#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

September and October 2017 Students of the Month: Allyson Balmer (@allyson_balmer) and Macy Fisher (@macy_fisher)

Every month, we like to highlight students that have gone above and beyond in the Agriculture Education department! We are excited to announce that Allyson Balmer (@allyson_balmer) was selected as the student of the month for September, and Macy Fisher (@macy_fisher) was selected for the month of October. Let's learn about their accomplishments so far:

Allyson Balmer (@allyson_balmer)

Allyson is currently a senior majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education. She plans to graduate in the spring of 2018. Her interest came from growing up on her family's dairy farm, where she says she has been instilled with the desire to teach others about agriculture. Being an agricultural educator is a great passion of hers. "Today's society is so far removed from the farm and it is my responsibility, as a future educator, to develop well-informed consumers." 

Allyson is pretty busy outside of the classroom, being the reporter for Collegiate FFA, as well as a member of Teach Ag! Society, the Dairy Chairman and Livestock Committee member of the Manheim Community Farm Show, and a 4-H Leader for the Lebanon County Cedar Crest 4-H Dairy Club. 

Fun Facts about Allyson:
Hometown: Manheim, PA
Birthday: July 10th
Favorite PSU Class: AEE Classes and AGECO 154
Favorite Place to Eat in State College: Hands-down, Panda Express and Chick-fil-A
Favorite Athletic Team/Sport: Penn State and the New England Patriots
Favorite Thing about PSU: "The one aspect about Penn State that I really like and think is unique is how much EVERY student shows pride in the university. Whether there is a home football game or the middle of the week, Penn State students create a great atmosphere of camaraderie and school spirit."  

Macy Fisher (@macy_fisher)

Macy Fisher is currently a senior majoring in Agriculture and Extension Education, also graduating in the spring of 2018. Her passion for agriculture stemmed from her upbringing on her family's dairy farm. By the time she entered high school, she instantly became dedicated to her agriculture program and the FFA. Ms. Fisher says that she was inspired by her agriculture teacher, and she motivated her to want to teach agriculture. "Knowing that I not only wanted to be an Ag teacher, but to be the best Ag teacher I could be, I knew that I had to come to Penn State." She also speaks of Penn State's AEE department, saying, "I knew that they would prepare me in the best ways possible to go out and cultivate the young minds of future leaders." 

Outside of classes, Macy is currently the Jr. Adviser of Collegiate FFA, a member of Teach Ag! Society and Dairy Science Club, as well as an assistant leader for Beyond the Barn 4-H Club and Coach for the Captain Jack FFA Square Dance. 

Fun Facts about Macy:
Hometown: McVeytown, PA
Birthday: February 14th
Favorite PSU Class: AEE 350 and ANSC 225
Favorite Place to Eat in State College: Wings Over and Texas Roadhouse
Favorite Thing about PSU: "I love how the staff and professors in our department are so dedicated to student success.  Not only are they helping us to strive academically but they are also always there to help us with stress, worries, concerns; they really listen to us!"

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 

The Pennsylvania State University

Email: hlk5120@psu.edu
Instagram: kauffman_hunter

Honoring the @TeachAgPSU Legacy: Ed Yoder

Guests gather and listen to the kind
words spoken about Dr. Yoder.

On June 14, 2017 during the PA FFA State Convention, the Penn State Ag Ed (@TeachAgPSU) family gathered to celebrate Dr. Ed Yoder  and recognize him for his dedication and vast contributions to the Agricultural Education field. Dr. Yoder will retire from Penn State as a Professor of Agriculture and Extension Education after having served 49 years in the profession .

Dr. Yoder not only was showered in praises for his work and past stories of inspiration at a retirement party hosted by fellow faculty, but he will forever have a keepsake in the form of a scrapbook that has touching memories and words of adornment from co-workers, past students and industry leaders.

Dr. Radhakrishna speaks about Dr. Yoder's impact on his career.

Secretary Redding speaks about Dr.
Yoder's  contributions to the Commonwealth.

Following the cheerful reception, Dr. Yoder was recognized at the 88th Pennsylvania State FFA Convention.  He received his Honorary FFA Degree which goes to individuals who have demonstrated outstanding service and support to agriculture education and the FFA.  This is a prestigious award in our state and only those who have been nominated and approved can receive this honor.  This was not the end of the celebration of just how much Dr. Yoder has influenced and contributed to agriculture education over the years. 

Pennsylvania Secretary of Agriculture, Russell Redding also presented Dr. Yoder with a Citation in recognition of his career. This Citation recognized Dr. Yoder as a distinguished member of not only Penn State but of the agriculture education family.  His career embodied research, education and science committed to meeting the challenges in agriculture education.He has taught hundreds, possibly thousands, of students through his career, one of which being the Secretary Of Agriculture himself, Russell Redding.  As a stadium filled with over 1475 FFA members, advisors and guests watched this great and noble educator receive his award, Russell Redding proclaimed the impacts he has felt from Dr. Yoder.  "As your student, which I consider myself even today, I can only be inspired by the legacy you leave and know that other you have impacted feel the same measure of appreciation for their experiences. 

Powerful photo of Three generations of PSU AEE Majors:
(L) Libby Baker-Mikesell (C) Secretary Russell Redding
(L) Dr. Ed Yoder)

Dr. Yoder was presented this Citation with Secretary of Agriculture Russell Redding, 1982 Penn State graduate in Ag Ed, on one side and Pennsylvania State FFA President Libby Baker-Mikesell, incoming Penn State freshman in Ag Ed, on the other side.  This was a truly motivating and inspiriting moment of the convention.  We wish Dr. Yoder well in all of his future endeavors and are elated and proud to always have him as part of our PSU Ag Ed Family.  In the words of  Russell Redding, "When I think of Penn State as our land grant and the difference this institution and its people can make in the lives of students, you are perhaps its greatest example." 

Macy Fisher, Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @macy_fisher

#psuaged18 member

2018 Selinsgrove Student Teacher

Guest Blog: 5th Annual Domestic Study Away Day Six: "Seeking through Service"

Editor's Note:What is a Domestic Study Away? A Domestic Study Away (DSA) is a non-credit experience that is 100% Student-Developed and Student-led. The Penn State Teach Ag! Society runs where a group of students travel to a State to explore the following:

1. What does #AgEdu look like in other states? How is the total model of school-based agricultural education (Classroom Instruction, Youth Leadership Development <FFA> and Work-based learning <SAE>) uniquely provided?

2. Who are the #AgEdu Stakeholders in the state? Specifically, what agricultural industry is being served?

3. A unique yearly selected professional development topic! For #psuaged2WI, it is "Gender in the Agriculture Industry, Agricultural Classroom and Agricultural Education Profession.

You can virtually-engage with this experience by reading and commenting on the daily blogs and following the experience on Twitter and Facebook with our hashtag #PSUAgEd2WI. We could not complete this transformative learning experience with out the incredible support of our partners including: The Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators, The Wisconsin Team Ag Ed, The Penn State Center for Professional and Personnel Development and the Penn State College of Agricultural Sciences Student Activities Fund.

This is a series of blogs capturing reflections from each day of the experience by one of the participants. Below is the sixth day reflections of Macy Fisher (@macy_fisher), a member of the #psuaged18 cohort. Macy will be completing her student teaching internship with Ms. Valerie Fry of the Selinsgrove Agriscience Program in Selinsgrove, Pa. The reflection focus is the sixth official day of DSA visiting LaClare Dairy Goat Farm, Bonlander Furs Mink Ranch, an afternoon full of service learning projects and finishing the night at a Wisconsin Supper Club.

Clara Hedrich, retired from #AgEdu after 39 years and
owner of LaClara Farm

On Saturday May 13th, we began our daily adventures at LaClare Dairy Goat Farm which is owned by Larry and Clara Hedrich and four of their children. The farm began in 1978 when they purchased 22 acres to start a small dairy goat herd for their children to show through 4-H. After Larry working in construction and Clara teaching Agriculture Education for 39 years, they decided to stay home and expand their operation. In 1996, they decided to purchase milking machines and in the following years kept adding more and more to their farm. In 2008 was when their very first batch of cheese was created named Evalon. This cheese won LaClare Farms their very first award as the United State Champion Cheese, raising above all other dairy and goat cheese to take the title. Each of their children were given the same opportunity to return to the farm however they had to first receive a college education and then work for someone else for 2 years before they could return home. This is when they had their son, Greg, and three of their daughters, Anna, Jessica, and Kate, all realized that they wanted to come back home and make their farm flourish. In 2012, ground was broke at their current location where they have the milk facility, retail store, and all the equipment to produced their cheeses as well as the holding barn for their milking herd of 900 goats. The head consists of 4 different breeds of goats: Nubians, Alpines, Saanen, Toggenburg. For every 1 cow that a dairy farm milks, it takes 10 dairy goats to milk the equivalency. Before heading to our next destination, Clara left us with some things to reflect on. “Work smart and always be on the cutting edge that way you are known for something but don’t try to come in on your first day of teaching a try to save the world, ease your way into the back door. Ag teachers are unique, we get to do what we teach, how many English teachers have published a book?”

   

As we thought about what Clara had told us, we traveled not far down the road to the Bonlander Furs Mink Ranch. This is a family ran mink ranch that started in 1978. They originally had a chicken operation, however the mink farms in the surrounding areas would have an occasional mink get loose which would travel to the chicken farm in search of food. After catching several of the these wandering minks and talking to other local mink ranchers, the Bonlander’s decided to try their hand at raising minks. This made them the 5th mink farm in an 8 mile radius.


The farm currently has 850 females all of which have just had babies. Minks can have anywhere between 3 and 14 babies! Each mink is kept in its own separate cage with a nesting box for their babies. Babies are born with no hair and are about the size of a pinkie finger; they quickly grow to be chubby, furry babies who can be separated from their mothers after 6 to 8 weeks. The most valuable pelts will be found on minks that are are up to 2 years in age. The pelts are sold on average for $40/pelt at an auction in Canada where most are bought by China to be made into mink coats, jackets, hat and other various clothing. It takes on average 50 male pelts or 90 female pelts just to make one jacket that will be sold for $10,000.00! Minks are also so used for musk and colognes and also water proof oil used on boots and leather. All of us were amazed by this unique industry and learned that Wisconsin is the number one producer of mink in the United States!

In the afternoon, we headed to the local church to start our Service Learning Activities. We started by learning about the Holyland Food Pantry. The church used the empty parsonage building and set up the pantry like a store. Local businesses donated shelving, refrigerators, and freezers as well as many food products. There are also several donation locations where community members can drop off any food that can be used at the pantry. Donations can also be given through the mail carrier. Every house is given a bag that can be filled and then hung on the mailbox which is then brought to the pantry. Local farmers also give ground beef, milk, eggs and butter that families can take. Anyone is welcome to come each month to the “shopping day” where families are given a number and are called one at a time to shop individually. The pantry is always in need of donations, especially bottled water and will always accept a helping hand to volunteer.

We also learned about the Pens for Hens project which was started as by the local FFA members. They used the idea for the National Ag Sales contest where chicken pens would be build in Haiti using the metal and wood scraps that are readily available in the small towns and villages. The idea flourished and now local chapters build their own pens and auction them off. The proceeds are then sent to Haiti for villages to continue to construct pens. We also learned from a town carpenter about how to construct a lending library. He taught us the tricks and tips of how to construct these small boxes that serve as a library. The kids in the community can come and take a book to read and return it or any other book back to the library.

The interesting service learning project was the final one of the day where we were helping to restore the cemetery. Some of us were using Ammonia and soapy water to clean old head stones that you could not longer read, while others were helping to unearth fallen headstones that were buried in inches of soil. The stones were the placed in a bed of pebbles and cleaned. Many of us were inspired by this project and knew that we wanted to do the same process at cemeteries back home.
We ended our day by going to a Wisconsin Famous Supper Club. None of us had ever experienced a Supper Club before and were not sure what to expect. This is a long time tradition in Wisconsin and we had to go to one before we left! The Supper Club we attended was Jim and Linda’s Lakeview Supper Club which sits right on the edge of Lake Winnebago. We were able to mingle and converse with many of the people we had met during our week thus far including our superstar hosts who planned our week and connected us with each stop of our DSA trip. After enjoying our meals, some of our group decided to climb the tower that sits outside the Supper Club. From the top, you have an amazing view out over the lake. As the evening came to an end, our group decided to sit and watch the sunset on the lake. We had a time to just sit, think and reflect on how far we had come in the short week. It was a peaceful and relaxing way to end the day.

Day 6 gave us a new outlook on what our students and programs can do for our communities and how to serve others. I stand by the saying of many hand make little work, and today as instilled that in each of us. We all are refreshed and full of bright new ideas of how as an Agriculture Educator we can help our students to become helping hands in the world. We would like to thank everyone who mad our day successful and are grateful of the stories and advice shared with us though out the day!

Check out our Day six video created by Lisa Boltz (@BoltzLisa).  Lisa is a member of the 2019 teacher cohort at Penn State (#psuaged18).  

TO READ MORE ABOUT OUR #PSUAGED2WI ADVENTURES, SEE:

• Day 1 - We are going on an #AgEdu Adventure by @TheGeorge4H 
• Day 2 - Student Ownership by @BeckerAngelaM
• Day 3 - Classrooms, Cranberries and Connections by @BoltzLisa
• Day 4 - Cultivating Knowledge, Connections and Inclusion by @allyson_balmer
• 5th Annual Domestic Study Away Day Four: "Cultivating Knowledge, Connections, and Inclusion" by @allyson_balmer
• 5th Annual Domestic Study Away Day Five: "Community is Key to Success" by @Kuhlman_m40 (Michala Kuhlman)

Macy Fisher

#psuaged18

@macy _ fisher