year program, Maddie learned everything plant and animal science from her Agricultural Educator Ms. Anne Demarco. She explains, "I came into Ag Ed and FFA not knowing much about agriculture, but through her, I was exposed to a whole new world that I fell in love with instantly". Alongside her classroom instruction, Maddie was an active member of her FFA chapter and competed in twelve different Career Development Events and Leadership Development Events. She also held five state titles in Agriculture Sales, Agriculture Communications, Horse Evaluation, Agriculture Issues, and Employment Skills. In addition to competing in events, Maddie was on the leadership team for her chapter, then served as Chapter President, was recognized as the Outstanding Chapter Officer her senior year, and was in the top four for Supervised Agriculture Experience placement for Equine Science. 

After a strong recommendation from Ms. Anne Demarco, Maddie decided to pursue an undergraduate degree at Penn State to become an Agricultural Educator. While at Penn State, she took part in three specific experiences that she feels greatly benefitted her as a future teacher. First, Maddie's role as a Shaver's Creek Outdoors School Counselor helped to revitalize her passion for experiential learning. Along with fifteen other counselors, she helped to educate fifth graders about the natural world. The second experience that helped to prepare her for her career was working as an Orientation Leader and Student Staff Coordinator for Penn State. Maddie says, "These two jobs have changed me for the absolute best and have reinforced my passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion, honed in my group facilitation skills, and refined my soft skills with communication and working with people in general". Lastly, Maddie was able to spend a week in Belize as an Agricultural and Extension Education student. This gave her the opportunity to understand indigenous, small holder farmer, large scale production, and global agriculture, equipping her with a unique perspective on the scale of the industry. With these three experiences to guide her, Maddie is ready to scale the next part of her journey in Agricultural Education; her Student Teaching Experience.

This spring alongside Ms. SaraBeth Fulton and Ms. Sherisa Nailor, Maddie will be Student Teaching at Big Spring High School. "I chose Big Spring because I was looking for a program that is strong in PA FFA so that I could understand FFA at the state and chapter levels, seeing as I am someone from out of state". While completing this experience, Maddie is looking forward to expressing her love of nature and natural systems by teaching a Fish and Wildlife class as well as getting hands on experience working with the Big Spring FFA chapter. After completing her Student Teaching Experience, Maddie hopes to get a teaching job somewhere in Pennsylvania. 

While COVID-19 has proved a challenge for Maddie by adding to her stress as a student and cancelling the trips seniors in the AEE major usually take, this social landslide has not kept her from taking advantage of extra time to create lesson plans. Additionally, she has been collecting virtual resources to use in the classroom. If anything, the pandemic has allowed Maddie to prepare for sudden changes to her Student Teaching Experience as she explains, "While I work on lessons I also find myself thinking about how I could adapt and change lessons to fit an online format and I jot down those thoughts on a separate document". Of course, despite being ready to adjust her trek up the mountain COVID-19 has put in her path, Maddie is looking forward to getting back to normal so she can hug her friends and family again. 

Above all, Maddie's Penn State Teach Ag! Family believes that her energy and heart will help her to conquer any mountains that she has to climb in her Agricultural Education journey. "The disparities that COVID-19 has brought to certain groups of people and communities has amplified my commitment to create inclusive space in the classroom for my students". Maddie, WE ARE proud of your commitment to inclusion, a trait that will help you to connect with students and make an impact in your school community. To follow the rest of Maddie's journey in Agricultural and Extension Education, tune into her blog "Bentz-er Days, Through Bentz-er Ways" at https://maddiebentz.blogspot.com/.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022

Elise Laudenslager Has Found Her Home In Agricultural Education

Heading out of quarantine full of ice pops, cooking practice, and a passion for agriculture, this senior in Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State has dodged quite a few COVID-19 curve balls and is ready to begin her Student Teaching Internship in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. 

Elise Laudenslager grew up in Pitman, Pennsylvania on a small, family-owned dairy. When she was eight years old, she joined 4-H and began a show rabbit project. After a few years, she also began raising and showing Dairy Beef at her local fair. Elise explains, "4-H taught me about the importance of record keeping, proper animal care, and became my first experience teaching others about agriculture". She participated in the Tri-Valley High School agriculture program and enjoyed being able to apply the real life experiences she was taking part in at home to the knowledge she was gaining in the classroom. Elise joined FFA and furthered her experience with Dairy Beef by completing an Entrepreneurship Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE). Through FFA she was also able to participate in many conferences, competitions, and a chapter officer position that helped her to grow as a leader and taught her about community.

After graduating high school, Elise decided to pursue a career as an Agricultural Educator. "I have always had a passion for agriculture. My family played a huge role in my understanding of the importance of agriculture to our everyday lives. Additionally, as I got older I realized I have a love for education, and I want to make an impact by being a role model to students and showing them their potential. Agricultural Education seemed to be the perfect way to merge both of my passions". In order to make this ambition a reality, Elise enrolled in Penn State's Agricultural and Extension Education program. "I chose Penn State for two main reasons. First, they offer fantastic Agricultural Education opportunities and have an extensive array of ag programs that could be tapped into along my journey. Secondly, from the first time I stepped onto Penn State’s campus I felt an overwhelming sense of community, and I knew this is a place I could call home for 4 years". During her time at Penn State, Elise has gotten to take part in a multitude of opportunities that have helped her along in her journey to teach. In addition to participating in an array of courses that helped to broaden her agricultural knowledge and better prepare her for classroom instruction, she has also had the opportunity to study abroad in Belize and Chile. "Those experiences have allowed me to see first-hand Agricultural and environmental practices and issues around the world". Through L.E.A.D. Society, Elise has been able to build lasting relationships with other pre-service Agricultural Educators and learn more about Agricultural Education in the United States through Domestic Study Away (DSA) in Montana and New England.

While she plans to continue her studies and complete her Master's Degree, Elise hopes to graduate and teach for a few years as a high school Agricultural Educator. In order to better prepare herself for life after college, she chose to complete her Student Teaching Internship with Mrs. Janae McMichael at Lampeter Strasburg High School. "I choose this program because they offer extensive Ag Mechanics courses and I really wanted to take time during my internship to strengthen those skills under an experienced teacher. I also felt that Mrs. McMichael would be a teacher that I would be able to work well with. She is very upbeat and supportive, but isn’t afraid to offer constructive criticism when it is needed". 

Just like many of the other individuals in her cohort, Elise is excited but nervous of how the current COVID-19 pandemic could negatively effect her Student Teaching experience. Despite these worries, Elise was able to learn how to adapt and persevere through the fall semester's social distancing and quarantine requirements. While she found it hard to maintain motivation in an ever changing environment online, Elise learned how to dodge the curveballs that the pandemic has thrown her way. "Being able to overcome challenges without being discouraged is a skill I will need going into my Student Teaching Internship and eventually a career in Agricultural Education". In addition to adapting to the current climate of society, Elise has been able to think about how to quickly change lessons to fit an online environment and has been collecting online education tools to help her students learn virtually.

While this past year has been challenging, Elise is more excited than ever to dodge those curveballs and dive into Student Teaching. Elise, WE ARE excited to see your growth this spring and are proud of the resilience you have shown this semester. Your ability to adapt and dedication to your future profession will bring you success no matter what comes your way. Be sure to keep up with her story in her blog "Elise's Educational Expedition" at eaged2021.blogspot.com.  

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022

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

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

May 2019 Student of the Month: Megan Royer (@Megyyy22)

Every month we recognize a student within the Agricultural and Extension Education program who has gone above and beyond as our Student of the Month. Sophomore Megan Royer has been selected as the May Student of the Month! Let’s dive into why we have chosen Megan to be the Student of the Month!

Megan is a current sophomore in the Agricultural and Extension Education major at Penn State with hopes to teach agricultural education in a high school. Her inspiration to become an agricultural educator came from her high school agriculture teacher Mr. Heasley. She had found a home in agricultural education and wanted to continue to be involved with that family after high school. "There I was able to mend my passion for Agriculture and my love for working with kids through different opportunities Mr. Heasley allowed for me to participate in." Megan's advice to incoming freshman is, "Call your mom, whether you live at home or you live on campus she's going to need those phones calls just as much as you will. It's okay to be homesick UP can be a scary place! Also, take every opportunity that take comes your way! Your first year on campus is going to be crazy but I can promise you stepping out of your comfort zone and trying new things will do you wonders. You will learn so much and make some amazing friends along the way!"

Megan is the LEAD Society Vice President, DSA Committee Chair, and a TeachAg Avenger. To learn more about Megan follow her on Twitter @Megyyy22

Fun Facts about Megan:

Hometown: State College, PA 

Graduation: 2021 

Birthday: December 30th 

Favorite PSU Class: AG 160 Ag Ethics with Dr. Robert Chiles

Favorite Place to Eat in State College: Rey Azteca 

Favorite Sports Team: Pittsburgh Pirates Go Bucs! 

Favorite Hangout place: My Mom's Office in the Dieke Building

Favorite thing at PSU: The flowers and landscaping, we have a beautiful campus

4H/FFA: I was a member of the State College Little Lions FFA Chapter where I served as Vice President my junior and senior year of high school. Along with serving on the officer team, I received my Keystone Degree in January 2017 and my American Degree in October 2018. 

Favorite Quote: " She is clothed in strength and dignity and laughs without fear of the future." - Proverbs 31:25

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team

Twitter Handle: @Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

#TeachAgPSU2NY

"Welcome to New York, It's been waiting for you..." - Taylor Swift. One of the many jams we listened to on the way to New York to visit an outstanding high school and elect New York FFA's National FFA Officer Candidate. 

Terra Ingram and Beth Mathie had taken six students in the Agricultural and Extension Education major to New York. Our first stop on Friday in the Empire State was at Tully Junior-Senior High School in Tully, NY. At the school, we were greeted by Mrs. Leann Jordan, the current Agriculture Teacher at the high school, and Mr. Terry Hughes, an extension support specialist at Cornell University. She had shown us around the program and talked with us about stepping into a program that has had a legacy. Mr. Hughes explained the process of becoming certified to teach in New York since it is different than Pennsylvania.

Our second stop was in Syracuse, NY at the New York State Fair Grounds. On Friday evening we had orientation/training on the process of selecting New York's NOC. Once we had finished up our training, Mr. Hughes treated us to a fantastic dinner at Dinosaurs Bar-B-Que. Absolutely wonderful food, check it out if you are ever in New York! 

Saturday was the big day! We held interviews with candidates for the majority of the day. Throughout the time we spent interviewing and deliberating, we all had ah-ha moments of what it is like running for a National FFA Officer position. "I ran for PA NOC in 2016, and I now realize why I would not have made a great candidate that year," Luke expressed. We all had learned a lot through this process and opened up our eyes to what we might experience as we train future state officers/national officer candidates. 

The group of students that went was Jess Barnhart, Luke Kerstetter, Megan Royer, Elise Laudenslager, Jill Palmer, and Adalyn Reed. We all enjoyed our time in New York, and had lots of fun with the dynamic duo Terra and Beth!

Luke Kerstetter
Communications Team

Twitter Handle: Luke_Kerstetter

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

82nd Annual Agriculture and Extension Education Banquet

On Tuesday April 24, 2018, LEAD Society hosted the 82nd Annual Agriculture and Extension Education Banquet. We had special guests that had attended which included; Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences Dr. Richard Roush, Associate Dean Dr. Tracy Hoover, keynote speaker Joshua Hersl, PA FFA State Officers Justin Kurtz, Thomas Gabel, and Nathan Moyer. 

Ali Emig, Sara Lang, Alicia Gates,
Megan Royer

Joshua Hersl

Throughout the night students were recognized for their accomplishments throughout the year. The students that were recognized were from each academic standing year. Our outstanding freshman was Megan Royer #psuaged21, sophomore Alicia Gates #psuaged20, junior Sara Lang #psuaged19, and senior Ali Emig. 

Alpha Tau Alpha Initiates

Alpha Tau Alpha, the National Professional Honorary Agricultural Education Organization, held an initiation ceremony for those students who qualified. Those students who were initiated were; Kaitlin Liszka, Rachel Bloom, Ryan Rupert, Macy Fisher, Angela Becker, Allyson Balmer, Lisa Boltz, Olivia Aten, and Karlie Wright. 

#psuaged18

The seniors had also gave a small presentation and thank you's to Dr. Daniel Foster, Dr. John Ewing, Dr. Kevin Curry, Ms. Terra Ingram, Ms. Beth Mathie, Mr. Jon Seaman, and Ms. Tiffany Morey. To end the night Dean Richard Roush had given his kind address and thank you for being invited to the banquet.

LEAD Society Leadership Team

#psuaged19

We thank everyone who had attended the banquet and hope to see you next year at the 83rd Annual Agriculture and Extension Education Banquet.

LEAD Society

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

May 2018 Student of the Month: Megan Royer (@Megyyy22)

Each month we like to highlight students that have gone above and beyond in their involvement in the agriculture education program at PSU! We are proud to announce that Megan Royer (@Megyyy22) was selected as May's Student of the Month! Let's learn about her adventure and accomplishments so far.

Megan is a freshman majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education with hopes of becoming an agricultural educator. Megan had began her freshman year of high school by taking an Introduction to Agricultural Sciences class. When she took that class it became apparent to her that it was the place for her. Megan's ambition to be an agriculture educator came from her high school agriculture teacher, Mr. Heasley. She had become aware of how much of an impact he made on some many students during his career as well as her. She stated, "He didn't just teach us about the importance of an industry that took care of everybody else, but he also taught us how to care for others, how to care for the land we live on, and for the community."

Megan is involved in LEAD Society, a TeachAg avenger, and the 2017-2018 Centre County Grange Fair Queen.


Fun Facts about Megan

Hometown: State College

Graduation: 2021

Birthday: December 30, 1998

Favorite PSU Class: AEE 100 with Dr. Curry

Favorite places to eat in State College: Myer's Dairy, Mexi Hots, and Chocolate Marshmallow ice cream are a must

Favorite athletics team/sport: Pittsburgh Pirates, Minnesota Vikings, South Carolina Gamecocks, Penn State

Favorite hangout on campus: Her mom's office in Deike Building or Ferguson 213

Favorite thing at PSU: Growing up in State College makes it feel like home. She was born bleeding Blue and White; from Little Lion to Nittany Lion

4H/FFA: Member of State College Little Lions FFA

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @Lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

Meet your new Teach Ag! Avengers!

Your 2018-19 Teach Ag! Avengers from L to R (starting at top):
Sam Loy, Victoria Herr, Kayla Rose Stauffer, Beth Winklosky,
Maddie Bentz, Erin Langdale, Alicia Gates, and Megan Royer.

We can all probably think back to our high school days and early college years, and remember a time where we might not have even had a clue of what we wanted to do with our lives yet. How did you ultimately decide what you wanted to do? Luckily, FFA members and agricultural students have the Teach Ag! Avengers to help them find out!

If you're currently an agricultural teacher or working in the agriculture industry, perhaps you had a conversation with one of our Avengers, sparking your interest in the field of agriculture. We're showcasing our 8 outstanding Teach Ag! Avengers, who are serving as the face of the Agricultural and Extension Education major for The Pennsylvania State University's 2018 - 2019 year. As Kayla Rose Stauffer puts it, the purpose of the Avengers is, "...to promote agriculture in a positive light and to help decrease the shortage of agricultural educators." 

Meet our 8 outstanding Teach Ag! Avengers, who are serving as the face of the Agricultural and Extension Education major for The Pennsylvania State University's 2018 - 2019 year:

Victoria Herr (@Victoria_Herr), #psuaged19

Why do I want to teach Ag?
"I want to teach agriculture because I saw the impact that my agricultural education teachers had on my own life and I want to pass that impact onto the next generation."

Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?
"I chose to serve as a Teach Ag! Avenger because I believe it is important to give back to the Ag Ed community. We've all been given so many opportunities and so much support during our time in Ag Ed and it's up to us to continue that cycle and give back by recruiting and supporting the younger members of our community."


Alicia Gates (@gates_alicia), #psuaged20

Why do I want to teach Ag?
"I want to teach Ag simply because I believe in the future of agriculture. I believe that to have a positive and growing future in the agricultural industry we need to educate generation after generation on the industry that puts the clothes on our back, the shelter over our heads, and the food on our plates."
Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?
"I wanted to be an avenger to help maximize my experience in the field of Ag Ed so that I can provide a valuable learning environment for my students someday."

Megan Royer (@Megyyy22), #psuaged21

Why do I want to teach Ag?
"I want to become an Agricultural Educator because of the impact my teacher and my Ag program has had on me. I learned so much about myself as well as other through my program and I would like to create that opportunity for other kids. Most importantly, I want to become an Ag Teacher because I want to teach kids and get kids excited not only about information and skills that will not only set them up for a bright future but also help those kids thrive in our ever-changing world."

Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?
"I chose to become an Teach Ag! Avenger because I wanted the opportunity to promote and discuss an occupation that needs everyone! More importantly, I wanted to stress that just because you may not fit into the typically cookie cutter outline of what most people would consider as Ag does not mean there is not a place for you, and here in Ag Ed we would be extremely happy for you to join us!"

Kayla Rose Stauffer (@krstauffer19), #psuaged19

Why do I want to teach Ag?
"I want to teach Ag to create a world where consumers understand where their products come from and not that they come from the shelf at the supermarket. I also want to teach Ag to reach out to those children that don't know what they want to do, and to explain the benefits of teaching agriculture."

Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?
"I chose to be a Teach Ag! Avenger to help reduce the shortage of agricultural educators. I also chose to be an avenger to show students the important of agricultural education and why agricultural education is a great career pathway to choose!"

Sam Loy (@samloy_ag), #psuaged21

Why do I want to teach Ag?
"I want to teach Ag because I believe it's one of the only subjects you can teach that directly prepares students for a world outside high school, through the knowledge of where their food comes from, CDE's, and the multitude of different subjects (math, bio, chemistry) covered by Ag."

Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?
"I chose to be a Teach Ag! Avenger because I want to help directly impact youth in FFA programs around Pennsylvania while furthering my teaching and professional skills."


Elizabeth Winklosky (@Winklosky_Beth), #psuaged19

Why do I want to teach Ag?
"I like the individuality and the impact that I have on a part of each student's lives."

Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?
"This is where we can get other people to feel the same passion that I do. Many people don't know what they want to do until it happens, and that's exactly what happened with me, so I want to be there to let them know that teaching Ag is an option for them!"


Erin Langdale (@ItsErinLangdale), #psuaged20

Why do I want to teach Ag?

"Simply put: we ALL need agriculture to survive. By 2050, there will be over 9 billion people living on this planet, and it’s the challenge of agriculturalists, to figure out how we will provide enough nutritious food for everyone. Agricultural education not only informs people of that fact, but it shows students how they play an active role in the agriculture industry. It is vital that all people be knowledgeable of where there food comes from, and agricultural education is a huge factor of informing the general public about the agriculture industry."

Why am I a Teach Ag! Avenger?

"Agricultural education is something that I am so passionate about, and being a Teach Ag! Avenger, means getting to spread that passion to others. I thought that being a Teach Ag! Avenger would be a great opportunity to represent Agricultural Education, and Penn State (two things I love so much). I also decided to become a Teach Ag! Avenger, because it would give me valuable experience in advocacy, and sharing my story in agriculture."

Maddie Bentz, #psuaged21

The Avengers are attending each weekend of the ongoing PA FFA ACES Conference, held February 3rd - 4th, 10th - 11th, and 17th - 18th, to engage with current high school FFA members, recruit for the Agricultural and Extension Education major, and answer any questions students may have about a future career that creates a positive impact on the lives of students across the globe.

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