Lucky #7

As you get older, the days may go slow, but the years go fast. The 2019-2020 school year is one for the books and will certainly be a year to remember. There were some highs, there were some lows, but we pulled through and still have the ability to look toward the future "in hopes of better days through better ways."

2019 Del Val Alumni Outstanding Achievement in
Secondary Education Award Winner. Great end to an
insane week at school! #GoAggies

The fall semester started out fairly normal. Great officer retreat in Western PA, selling milkshakes at CV Football games, and freezing to death at Hayman Farm's Fall Fest. Some unique highlights of the fall included a self-inflicted "Hell Week." AgVenture Day Thursday, PAAE Meeting in Williamsport on Thursday night, Agricultural Education Showcase on Friday, and a trip to
Del Val's Homecoming on Saturday morning and a wedding back in Mechanicsburg Saturday night. Thank god I didn't have to teach on Monday (thank you Christopher Columbus). A trip to National FFA Convention rounded out October, which led to a normal end of the semester with a fruit sale, Winter CDEs, and Christmas Week celebrations.

Pennsylvania Agricultural Education Delegation at
3-Circle Summit
February 2020
Indianapolis, Indiana

 I will also mention that this year, I stepped into the role of President for the Pennsylvania Association of Agricultural Educators. In March 2019, I was serving my second term as South-Central Region Vice-President when the current President-Elect stepped away. I agreed to serve a shortened term as President-Elect, then step into the role of President in July. To say I was terrified was an understatement. However, through this year of service, I pushed myself to serve my fellow Agricultural Educators to the best of my ability and set a positive example for others. I attended 4  regional meetings across the state, attended meetings of the PA FFA Board, PA FFA Foundation, and PA Farm Show Scholarship Foundation, learned way too much about proxy taxes and dealing with the IRS to correct tax returns, touched the Pacific Ocean in Anaheim, California for NAAE Convention, organized meeting packets, attended the 3-Circle Summit in Indianapolis, forged connections with the Commission for Agricultural Education Excellence, helped to plan a conference, and recognized retiring agricultural educators with an inaugral retiree spotlight. In all, I never could have imagined what I would have completed this past year as PAAE President, but I am thankful for the opportunities I've been provided as they have strengthened my understanding of Agricultural Education, school code, legislative procedures, and the need for leaders to communicate effectively. I've learned from some of the best, but it has been a whirlwind of a year! I'm excited to serve in the past-President's role and wrap up some loose ends before I transition off the board in 2021.

And then the calendar flipped to 2020! How cool, this is the best year ever--complete with the "seeing clearly" and "I'm Barbara Walters" jokes! January and February rolled by pretty normal. I started training my usual teams for State Convention--finally got a #DairyFoods team together and even ordered our own personal milk bottles! We were wrapping up a healthy bunch of Proficiency Applications and American FFA Degrees in March and the world came to a screeching halt. And so began the COVID-19 era (see prior blog post). Craziness to say the least, and I don't think anyone thought it would "happen here." This was a foreign virus that was a problem somewhere else. Well, thanks to global interconnectedness, what happens around the world impacts us here.

2019-2020 CV FFA Leadership Team

Pennsylvania schools closed on Friday, March 13th for what we thought would be 2 week closures. At this point, I new that our trip to Costa Rica would not be happening because our spring break would be taken away. Fair enough, we could postpone until the end of the school year. Well, we never went back to school. After 3 weeks of "optional enrichment," Cumberland Valley began virtual instruction and it was intense for me. Basically revising a curriculum and trying our best to make it interactive. However, I think the kids were overwhelmed with having to complete everything online and via Schoology (our LMS). Some were accustomed to using Schoology for the occassional submission of assignments or quiz, but as much of a learning curve for teachers, it was a reality check for students. We got through it, but I definitely hope everyone's faith in public education and face-to-face instruction has been renewed through this madness. Nothing can replace a teacher working with students face-to-face.

Although we missed the usual FFA events, competitions, and celebrations, a lot of individuals pulled together to recognize the outgoing FFA Officers and the Class of 2020. The CV Agricultural Science & FFA Seniors were an awesome group--16 Keystone Degree recipients added to the wall, 14 of which have taken an Ag class since Freshmen year. The outgoing FFA Leadership Team was a great group as well. Even though their year got cut short, they accomplished many feats this past year and kept the chapter moving forward. I also received notification that I was selected as a National FFA Teacher Ambassador for the coming year, which will be a new opportunity to continue giving back to FFA advisors across the state and nation.

This may not have been "Lucky #7," but it has been a unique year to say the least. I couldn't bring myself to create a virtual FFA Banquet, so we are holding out for a small celebration in late July to pass out awards and graduation swag. The best way I found closure was creating my "Adopt a Senior" video that was sent to seniors on May 30, 2020 (what would have been their graduation day). Of all the videos I made during #Coronacation2020, this was the most meaningful.






Until next year, here's to making hay while the sun shines, remodeling my house, and hoping to get back to some type of schedule in September 2020.

Cheers!

~Darla