Neil Fellenbaum, 2000 PSU Alumnus: Outstanding Secondary Educator!

Mr. Neil Fellenbaum,
Penn Manor High School Agriculture Educator

Agriculture Educators are making a difference in the lives of students all over the nation. One Pennsylvania Ag Teacher is being recognized for his dedication and hard work during the recent school year. Mr. Neil Fellenbaum (@NeilFell), the agriculture educator at Penn Manor High School and 2000 alumnus of Penn State AEE, will be receiving the Penn Manor School District Outstanding Secondary Educator Award! This award is based on nominations which are then reviewed by Penn Manor Administration and the school board.

Mr. Fellenbaum is from Washington Boro, PA and attended Penn Manor High School where he has been teaching for the past 14 years. The 1800 student high school is located in Millersville, PA. in western Lancaster County. Mr. Fellenbaum stated that “the Agriculture students are driven and interested to learn, and the administration, advisory committee and community are extremely supportive.” Penn Manor offers a variety of agriculture courses including agricultural science, horticulture, biotechnology, wildlife, agricultural mechanics, welding and many more.  

Mr. Fellenbaum and current FFA members!

The time and effort put into these classes and the students has great rewards. Mr. Fellenbaum stated that “the most rewarding part of teaching is seeing the positive changes that students make in their four years of high school.  I also enjoy seeing the look on the face of a student when they achieve a goal that they have set for themselves and the confidence that builds in them as a person.”

His words of wisdom for future agriculture educators are that “Agriculture Education is the place to be if you want to be involved in making students better people.”

Congratulations Mr. Neil Fellenbaum on receiving the 2013-2014 Penn Manor School District Outstanding Secondary Educator Award!

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!

Laura Metrick 

Student Blogger

2014 Ag Avenger

@Its_LauraBeth

Krista Pontius, 1997/2005 PSU AEE Alum = Great People

One of the most wonderful things about being involved in secondary school-based agricultural education is the opportunity to interact with epically amazing individuals.

Krista Pontius is the current life-altering, positive change agent, agriscience teacher at Greenwood High School in Millerstown, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Penn State in 1997 with a Bachelor's of Science in Agricultural and Extension Education and in 2005 with a Master's of Science in Agricultural and Extension Education.

Her cooperating teacher was Mr. Ron Frederick at Twin Valley HS in 1997. She was the agriscience teacher at Cumberland Perry Vocational Technical School the 1997-98 school year, at Big Spring High School from 1998-1999, and for the past 14 years at Greenwood High School.

She is a 2013 Teacher Impact Award Winner. Her video is below and she epitomizes the philosophical sound educator that Penn State strives to prepare.

Follow her on Twitter @kristapontius.


2013 Teacher Impact Award Krista Pontius from Fryfilms, LLC on Vimeo.

Kyle Norman, 2006 PSU Alumnus, and Brockway Agriscience Teacher finalist for Teacher of the Year Award

Kyle Normal helps his students dissect
a ruminant digestive system

Kyle Norman from Brockway High School, is nominated for this year’s Teacher of the Year award, and has made it into the top 12 so far! He graduated from Penn State in 2006 from the Penn State Agricultural Education Teacher Preparation program. He has been teaching for seven years, with his first year at Central Mountain in Lock Haven and his past six years at Brockway High School. Three other teachers in his school have been previously nominated for the award; they must be doing something right!

His preparation for education started while he was in high school. Kyle had some great teachers in high school but his ag teachers, Mr. Kennis, Mr. Way, and Mrs. Carr really stood out. They gave him the inspiration to become an ag teacher and the background knowledge that he would need to be successful in college. Penn State helped him with teaching by requiring him to take a wide range of classes, giving him a good range of knowledge to adapt to different topics and situations that occur in a high school setting. His professors at Penn State also helped to inspire him to continue with his career goals, especially Dr. Scanlon, his adviser, who helped keep him on the right path. To continue growing as a great teacher, Kyle keeps up with his professional development by taking college classes to earn his masters degree and he continues to take courses beyond the degree requirements. He also attends workshops when they are offered at SLLC and other FFA activities.

Brockway agriscience students constructing a  high tunnel

At Brockway, his class sizes could be considered small, ranging from about 7 students to as large as 16. Sixteen students in one class are the largest he can have as per the recommendation of  his local program advisory committee. Mr. Norman's classes are structured in the the traditional format of  ag 1, ag 2, ag 3, and ag 4. In those classes, he focuses on different topics including animal science, horticulture, small gas engines, forestry, wildlife, electrical, wood working, welding and other topics that his students find interesting. He tried to build in a little time in each class to directly address his students interests. If they are really interested in a topic, he will take extra time to go more in-depth with it. Kyle goes above and beyond in the classroom by teaching engaging in hands on lessons like dissecting the digestive tract of a cow and teaching students how to use a GPS system by having them geocaching in their area. GPS systems are being used more and more in agriculture today such as in planting and fertilizing, especially out west. His program also operates a greenhouse and hi tunnel, as well as starting and running a local farmers market.

Brockway Agriscience Programs Greenhouse

Kyle finds the other teachers at his school that have been nominated inspiring. He says that they are great teachers, and great people. They always put the students ahead of themselves and are always working to better themselves, their classroom and Brockway. With technology changing, they are always looking for ways to integrate new technologies, experiences, and teaching methods into their classroom. He looks to them for guidance and support throughout the whole nomination and award process.

Kyle feels very fortunate to work in Brockway with amazing teachers, administrators and staff. He said the feeling of being nominated for teacher of the year is surreal. “There are about 500 school districts in Pennsylvania and just to be nominated is an honor, but to make it to the top 12 is unbelievable. My program is not all that different from the other agricultural programs in the state. I truly believe that any ag teacher in the state of Pennsylvania could be in the top 12!”

Mr. Norman's students release pheasants
with the game commission

A video can be found here, showing Kyle Norma with his students. It was done by We Are Central PA. 

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! 

Jeanne Case

Student Blogger

2014 Dover HS Student Teacher

Twitter: JRose_Case

Congratulations to two of our own!

The Penn State Ag Ed program would like to congratulate two of our own who have been selected to win awards recently.

Dr. Tracy Hoover (currently Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education at Penn State) will be awarded with the 2012 Region VI NAAE Outstanding Service Award at the 2012 NAAE conference held Atlanta, GA this fall. The award recognizes individuals whom have made great contributions to Agricultural Education at the state, regional and national levels.

Also at the 2012 NAAE meeting, Ron Frederick, Field Staff in the Center for Professional Development, was selected to win the 2012 NAAE Region VI Lifetime Achievement Award for his service in Agricultural Education over the years.

Congratulations to you both!!

The Ag Teacher
By Ron Wilson, Poet Lariat  (www.ronscowboypoetry.com)

When there’s a faculty meeting, he just might come in late,

Cause he’s been out in the greenhouse, or welding on some gate.

But she knows everything from soil chemistry to how to use a tool.

She’s a very special person the life of our school.

He’s our local ag teacher, whom I salute in celebration,

The cornerstone of ag education all across the nation.

She knows about lots of species, from beef to fowl,

And as FFA Advisor is stationed “Here by the Owl.”

He works at the school teaching agricultural education,

Helping students develop for agricultural for agricultural occupations.

He takes kids to convention and to CDEs,

And helps students gain their state and national degrees.

He’s a judge and a janitor, a driver and chaperone,

A cheerleader and coach, as time has surely shown

But most of all, she’s a teacher, helping student to learn,

In the classroom, shop, home, farm, or workplace in turn.

That ag teachers’ impact is immense, in truth, 

In positively affecting the lives of our youth.

So today I pay tribute to this person I feature,

Changing lives every day: our local ag teacher.

2013 PSU Teacher Candidates