After a CrAzY spring semester, I am happy to say that I am
no longer a 1st year teacher! Although the first year was
challenging, I can look back and know that I’ve grown in my ability to develop
student potential for success in the classroom, through FFA events, and in
their various SAE projects.
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| Group photo from Mid-Winter Convention Harrisburg, PA |
The spring semester finished with many highlights that
required the chapter to pull together and produce some great agricultural
programming.
A major highlight was visiting West Virginia on our
Educational Spring Trip. With a stop at President Eisenhower’s Farm in
Gettsyburg, a tour of West Virginia University’s Agricultural Research Farms,
and a little ziplining thrown in there, 27 members got a chance to wind down
before Easter and learn more about regional agriculture and post-secondary
educational opportunities.
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| 27 students attended the annual Spring Trip. The group posed for a picture after touring the WVU Research Farm. |
Directly after Spring Trip, it was time to get ready for 3
back-to-back events. The first was the
60th Annual Cumberland Valley FFA Parent/Member banquet. The chapter
hosted 250 community members, parents, honorary members, administrators, and
supporters to the high school auditorium to enjoy in the accomplishments of the
chapter during the past year.
The next event was the 3rd Annual “A-Day:
Connecting Communities.” This event was
geared toward bringing community members, agriculturists, and students together
to become more aware of the bounty that agriculture provides to each individual
every day. The event consisted of free “Ag in the Classroom” activities, a
Flower Sale, live music, pony rides, and a hay ride. Over 400 individuals
attended even with inclement weather.
The final event of the year was the 2nd annual
Feast or Famine Hunger Banquet. To replicate the disbursement of poverty in the
world, attendees are asked to dine in the shoes of the poor, middle class, and
high class based upon the luck of the draw. Tables are decorated accordingly
and the meals are varied based upon the class chosen randomly. Speakers from
Heifer International, the Central PA Food Bank, and Project SHARE shared
remarks on how individuals can help fight hunger locally and abroad.
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| Feast or Famine was a great event to raise awareness of food insecurity and ways that local groups can help to fight hunger in Pennsylvania. |
As I’m currently attending a CASE institute, I’m reminded of
how it is important to recharge during the summer with a combination of
professional development and relaxation (well, maybe next summer?). Agriculture
Education is a unique career in education because of the opportunities to
continuously talk with other educators that are providing a holistic approach
to developing their students. Since we see students in many settings beside the
classroom (county fairs, judging contests, CDE practices, overnight leadership
conferences), it adds that much motivation to seek out new opportunities to
develop oneself as a teacher/mentor/coach to make the upcoming year better than
the last.
Cheers to year 2!
~D
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