Congratulations Karlie Wright #psuaged18 member Hired!

Congratulations Karlie Wright! Ms. Wright a #psuaged18 cohort member has recently been hired at West Greene Middle/Senior High School in Waynesburg, PA. 

While Karlie was attending Penn State University she was involved with Collegiate FFA as an undergraduate student and TeachAg! as a graduate student. She had student taught at Fort Cherry High School. At Fort Cherry she taught Introduction to Agriculture, Advanced Leadership and Communications, Animal Science, Floral Design, Vet Science, and Horticulture. One interesting lesson that she taught was a community based unit in which students built raised garden beds that would be installed between the high school and elementary school. The lesson also included the high school students teaching the elementary students a lesson on raised garden beds.

In her new position at West Greene High School she will be teaching Intro to Agriculture, Animal Science, Biotechnology, Horticulture, Vet Science, Agricultural Leadership, Agribusiness, as well as an 8th grade agriscience course. West Greene is a small school so it is supported by the community heavily. The graduation class size is 40-50 students and the district covers about half of Greene County! The West Greene agriculture program has been around for at least 70 years. It has also been ran by Bryon Hughes and then his son Curt Hughes took over 31 years ago. Karlie states, "This program has produced many successful tradesman and college students over the years. People still talk about their time spent in these classrooms and what it meant to them while they were in school and what it still means to them now – and what they hope it will mean to their children...Let’s just say, for as small of a program as it may be, I have some high expectations to meet and big shoes to fill." 

She also provides words of advice for those looking into becoming an agricultural educator, "Go with your heart. Stay you. Make every situation positive. Always keep searching for your WHY." As Dr. Seuss once said, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose.” 

Congratulations Karlie! We are excited to see how you prepare the next several generations with the skills they will need to become that next experience professional.

 Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

#TeachAgDSA18 - Tying it all Together

One for the Books

Well, we can wrap this Domestic Study Away trip up as one for the books. We sent 15 people out to represent @TeachAgPSU at schools and industries across the New England states (except Maine). What was especially unique about this trip is that no participants on this trip have ever been on a DSA trip before. Additionally, we have come together from commonwealth campuses, main campus, and a graduate to embark on this journey.

We started our trip out in Connecticut with a #PSUAgEd14 alum - Mr. Tyler Cremeans (@TCMeanAgEd14). We continued up the coast - stopping at the beach for those who had never seen the ocean. We went to Massachusetts and had some cultural immersion in Boston! We spent Wednesday continuing with our theme of #PSUAgEd14 with another alum - Mr. Michael Petrun (@PetrunMichaelG) in New Hampshire. Finally, we toured the wonderful state of Vermont - taking in its beauty as we completed our industry tours and last program tour. Check out our other blogs for the week for more details.

The differences in agriculture in the New England really surprised a lot - in addition to how they incorporate that into school-based agriculture programs. Most of the programs we saw focused on helping students to become ready for both industry and college. They work hard to make sure students truly own their programs, are held responsible, and develop employability skills that are sought out. We also had the chance to talk to employers during our industry tours about what they think students are lacking when they come to work for him. To sum it up, he said that they are lacking basic life skills and being able to "get dirty". 

Once we get back, we are excited to use the information we learned this week as part of the rest of our education, student teaching, and in our future classrooms. Students from this trip will be returning for more conferences, internships, job (or looking for jobs), and summer classes. Holding true this entire trip, the agriculture field is a family. Whether it is a high school, a family business, or a family business turned large corporation, or the #TeachAgDSA18 participants, it does not take long to work together and act as if we have always known each other.

Be sure to check out our last video recap of Day Four!

We could not complete this transformative learning experience without the incredible support of our partners including The Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators, The Penn State Center for Professional and Personnel Development, and the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences. 

Karlie Wright
@Wright_KarlieM
#psuaged18

Guest Blogger for the 6th Annual Domestic Study Away - #TeachAgDSA18

#psuaged18 Final Presentations Schedule

What an exciting time of the year! As the fall semester winds down and comes to an end, it's time for the final presentations from our outstanding #psuaged18 members! 

You're welcome to join in watch their presentations via Zoom connection as they show what they learned through their past three and a half years at Penn State!

Our 11 members of #psuaged18 standing at the Nittany Lion Shrine.

What are the presentations about?

The presentations are meant to be a holistic overview of total preparation expiring, but they also represent the final for the following 13 credits of courses:

·        AEE 295 (3) – Early Field Experiences in Agricultural Education

·        AEE 350 (3) – Teaching Methods in Agricultural Education Laboratories

·        AEE 412 (4) – Teaching Methods in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences

·        AEE 413 (3) – Program Planning in Agricultural Education

Each candidate is allocated 1 hour. Of that one hour, 30 minutes is provided for public presentation and the 30 minutes is utilized for individual consultation/discussion with the agricultural teacher education panel. Time will be provided for questions and answers as part of the public presentation. Questions are accepted from both the face-to-face audience as well as the virtual audience.

The candidates have been asked to answer the following three essential questions as part of their public presentation:

Question I – Who do I aspire to be as a teacher? 

Description: The teacher candidate will present an overview of the type of teacher they aspire to be. Teacher candidate will share their fundamental beliefs and philosophy as well as evidencing their comprehension and integration of a total agricultural education program.

Question II – What experiential education opportunities have I engaged in to become a better agricultural educator?

Description: The teacher candidate will present relative coursework, internships, study abroad experiences, and life experiences that helped prepare them to be an agricultural educator. The key for the candidate to draw the connections from the experiences to how it will help them succeed in the agricultural education profession.

Question III- How am I prepared to maximize my student teaching internship opportunity?

Description The teacher candidate will show evidence of planning completed to be prepared to best serve the secondary students of the cooperating center.

#psuaged18 Final Presentation Schedule

Wednesday, December 13th

9:00am         Rose Cowan, @Cowan_Rosalind

Professional Blog: Grace & Growth 

Internship Location:            Penn Manor HS (Millersville, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Neil Fellenbaum, @NeilFell

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/406185396 [+1 669 900 6833 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 406 185 396]

10:15am       Angela Becker, @BeckerAngelaM

Professional Blog: Inches to Acres: Teaching to Grow 

Internship Location:            Manheim Central HS (Manheim, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Deb Seibert

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/278828215 [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 278 828 215]

11:30am       Karlie Wright, @Wright_KarlieM

Professional Blog: Karlie Writes

Internship Location:            Fort Cherry HS (McDonald, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:         Jodie Hoover, @HGParkinsonFFA

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/294109116 [+1 669 900 6833 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 294 109 116]

1:15pm         Macy Fisher, @Macy_Fisher

Professional Blog: Macy's Moments

Internship Location:            Selinsgrove HS (Selinsgrove, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Valerie Fry, @ValSFry

Zoom Connection:               https://psu.zoom.us/j/603171146 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 603 171 146]

2:30pm         Allyson Balmer, @Allyson_Balmer

Professional Blog: The Agrication Station

Internship Location:            Tri-Valley HS (Hegins, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:         Gretchen Dingman

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/733802451; [+1 669 900 6833 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 733 802 451]

3:45pm         Michala Kuhlman, @Kuhlman_M40

Professional Blog: The Chronicles of Becoming an Ag Teacher

Internship Location:           Central Columbia HS (Danville, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:         Curt Turner

Zoom Connection:             https://psu.zoom.us/j/350629115 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 350 629 115]

Thursday, December 14^th

9:00am         Heather Wasson, @heatwasson

Professional Blog:  From the Plow to the Owl

Internship Location:            Cowanesque Valley HS (Westfield, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Marty Heyler

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/979627927 [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 979 627 927]

10:15am       Halee Wasson, @Wasson_Halee

Professional Blog:  Rooted in Agriculture

Internship Location:             Derry Area HS (Derry, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:           Roy Campbell

Zoom Connection:               https://psu.zoom.us/j/497123380 [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 497 123 380]

11:30am       Katie Smith, @KatieLady1995

Professional Blog: Emu's in Pre-K! My Ag Ed Adventure

Internship Location:            Northwest HS (Shickshinny, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Anthony Honeycutt, @thehoneyowl

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/434509673 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 434 509 673]

1:15pm         Cheyenne Myers, @MyersCheyenneN

Professional Blog: Galloping Into Ag Ed

Internship Location:            Kennard Dale HS (Fawn Grove, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Abigail Cornett, @AbigailSSmith

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/189541741   [+1 646 876 9923 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 189 541 741]

3:45pm         George Dietrich, @TheGeorge4H

Professional Blog: From Green Blazers To Blue Corduroys

Internship Location:            Cumberland Valley HS (Mechanicsburg, PA);

Cooperating Teacher:          Darla Romberger, @DJR_131

Zoom Connection:              https://psu.zoom.us/j/864454949 [+1 408 638 0968 (US Toll); Meeting ID: 864 454 949]

Hunter Kauffman, Student Blogger

Wildlife and Fisheries Science

College of Agricultural Sciences

Email: hlk5120@psu.edu

Instagram: kauffman_hunter

November 2017 Student of the Month: Karlie Wright (@Wright_KarlieM)

Every month, we like to highlight students that have gone above and beyond in the Agriculture Education program at PSU! We are proud to announce that Karlie Wright was selected as the November Student of the Month! Lets learn about her story and accomplishments so far.

Karlie is a Post Baccalaureate student seeking for certification in AEE. She had graduated from Penn State in 2014 with a B.S. in Agricultural Sciences and a minor in Environmental Soil Science. After she gets her certification in AEE this spring she plans to obtain a teaching position in Agricultural Education. Her story is a little bit different from most students at Penn State. She states, "If you would have asked me 10 years ago, 3 years ago, or even 1 year ago, do you want to be a teacher? I would have simply replied, absolutely not. I only wanted to "teach" in non-formal ways - workshops, being a 4-H leader, or CDE/LDE coach. However, my thoughts and mind have been open by people I look up too and experiences I have had at my job for the County Conservation District." 


She wants to make an impact in students' lives, and that is what had kept her motivated to become certified to teach agriculture. She simply exclaims, "Whether I get an agricultural education teaching job close to home, become an extension agent, or end up later down the road teaching another subject, I will be carrying out my dream – wherever God takes me." 

Fun Facts:
Outside of Class Activities: Teach Ag Society
Hometown: Waynesburg, PA
Birthday: April 22, 1992
Favorite PSU Class: Undergraduate Studies - Soils Morphology/Currently AEE 350
Favorite Place to Eat in State College: Home delivery; Texas Roadhouse
Favorite Athletics Team/Sport: PSU Football

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher