Embracing Adventure: Mississippi

Now a three-year veteran, I am privileged to say that I have had the opportunity to experience school-based agriculture education across the United States through the Penn State Teach Ag! Domestic Study Away. 

From Arizona... 

To Colorado... 

To Mississippi.

I’ve covered a lot of ground, all in the name of agriculture education.

I’ve got a lot of memories from some classy, white 15-passenger vans full of some of my favorite individuals, storming across states from one high school to another. There, I’ve learned quite a lot. I’ve gained a better understanding of the power of a nation-wide, professional network of agriculture educators, the close knit family that Penn State Teach Ag! prides, that planning trips that take 15 individuals a few states away is pretty stressful (but a lot of fun) and that I, without a shadow of a doubt, picked the best profession. 

Looking back on my recent excursion to Mississippi, there was a few highlights that I just have to share with you. 

• My team, covered just shy of 1,400 miles across the great state of Mississippi. 
• We visited six, super great school-based agriculture education programs.
• Met with and shared the importance of a Supervised Agriculture Experience (SAE) with 140 dynamite Mississippi agriculture education students.
• We learned about top Mississippi commodities such as Cotton, Rice and Catfish while visiting with stakeholders and partners who played influential roles in making our experience in Mississippi possible. (Big thanks to you!)
• Ate some really good catfish, crawfish and basically anything fried! :) 
• We conversed with seasoned agriculture educators and professionals in the field who took time out of their busy schedule to challenge us and  encourage us. 
• Some of my favorite quotes included: 
• “(while talking about classroom management) everything else is covered under FDR. Failure to do Right."
• "If the plan doesn’t go as planned today, there’s always tomorrow."
• After being asked why their teacher was great, one student replied “He lets us try." I want to be a teacher who lets my students try.

This is just a small glimpse at the adventures that were had by 15 Penn State Agricultural & Extension Education students and faculty in the great state of Mississippi. I am so incredibly blessed to have the opportunity to experience school-based agriculture education in a unique way, outside the state of Pennsylvania, and continue to expand and develop myself as both a individual and also as a future educator. If you're itching to hear more, check out our blog at www.teachagpsu.blogspot.com or our trip hashtag, #PSUAgEd2Miss.

This trip as allowed me to watch my peers grow in a lot of unique ways. I've learned a lot about them and strengthened relationships. Being granted the opportunity to coordinate this years Domestic Study Away, I too, experienced similar growth. I certainly learned the art of raising funds, meeting school and university regulations, organizing schedules, communicating with stakeholders and successfully navigating a group of 15 through the airport. But I would argue it didn’t stop there. Trips like the Domestic Study Away are incredibly refreshing and remind me the importance of the continual cultivation of my passion for the future of agriculture. I’m thankful for an opportunity to refuel my “passion tank.” As I was prepare to enter my student teaching internship in this upcoming year, I approached conversations and experiences in Mississippi a little differently then I did while in Colorado and Arizona. I spent several cumulative hours with teachers who cared immensely about the professional development of this group of students they barely knew and were so willing to share their heart and love for their profession in true, authentic ways with us. These conversations challenged me to look closely at they ways that I am preparing myself to enter both my student teaching and my future career. 

• What am I doing to keep my “passion tank” full?

• Am I being intentional to surround myself with those who build me up, who fuel my fire, who push me to be more?

• Am I being intentional about my efforts to seek out and participate in opportunities that challenge me, stretch me and help me grow as future educator? 

• Am I being intentional about continuing to cultivate my passion for the future of agriculture?

Simply put, sometimes it takes a trip a few thousand miles away to realize all that. 

Simply put, I am still so incredibly passionate about the future of agriculture and so thankful for the opportunities like the Domestic Study Away to best prepare myself to pursue the future of it.

Till the next time I ride shot-gun in a white 15-passenger van, K. Janae