Brooke Ostrander Starts a New Position at Troy Area Jr/Sr High School Teaching Agriculture

Brooke has an interesting journey of starting her teaching career as she returns to her roots at her home high school, Troy Area Jr/Sr High School. This one-teacher program thrives with 150 students where Brooke leads an active FFA chapter. She will be teaching classes of Food in Agribusiness, Forestry, Introduction to Agricultural Education, Biotechnology, Welding, Power and Machinery, Wildlife and Natural Resource Management, Animal Studies, and Plant and Soil Studies. 

Brooke's background stems from experiences including youth organizations of 4-H and FFA where she showed Jersey cows and pigs, and serving as a Bradford County Dairy Princess. She shares that her own Agriculture Teacher had a huge influence on leading her to pursuing a career teaching agriculture. While moving onto earning her degree at Penn State, Brooke was involved in the Dairy Science Club, Penn State Altoona Ag Club and Collegiate FFA. 

During Brooke's time gaining student teaching experiences she taught at Wellsboro High School in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania under Melanie Berndtson. While at Wellsboro she taught courses of Animal Science 1 and 2, Plant Science, Natural Resource Management, Introduction to Agriculture, Small Engines and Leadership. Through teaching these courses Brooke has been able to take valuable lessons and skills gained to her own classroom.

It is important to continually grow an Agriculture Education Program for the benefit of students, and Brooke is planning to do this at Troy. She shares "I have big goals and dreams for our program! In the future, I would love to see our program build a greenhouse and I would love to incorporate an agribusiness course. But, my main focus is creating relationships with the students and encouraging them to really get involved and help them accomplish their own dreams and goals for their futures." Not only is Brooke looking forward to teaching classes, but she is extremely excited to be an FFA Advisor. She loved FFA and is looking forward to watching her members grow and succeed through their years in the program.

One piece of advice she wanted to share with other students is based off her favorite quote, "Allow your passion to become your purpose". "The journey may not always be easy, there is going to be bumps, big and small, but if you’re truly passionate about teaching agriculture nothing is going to stop you from following your passion and that passion will directly reflect into your classroom and to your students."

Congratulations Brooke on starting your career at Troy Area Jr./Sr. High School. We can't wait to see what great things you accomplish throughout your time teaching, and the impact you will make on the lives of your students. Good luck on the rest of this year and many more ahead! Keep up with Brooke on social media by following her Twitter @BOstrander2019.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023 

Kaitlin Liszka is Hired at Midd-West High School to Teach Ag!

We would like to congratulate Ms. Kaitlin Liszka for being hired at Midd-West High School in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. She recently began her year teaching at the two-teacher program this August. Kaitlin student taught at Bermudian Springs High School with Mrs. Diana Jarema. During her time student teaching Kaitlin gained experiences through teaching Agriculture Mechanics 1 and 2, Environmental Awareness and Animal Science. 

Kaitlin is from Jamestown, Pennsylvania where she attended Jamestown Area Jr/Sr High School. She shares that her experiences in her youth greatly impacted her choice of studying Agriculture as a career. "I grew up on a small hobby farm where we raised beef cattle and hogs. I also participated in 4-H raising market steers, hogs, and lambs." During her time at Penn State, Kaitlin was involved in the LEAD Society and was a Global Teach Ag! Intern which lead her to studying abroad in Malaysia as part of the #AgEd2Malayasia Fulbright Hayes experience.

While starting a teaching career at Midd-West High School, Kaitlin shares how excited she is to begin her first year."I am most excited to get to meet the students and become a part of the local community." She is getting her hand at teaching classes including Wildlife Science, Veterinary Science, Crop and Soil Science, Poultry Science, Landscape Design, and Agriculture Business. In the future Kaitlin is looking forward to teaching Large Animal Science, Equine Science, and Plant and Greenhouse Science. 

One piece of advice she wanted to give future Agricultural & Extension Education majors is "my advice would be to do it all, don't turn down an opportunity just because you are scared or because it will stretch you, BUT make sure that you are making time for yourself and to refuel a priority. It doesn't get any easier to do the further along in the process you get, so the earlier you start to make that habit, the easier it will be to continue later on. Being refueled is so important for you to be able to continue making a difference. You can't pour from an empty pot."

Kaitlin has prepared herself for an outstanding career ahead of her. WE ARE looking forward to following Kaitlin on her journey and wishing the best for her throughout teaching career! Midd-West High School is lucky to have you, good luck this year Kaitlin! Keep up with Kaitlin by following her on Twitter @KaitlinLiszka.

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

Kayla Stauffer is Tagged to Teach Ag! at Mount Union Area High School

Recent Penn State Agricultural & Extension Education graduate Kayla Stauffer has been hired at Mount Union Area High School in Mount Union, PA. Kayla is originally from Lancaster, PA and she graduated from Lampeter-Strasburg High School where she was actively involved in the Garden Spot FFA Chapter. She did not have her career goal set out to be an Agriculture Educator. Kayla says "I always thought that I was going to be a veterinarian, I love animals and love taking care of them. I enrolled in the Veterinary Science course at my high school and fell in love with not only veterinary medicine but the National FFA organization and all aspects of agriculture. I continued to take agriculture courses all four years of high school." Through being a part of the Agriculture Education program at Lampeter-Strasburg is where Kayla was able to learn more about her passion for agriculture and try new activities. The National Teach Ag! Essay Contest was brought to her attention and she decided to try her hand at teaching an agriculture class. She states "After teaching one period of Veterinary Science in 11th grade, I knew that I wanted to teach and knew that I specifically wanted to Teach Ag!"

After graduating high school Kayla attended the Pennsylvania State University Altoona Campus. Here she got involved in the Penn State Altoona Ag Club and Altoona Cheer-leading. At the University Park Campus Kayla became involved in the Club Cheer-leading Squad and served as a Penn State Teach Ag! Avenger. During her student teaching period she branched out and decided to travel to Boonsboro, Maryland where Kayla taught under Mrs. Quinn Cashell-Martin. She gained experience teaching Introduction to Agriculture, Power Mechanics 1 & 2, Greenhouse Management, Floral Design, and a Forestry and Soils course. 

Kayla is now eager to start her journey at Mount Union Area High School. She will be a part of a new three-teacher program. Her class schedule consists of courses including Introduction to Wood Products and Technology, Advanced Wood shop/Cabinetry, Small Gas Engines, and Agriculture Mechanics. When asking Kayla about some of her classroom goals she said "I have numerous goals that I would like to achieve throughout the next several years, but the main goal that I want to achieve is creating an incredible relationship with the special education department and finding ways to include those students in the FFA program and our agriculture courses." In addition, Kayla is excited to be teaching Agriculture Mechanics courses because she did not take any shop classes throughout her high school career, but overtime gaining more experience in the shop she has fallen in love with the content through the courses at Penn State and her student teaching experience. Kayla expresses one thing she is excited for which is to challenge herself with learning more wood working content and coming up with innovative ways to work with the other teachers by combining all of the course content and assisting each another. When asked one piece of advice she had for Ag Ed majors Kayla said "Be yourself. Don’t worry about what the rest of your cohort or the graduates before you have done or are doing, bring your own personality into the classroom and into the educator that you want to become."

The Center for Professional Personnel Development is excited to see what great learning experiences Kayla will offer to her students. Congratulations again on being hired at Mount Union Area High School, you will positively impact the Agriculture Education Program and its students. Best of luck Kayla!

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

Thomas Gabel Awarded Student Leader Scholarship Through the Dairy Excellence Foundation

The Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize Thomas Gabel for recently being selected to receive the Dairy Excellence Foundation Student Leader Scholarship. Each year the Center for Dairy Excellence Foundation of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Dairymen's Association offer ten $3,000 scholarships to undergraduate students annually to directly support students education.

These scholarships provide recognition, encouragement, and financial assistance to outstanding students enrolled in academic programs that support the dairy industry. Students must show a commitment to the dairy industry and the to the future of dairy producers. Brittany Snyder the dairy education program manager at the Dairy Excellence Foundation states, "The process of awarding this year’s Student Leader Scholarships was very competitive, with so many students making an impact on the future of dairy. These 10 recipients represent true leadership and excellence. They excel academically, are forward-thinking in and out of the classroom, and are dedicated to using their education to advance the dairy industry." 

We are so proud of Thomas for his hard work and dedication to the dairy industry throughout his life. Growing up on a dairy farm Thomas gained experiences where he learned how to make breeding and management decisions along with facing challenges that he helped his family to overcome with the industry. Thomas aspires to impact the next generation of students and be a life-long advocate for the dairy industry as a teacher. He believes education is key to correcting consumer misconceptions. His goal is to create opportunities for students of all backgrounds to make a connection to the dairy industry through an immersive learning environment. 

Thomas quotes "To me, this scholarship is a reminder of the dairy industry that has developed me into who I am today and serves as a motivator to continue cultivating dairy excellence in my role as a future educator.”

We know Thomas will become a great Agriculture Educator as he plans to graduate in 2022 with a degree in Agricultural & Extension Education and a minor in International Agriculture. His future is bright and he will continue to impact students in the classroom as he achieves his goals. Congratulations, Thomas on being selected to receive the 2020 Student Leader Scholarship. Find out more about Thomas by following his Twitter @gabel_thomas.

Morgan Bear
CPPD Student Worker
Agricultural & Extension Education
Class of 2023

PAAE Outsanding Early Career Educator: Janae McMichael @kjmcmichael

The Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators (PAAE) just wrapped up their summer conference for this year. PAAE spotlights Agriculture Educators and the work they do in and outside of classrooms. The passion Pennsylvania Agriculture teachers express through the work they do in their classrooms show in their students and communities across the state. Many awards and spotlights take place along with training for educators to further develop and engage themselves as teachers.

Among the great success of teachers, the Center for Professional Personnel Development would like to recognize the great success of Janae McMichael, the recipient of the PAAE Outstanding Early Career Educator. Janae is part of a two-teacher Agriculture program (@GardenSpotFFA) at Lampeter-Strasburg High School in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The program offers many courses from Agriscience to Power, Structural and Technical Systems. Janae mentions "Like many programs across the country, our program is challenged by the consistently changing community. We work hard to be reflective practitioners as teachers, modeling that for our students. In doing this, we have the ability to listen to community and program supporters to reinforce the demands of the industry, making our agricultural program stay relevant in the community and, more importantly, relevant to our students." This is reflected by student potential to earn up to seven industry-recognized certifications in the program. Along with active Supervised Agricultural Expereiences (SAE) and interview experiences.

Students in Mrs. McMichael's program have unique opportunities to succeed including experiences through SAE's that help them to become marketable employees. Janae shares "Through experiential, work-based learning opportunities such as Supervised Agricultural Experiences (SAE), students have been given opportunities to gain the experience that employers desire to see in their future employees. Of our 192 active SAE’s, 65% of students are involved in a Placement or Employment-related project. 19% of students keep records on an Entrepreneurship project and 32% of students are exploring foundational agricultural concepts. The remaining 2% of students are conducting a research project based on the scientific method."

Community involvement is an important portion of the Agriculture program at Lampeter-Strasburg High School. The program is nearing its 90 year anniversary and with that there are a number of chapter alumni who are active supporters of curriculum development, CDE team resources, and SAE project assistance. They have been able to connect with various community members and alumni members to conduct mock interviews and helping students develop 21st-century skills. In addition, the Local Occupational Advisory Committee has been built with quality individuals from a wide range of industries and backgrounds. They volunteer their time and expertise for the betterment of the program.

Janae McMichael's advice to new Ag Teachers is to "Seize the moment. Your plate will likely always be full, but take advantages of the opportunities put in front of your to better yourself. Attend the workshop. Listen to the podcast. Join the webinar. Read the article. Ask the hard questions. Ask yourself frequently, what did I today, this week or this month to make myself better for the sake of my students? "

We are proud to see this Penn State Alumni's success and we know she will continue to build, engage, and share her passion as a Agricultural Educator. Your PAAE Outstanding Early Career Educator, Janae McMichael!

Agricultural & Extension Education

CPPD Student Worker

Penn State Class of 2023

Elizabethtown High School Teacher Named Ag Educator of The Year: Mark Anderson

Mark Anderson, a High School Agriculture Educator, at Elizabethtown High School in Lancaster County was named Pennsylvania’s Ag Educator of the Year as part of the 2019-2020 Golden Owl Awards. “Nationwide created the Golden Owl Award in 2018 to bring attention to the growing need for agricultural teachers in this country,” said Nationwide’s president of agribusiness, Brad Liggett.

Mr. Mark Anderson stood among four outstanding Agriculture Educator finalist from across the state in 4 different regions. In Pennsylvania, there were 98 nominations for 66 Agriculture teachers. There was a special surprise presentation for each of the 4 finalist as they were named a Golden Owl Award recipient in January. He was then selected to earn the Ag Educator of the Year Award for his profound impact on students, the community, and education that is recognized by many community members, colleagues, and supporters. In addition to this recognition, Mr. Anderson has recently been awarded from the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators (PAAE) the Teacher Mentor Award Recipient for 2020. 

He has been recognized for this achievement by the Pennsylvania FFA Association, Nationwide Insurance, and The Pennsylvania Farm Bureau. The award was given to Mr. Anderson and includes $3,000 to expand new educational opportunities to his program and students at Elizabethtown High School. Nationwide has also proudly invested $5,000 in each participating state’s FFA organization to further support aspiring agriculture professionals. Please help us in congratulating Mr. Mark Anderson on his achievement of receiving the 2020 Pennsylvania Ag Teacher of the Year Award!

Morgan Bear

CPPD Student Worker 

Agricultural & Extension Education

Class of 2023

Congratulations Brandon Witmer #psuaged20 Member Hired!

The Center for Professional Personnel Development congratulates Mr. Brandon Witmer for his most recent professional achievements. Brandon has been formally hired at Otto-Eldred Jr./Sr. High School as an Agricultural Educator. To learn more about this achievement and school, we asked Brandon a few questions.

Brandon grew up in State College, Pennsylvania, but will be making the move to McKean County in Northern Pennsylvania to begin his new position. Brandon began his time as a Penn State student at Penn State DuBois where he participated in the Wildlife Society and earned a background in Wildlife and Forestry. During Brandon's time as an Agricultural and Extension Education major at Penn State University Park, he was an active member of LEAD Society and an ambitious student. As a senior in the program, he interned with Ms. Laura Metrick at Conneaut Area Senior High School where he taught Ag Mechanics, Ag 1-4, and Ag Science. More specifically, Brandon was able to teach units that focused on Soil Science, Woodshop, Public Speaking, ARC Welding, Pesticides, Food Science, Small Gas Engines, Greenhouse Management, Wildlife, and Forestry. While his time at CASH was made more challenging during the national pandemic, Brandon sees the experience as a unique opportunity to learn and grow as an educator.

After having gained experience through his student teaching internship, Brandon is excited to begin his journey at Otto-Eldred Jr./Sr. High School. Since this is a brand new program, Brandon will be the sole Agricultural Educator with the help of a second teacher who will be teaching two General Agricultural Science courses. The creation of an agricultural program at Otto-Eldred stemmed from student and community interest in agriculture after the retirement of an Industrial Arts Educator. Otto-Eldred has a shop where Brandon sees potential for Welding, Woodshop, and Small Gas Engines instruction. Brandon will be teaching a total of six classes which include seventh and eighth grade Introduction to Agriculture/STEM, Wildlife/Forestry/Natural Resources, Ag Mechanics, Ag Engineering/Technologies, and a course Brandon believes will focus on Horticulture and Landscape Design. Being that Otto-Eldred is a new program brought about by community interest and support, Brandon is excited to see it grow to be strong and centered around the community. Additionally, due to the location of the program in McKean County, he believes the program will be strong in Natural Resources, surrounded by plenty of outdoor learning opportunities such as the Allegheny National Forest. "I know for a fact that we are all going to do amazing things and I cannot wait to be a part of it". 

When asked about any advice he might have for future and current Agricultural and Extension Education majors, Brandon is sure to emphasize that choosing Ag Ed was the best decision he has ever made. "There are a lot of fears going into any major but with Ag Ed, there are fears of student teaching, lesson planning, just teaching in general, and so much more. I promise if you do it right, you will be successful. What’s the right way? Don’t go through this alone. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Lean on your cohort members, teachers, faculty, and even alumni. We’ve all been there, done that. There is no reason for you to go through this journey alone. The more help you ask for and the more support you have, the greater of an impact you will have on your future students. We are all here to help and support you! Just ask!" 

Congratulations to Mr. Brandon Witmer on his new position at Otto-Eldred. We look forward to seeing your impact on this program, your students, and the agriculture industry.

Taylor Halbleib

CPPD Student Worker

Agricultural and Extension Education

Class of 2022