December 2017 Program of the Month: Bald Eagle High School

All across the great state of Pennsylvania there are 145 school districts that have Agriculture Education courses and the FFA program. Each month we like to highlight a chapter that has stood out from the rest. December's program of the month goes to Bald Eagle High School, Bald Eagle FFA Chapter.

Background Knowledge:
The current agricultural educators at Bald Eagle are Mr. Todd Biddle, Mr. Jade Thompson, and Ms. Morgan Campbell. The program was charted on January 12, 2012, and had not been a charter for over 30 years prior to that date. The students that were interested in learning about agriculture attended State College's program, and as that number grew the district decided to start a General  Agriculture program. Bald Eagle has a three period forestry program to train students for that industry.

Classroom Instruction:
The current offered of courses are Introduction to Agriculture, Animal Production, Animal Science, Horticulture, Agriculture Mechanics, Forestry Production (wildlife management taught within), and Agriculture Leadership. They have expanded animal science offering this year for those who have strong ambitions toward animal agriculture. All of the teachers have general science and biology certifications, and have taught science courses at Bald Eagle currently or in the past. Mr. Thompson had started the program in 2012, Mr. Biddle has been teaching agriculture for five year, and this year is Ms. Campbell's first year. Some innovations that are being implemented are producing and drying the lumber that the woodshed students will use since they have their own sawmill. There is also talk about selling the lumber to other local school districts.

FFA Accomplishments:
Bald Eagle FFA had earned the two star National Chapter Award in both 2016 and 2017. Their application has ranked in the top 10 within Pennsylvania for the past three years. The students are also very successful in area agricultural competitions with winners and winning teams in ag sales, forestry, poultry judging, livestock evaluation, public speaking, etc. At PA Farm Show the students also have done very well with tractor restoration, landscape box, window exhibits, and youth rabbit competitions. The chapter has received several grants that have allowed them to establish a pollinator garden on campus that is affiliated with the Snetsinger Butterfly garden at Tudek Park. The FFA chapter has worked with local state agriculture clubs as sites for agriculture conferences.

SAE Accomplishments:
Since 2012, Bald Eagle has had 14 students earn their Keystone Degrees. Seven of those students will receive their degree this year. In 2016-2017 one of the students was the state winner in goat production efficiency area, and scored silver at the national level.

Bald Eagle is a newer program, but still producing fantastic results from their short time as a chartered program! We are excited to see where your program will go in future years. Congratulations on being program of the month!

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

Luke Kerstetter

Communications Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

November 2017 Program of the Month: State College Little Lions

All across the great state of Pennsylvania there are 145 school districts that have Agriculture Education courses and the FFA program. Each month we like to highlight a chapter that has stood out from the rest. November's program of
the month goes to State College Area High School, Little Lions FFA Chapter.

Background Knowledge
State College Area High School's first Agricultural Educator was Edwin Dale in 1929, and since then there has been five others who have or are currently teaching at State College. Those include Robert Smith, Donald Cross, Dave Seamans, Paul Heasley, and Jessica Harpster. Former students that have went through the program at State College that are now teachers are Matthew Rider, Allison Hover, and Morgan Campbell, and previous student teachers are Jennifer-Stinglin-Keefer and Lydia Everhart. 

Classroom Instruction
In the classroom the students have a choice of four career paths which include Animal Sciences, Plant Sciences, Natural Resources, and Ag Mechanics. Some of the courses offered are Ag Science I, Exploring Ag Science, Large Animal Science, Equine Science, Horticulture, Landscaping, Agroecosystems, Wildlife, Ag Mech Construction, and Ag Mech Power. Some innovation that they have done in the classroom include production of hydroponic plants using Dutch Bucket System and Aeroponic system in their greenhouse. They also had processed and marketed 220 bottles of the hot sauce the developed its name is rather interesting, "Peachy Sweet Raspberry Heat."

FFA Accomplishments
State College Little Lions FFA Chapter has been successful in recent months with their 4th place Poultry Judging Team at the Eastern States Exposition, receiving a $3,000 donation to the chapter, and Justin Kurtz, a student, who was elected to a Pennsylvania FFA State Officer position.


SAE Accomplishments
Their recent SAE accomplishments are four students are currently completing work placement experiences and all 16 new freshman are entering SAE records into the AET record book system. 

State College Little Lions are thriving and accomplishing great things! We look forward to seeing what all your program will produce in the future as for the innovative thinking that you have now!

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

Luke Kerstetter

Communication Team Member

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher

March 2017 Program of the Month: Manheim Central (@ManheimFFA)

All across the great state of Pennsylvania there are 145 school districts that have Agriculture Education courses and the FFA program. Each month we like to highlight a chapter that has stood out from the rest of the chapters. March's program of the month goes to Manheim Central High School, also know as the Manheim FFA Chapter.

Background History
Maneiem Central has had an agriculture program since 1938; specializing in agriculture science, agriculture mechanics, and environmental science. The past agriculture educators at Manheim Central  have been Chip Axe, Cecil Lohr, Bart Gill, and Kim Darr. Manheim is a three teacher department with Mrs. Deb Seibert with 31 years of teaching, Mrs. Heather Anderson with 23 years of teaching, and Mr. Jonathan Werning with 8 years of teaching.

The Agriculture Program
Manheim Central specializes in three areas to meet the needs of students in this area of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. To also aid in helping the students grow Mrs. Seibert, Mrs. Anderson, and Mr. Werning encourage them to begin or explore more in depth Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAEs). The students often have Entrepreneurship SAEs that focus on livestock projects. Placement projects often deal with a job the student holds, and exploratory projects are for students who aren't sure where their interests in agriculture lie. Manheim FFA is known to participate in CDE's but students excel in Agriculture Sales, Farm Business Management, Horse Judging, Agriculture Mechanics, and Small Gas Engines. Each team representing Manheim FFA at the 2016 State FFA Convention placed in the top five for their respective CDE's. The educators plan to innovate by always being open minded to new ideas, as well as reviewing their program of activities to help find out what is working, what needs improved, and what new things can we do.

Recent Accomplishments
Over the course of this year Manheim has had accomplishments with both SAE's and FFA. Their SAE accomplishments include two Keystone Degree recipients and five Red Rose Degree recipients.  The Red Rose Degree is a county degree. Also this past year at State Activities Week, Manheim had the state winning CDE teams for Agriculture Sales and Farm Business Management, second place team in Horse Evaluation, and Ms. Sarah Gonzalez was elected to serve as the 2016-2017 State FFA Secretary.

This agriculture program and FFA chapter certainly are doing great things, and accomplishing at high levels. We are proud have such strong agriculture education programs in Pennsylvania!
To find out more about Manheim Central's agriculture program visit their web pages: http://manheimag.org/, http://manheimffa.theaet.com or follow them on twitter @ManheimFFA

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

 Luke Kerstetter

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

February 2017 Program of the Month: Columbia Montour AVTS

All across the great state of Pennsylvania there are 145 school districts that have Agriculture Education courses and the FFA program. Each month we like to highlight a chapter that has stood out from the rest of the chapters. February's program of the month goes to Columbia Montour Area Vocational-Technical School or otherwise know as the Columbia Montour A.V.T.S. Chapter!

Background Knowledge
Columbia Montour A.V.T.S has a single teacher Agriculture Program located in Bloomsburg, PA. The first agriculture program was started in 1969 at the inception of the CTC. Two teachers had taught the program prior to Miss Appleman. John McAllister was the first teacher of the program then Tim Mauk took over the program and retired in 2014. This is Miss Appleman's third year teaching the program at Columbia Montour A.V.T.S.

Class Instruction

The school is a comprehensive career and technical center which means, after the students initial freshman year they select a vocational program and commit their last three years to that specific program. The CTC offers seventeen vocational training programs, in addition to the comprehensive academic course load.  Students attend Columbia Montour A.V.T.S. from seven sending school districts. Miss Appleman's agriculture program operates on the Applied Horticulture CIP code but she also educates the students in the following areas: Advanced Botany, Advanced Soil Science, Plant Propagation Methods, Safe Tractor and Machinery Operations, Landscape Drafting and Design, Masonry and Hardscape, Small Gas Engines, Introduction to Plumbing and Electricity, Greenhouse Productions Sustainable Technologies (Aquaponics and Hydroponics), Integrated Pest Management, Turfgrass Science, and Introduction to Leadership and Public Speaking. The learning labs consist of two greenhouses, an aquaponics system, a regulation sized putting green, a small forested area, ag mechanics shop, computer drafting room, and raised garden beds. The program has an annual fish fry with Tilapia from their aquaponics system to culminate the year. They also have a winter sale in December to sell the 1000+ poinsettias they grow, in addition to the wreaths and other greenery items the students make. Columbia Montour A.V.T.S. holds an annual spring bedding sale in May to sell the 10,000+ plants the students raise in the two greenhouses.

Supervised Agriculture Experiences (SAE's)

All of Miss Appleman's students are FFA members with an active AET account, and all students by the end of their sophomore year have a SAE, and a minimum of 15 hours of community service. The school also offers a SAE course for students who have a passion for agriculture and the FFA, but are in different vocational training programs such as welding and carpentry. Her juniors and seniors annually engage in a two week internship in March which they all keep records on an Exploratory SAE, and most of the students maintain a Paid Placement SAE. The school often encourages the students to go out on Co-Op the last semester of their junior year and throughout their senior year, if they are eligible. Miss Appleman's students work at local greenhouses, nurseries, landscape companies, and floral ships during their Co-Op which feeds right into their SAE programs. 

FFA Program

This year Miss Appleman had one Keystone Degree recipient and seven FFA Jacket scholarship recipients at Mid-Winter Convention. Last year she had ten students receive their Keystone Degree. The chapter always attends Fall Leadership Conference (FLC), Farm Show, and State Activities Week. The students are also involved in competing at the Bloomsburg Fair every year. They are also very active in the community, helping maintain the Bloomsburg Fountain and the Columbia County Veteran's Memorial Park. The chapter also buys a pig from the county fair annually, and donates the meat to families in need around the schools community. Some recent successes of the Columbia Montour A.V.T.S chapter include: first place in the area Horse Evaluation CDE, first and second place in the area Agriculture Sales CDE.  This past year, a student also qualified for State Activities Week at Penn State University for the Creed Speaking LDE.

Sounds like Miss Appleman keeps herself busy investing in the future of agriculture at Columbia Montour A.V.T.S.  Congratulations on being named Program of the Month for February!

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

Luke Kerstetter

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher 

January 2017 Program of the Month: Central PA Institute of Science and Technology

All across the great state of Pennsylvania there are 145 school districts that have Agriculture Education courses and the FFA program. Each month we like to highlight a chapter that has stood out from the rest of the chapters. January's program of the month goes to Central PA Institute of Science and Technology or otherwise know as the Central PA Institute FFA Chapter!

Background Knowledge of CPI The agriculture program at Central PA Institute was first introduced in 1969. This program features one course that pertains to a certain area or aspect of agriculture. Throughout the decades the program has changed. When it first opened it was a Natural Resources Management course then it was changed to Horticulture, Floriculture after that, and today it is a Horticulture and Landscaping course. The current Agriculture Educator at CPI is Mr. Joe Luther, and this is his eighth year teaching at CPI.

SAE Projects and FFA Mr. Luther encourages his students to create a Supervised Agricultural Experience project in the category of exploratory. Some examples he gives students are job shadowing, working with contractors, exploring personal interests, co-op, and one student of his had raised and trained two Seeing Eye dogs through her local 4H program. The students at CPI have became heavily involved with the FFA program over the past two years. Their main area is in the Nursery/Landscaping CDE and Floriculture CDE at State Activities week. In the fall of 2015, CPI's Nursery/Landscaping team placed second at The Big E competition. In the fall of 2016 they also placed second at The Big E for landscape design. This past year several students competed in the Junior and Senior Prepared Public Speaking LDE. Each student that had competed moved on to the regional level.  From the regional event one moved on to the state level. 
Throughout the past several years Mr. Luther has had his class participate in the HeroScape Program which provides new additions of landscaping to war veterans homes at no cost. The students love getting the opportunity to give back to the community in this way because it goes to those who have served our country.

Pennsylvania Farm Show 
Every year, CPI competes at the Pennsylvania Farm Show in several different events including Landscape Design, to small competitions like the hanging basket competition. Over the past three years CPI has won the Landscape Design competition. Mr. Luther was surprised by the results. "Our success this year was a huge surprise to myself and everyone in our class. We expected some very strong competition, which we received, and when we came out on top, we were ecstatic. My students continue to innovate our class by bringing new ideas from their individual minds and imaginations." Since all of his students come from different areas they each have different ideas and interpretations to a design. Some of these range from modern to classical styles; which is drawn from the areas where they live. Many of his students have came into class only knowing basic knowledge and ideas about landscaping designs. After their two or three years in the class they have created a natural talent and eye for designing landscapes and other projects. They also learn how to focus on small details and final touches, which leads to big results.


Collaboration of CPI and Penn State
Dr. John Ewing teaches AEE 349; Shop Processes for Agricultural Educators, at CPI. There are many benefits to this course being held at CPI including the state of the art facilities that all the course work can be offered in one location. This relationship benefits the students in the Horticulture and Landscaping class because they are able to see college level courses happening in their own shop. It also provides an opportunity for the perspective student teachers to get observation hours, and teach  Mr. Luther's students mini lessons before they start their student teaching experiences.

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

Luke Kerstetter

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @lmkerstetter96

2020 Agricultural Education Student Teacher 

#FlashbackFriday September Program of the Month

In Pennsylvania we have over 150 FFA chapters that represent the Blue and Gold at its finest. There is one chapter that has stood above the rest to become our September program of the month. The W.B. Saul FFA Chapter!

Walter Biddle Saul High School of Agricultural Sciences was founded in 1943. It was first known as the Wissiahickon Farm School until it was later renamed in 1957. Although the name has change, their mission remains the same. Their mission is to create and withhold a diverse learning community to develop in students the understanding of and appreciation for the career and leadership opportunities that are available to them in the many fields of agriculture. It is also their commitment to cultivate each student’s individual abilities to prepare him or her for a lifetime of productive academics, vocational, and civil endeavors. This mission of providing students a unique educational experience of both high academic expectations as well as a deeply rooted commitment to agriculture is one of many reasons why W.B. Saul was chosen as September’s Program of the Month.

Current Program Teachers: 

Jane Arbasak

Guy Amoroso

Lisa Blum

Scott Geller

Gail Koskela

Jessica McAtamney

George Ruvarac

Garth Schuler

Val Simmens

Greg Smith

Tiffany Turrentine

These educators believe in the future of agriculture and developing an appreciation of agricultural science along with developing a responsibility for improving, preserving, and managing the earth’s natural resources. They are fully committed to preparing their students to become active citizens who work and/or study within their chosen field of interest. 

To help aid educators in achieving this, W.B. Saul was recently awarded the STEM mentoring award in the category of excellence in public-private partnerships, during a STEM Mentoring Symposium at the White House. Jessica McAtamney noted, "With this grant, our teachers will be able to provide a true hands-on application of the agricultural curriculum that is currently being taught. The grant will enable Saul's teachers to be at the forefront environment technology."

This grant has allowed them to expand upon their newest project. Through this project they have two goals that they would like to achieve. First, to increase interest in green careers that involve science, technology, engineering and math by putting students in touch with mentors and immersing them in project-based learning. Second, to engage the broader school community in the value of green infrastructure for urban settings, which could include bioswales, small wetlands, green roofs and rain gardens.

Recipients from W.B. Saul High School in Philadelphia, the CH2M Foundation and The Nature Conservancy show their award for a public-private partnership to teach STEM to high schoolers. Source: CH2M.

Along with environmental focused courses, W.B. Saul offers multiple courses for their students to choose from within many agricultural topic areas. W.B. Saul offers courses in the following agricultural topic areas:

Plant Science

Food Science

AgroEcology

Large Animal Science

Equine Science

Small Animal/ Veterinary Science

Aquaculture

Natural Resource Management

W. B. Saul high school has been noted as the cornerstone for the future of agriculture. The teacher and staff at Saul are preparing students to become premier leaders of agriculture by providing opportunities to expand their knowledge through hands on learning in their chosen agricultural topic area. 

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.

Halee Wasson

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @wasson_halee

2018 Agriculture Education Student Teacher

October 2016 Program of the Month: Central Columbia FFA Chapter

Pennsylvania is home to over 150 FFA chapters, representing the Blue and Gold at its finest. There is one chapter that has stood above the rest this month to become our October program of the month. The Central Columbia FFA Chapter!

The mission of the FFA is to create a positive difference in the lives of students by developing their potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success through agricultural education. Since 1942, Central Columbia’s Agricultural Science Program and FFA Chapter strives to achieve this mission through opportunities provided in an intracurricular experience combining classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experiences, and FFA!

Classroom Instruction:

In 1942, Mr. Robert Eckrote laid the blueprint and built the foundation of the Central Columbia Agriculture Science Program. Mr. Eckrote was able to provide opportunity of schoold based education to those who had interest in pursuing a career in agricultural production at the time. Later, Mr. Carl Everett would build upon the foundation of Mr. Eckrote by continuing to teach traditional agricultural production curriculum; however, he recognized the importance of expanding the program’s involvement in other agriculture industries by adding an additional emphasis to animal sciences. In 1991, the third Agricultural Science Instructor Mr. Doug Brown not only continued to build upon the past, but he expanded and created blueprints to build a foundation to take the program into a new direction of curriculum. Mr. Brown added courses in areas such as Forest Science, Wildlife

Science and Environmental Resources.  Creating more interest among students, and increasing student enrollment. In turn, this created growth for the program and chapter as a whole, making it necessary to add a second agricultural instructor.  The fourth agricultural science instructor, Mr. Curtis Turner was able to build upon Mr. Brown’s new direction of curriculum leading the program in the direction of land surveying and animal sciences. Together Mr. Brown and Mr. Turner provide diverse opportunities to students. They recognized at the high school level, it was important for students  to understand fundamental agricultural through education at the middle school level. This allowed Central Columbia to be 1 of 6 programs in Pennsylvania to have a middle school chapter. The middle school program puts much emphasis in the exploration of agriculture to develop the students’ interest in the high school programs. With instruction at both the middle and high school, Central Columbia is able to provide instruction in multiple topic areas of agriculture including the following: Ag Science I, II, III, IV, Environmental Science, Land Surveying, Animal Science, Forest Science, and Wildlife Science

Supervised Agricultural Experience (SAE):

Mr. Brown and Mr. Turner recognize the students’ achievements inside and outside of the classroom. “As a program, all students carry an approved SAE project that can be very diverse from Agricultural Research to On-Farm Employment and all projects in between.  Our chapter’s most common SAE project would be Off-Farm Employment.” These diverse experiences provide each student the chance to apply the knowledge they learn in the diverse classroom courses offered. It is obvious students put forth a lot of effort into to their experience. In recent years numerous students have been named Northern Region Stars, and State Stars in their project area. There have even been a few students that competed at Eastern States for Eastern Regional Stars and continued on to be a National Star Finalist. This was achieved through the students’ ambition and good record keeping as they utilized the AET program.

FFA:

Mr. Brown and Mr. Turner also recognize the students’ interest to test their knowledge gained through classroom instruction and SAE. Students are provided the opportunity to participate in FFA Career Development Events to test their knowledge in chosen areas. Mr. Brown states, “Our FFA Chapter has had many great students and members in which each accomplished an honor at some time in their educational career.  The Central Columbia FFA Chapter and Agricultural/Environmental Science Program strives to enable all students to learn and become effective members of their society through Career Pathways which educates all students for success in adulthood.”

  

Recent FFA Accomplishments:

·        National Chapter Award program recipient at the National FFA Convention

·        National Tribute Chapter from the National FFA Organization

·        Beyond the Blue Jacket Campaign Chapter

·        5^th place Agronomy Team at the Big E

·        Various Career and Leadership Development Event individual and team placings at State and National level

Overall, the Central Columbia Agricultural Science Program and FFA Chapter provides students with opportunities that can lead them to success as they combine their experiences of classroom instruction, supervised agricultural experience, and FFA. All these opportunities allow the students of this program to strive to grow in leadership and career success as they continue to build on their interest of their career pathway in agriculture. 

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.

Halee Wasson

Student Blogger

Twitter Handle: @wasson_halee

2018 Agriculture Education Student Teacher