Ag Teaching Made Easier

From July 2013 to June 2018, I taught agricultural education to 7th-12th grade students in a rural, Oklahoma school district. Although it was in a small town, the school was considered 5A, and graduated 125-150 high school seniors each year. I worked in a three teacher ag-ed program that had a long tradition of excellence. In July 2018, I started at a new school in Oklahoma. It is in a bedroom community of OKC and is a growing school district. Similar to my previous school, I do not have many traditional production ag students, but focus on recruiting and retaining students from a variety of backgrounds and experiences. I work with one other teacher in the ag department. I have taught Ag Explorations (7th/8th grade); Agricultural Leadership; Agricultural Communications; Agriscience II; and Introduction to Horticulture. In addition to working in the classroom, my students have been active and successful in many areas within the FFA on a state and national level, including the National Chapter Award, proficiencies, SAE grants, public speaking, CDEs, and LDEs.

My teaching style has evolved since I started! As a new teacher, I was heavy on teacher led discussions and lectures with guided notes, and I did mostly traditional tests for learning assessments. Now, I am more prone to do group activities, inquiry-based learning, group projects, and student led discussions. As an agricultural education teacher, I rely heavily on independent study when working with my older students in the program.

• National Association of Agricultural Educators (NAAE) Policy and Bylaws Committee Member, 2017-2019 • NAAE Outstanding Young Member Winner, Region II, 2017 • NAAE Ideas Unlimited National Winner, Region II, 2017 • Oklahoma Association of Career and Technical Educators (OkACTE) New Teacher of the Year State Winner, 2017 • Oklahoma Agricultural Education Teachers Association (OAETA) Ideas Unlimited State Winner, 2017 • OAETA Outstanding Young Teacher State Winner, 2017 • Exploratory SAE Task Force Committee Member, 2017 • Hosted 2 student teachers from Oklahoma State University, 2016, 2017 • OAETA CDE and Awards Committee Member/Secretary, 2015-2017 • Secured over $94,000 in grant funding, 2013-2017 • 4 published research articles in scholarly journals (North American Colleges and Teachers of Agriculture, Journal of Agricultural Educators), 2013, 2016, 2017 • Oklahoma State University Agricultural Education Program Advisory Group Member, 2015-2017 • NAAE Teachers “Turn the Key” Scholarship Winner, 2016 • OAETA Teachers “Turn the Key” State Winner, 2016 • NAAE Region II Conference Participant, 2016 • Guest Presenter for CareerTech New Agricultural Education Teacher Meeting, 2016 • Honorary State FFA Degree Recipient, 2014 • 4 poster/paper presentations at regional and national research conferences, 2013, 2014 • Outstanding Paper Presentation Award, Oklahoma State University 24th Annual Research Symposium, 2013 • Attended multiple workshops and in-service trainings each summer to update areas of program content, curriculum, technology use, and new teaching methods

I graduated from Edmond Santa Fe High school (6A urban school district) in 2007, and I was an active member of the Edmond FFA and Ag-Ed program. I immediately began my undergraduate studies in agricultural education at Oklahoma State University. I student taught at Drummond, OK (1A rural school district) and graduated Summa Cum Laude in 2011. I remained at Oklahoma State University and completed a masters of science in agricultural education in 2013. I received my first teaching job in May 2013 as an agricultural education instructor at Elgin High School.

Student and Program Accomplishments: National Winners • 2 National FFA Organization Grant Recipients, 2017 • 3 American Degree Recipients, 2014, 2016 • Gold Emblem 3 Star National Chapter Award, 2013, 2015, 2017 • Agricultural Education Proficiency, 2014 National Finalists • Model of Excellence Award, 2015 • Model of Innovation in the Chapter Division Award, 2015 • Silver Emblem Food Science and Technology Team, 2014 State Champions • 3 FFA Spring State Public Speakers, 2014, 2015, 2017 • Agricultural Education CDE Contestant, 2017 • Agricultural Communications CDE Team, 2017 • 2 AFR State Fall Public Speakers, 2015, 2017 • State Model of Excellence Award (#1 chapter in the state of Oklahoma), 2016 • State Model of Innovation Award in the Student and Chapter Divisions, 2016 • 3 State Officers – President, 2016; SW District Vice President & Secretary, 2015 • Agricultural Mechanics Design and Fabrication Entrepreneurship Proficiency, 2015 • 2 Oklahoma Foundation Interns, 2015 • Food Science and Technology CDE Team & Individual Contestant, 2014 • Agricultural Education Proficiency, 2014 State Placings • 26 State FFA Degree Recipients, 2014-2017 • 2nd Place Agricultural Education Proficiency, 2017 • 2nd Place Food Science and Technology Team, 2nd & 4th Place Individuals, 2017 • Top 10 Junior Parliamentary Procedure Team, 2017 • 2nd Place High Individual in Agricultural Communications Contest, 2016, 2017 • Southwest District Vice President State Officer Candidate, 2015, 2017 • 4th Place State Greenhand Quiz Contestant, 2016 • 2nd Place Agricultural Education CDE Contestant, 2016 • 3rd Place Food Science and Technology Team, 2016 • 2nd Place Dairy Foods Team, 2016 • 2nd Place Job Interview CDE Contestant, 2015 • 4th Place Jr. Parliamentary Procedure, 2015 • 4th Place Agricultural Communications Team, 2015 • 4th Place Agricultural Education CDE Contestant, 2015 • State FFA Reporter State Officer Candidate, 2015 • 2nd Place Equine Science Entrepreneurship Proficiency, 2014 • Top 5 Placing Public Speakers, 2014, 2015 • 5th Place Opening and Closing Ceremonies Team, 2013 State Scholarships • 5 Washington Leadership Conference Scholarship Recipients, 2014, 2016, 2017 • Future Ag-Ed Academy Scholarship Recipient, 2017 • 3 Tulsa State Fair Scholarship Recipients, 2015 • 4 Oklahoma Youth Expo Scholarship Recipients, 2014, 2015