ACES/SLLC

As anyone who has ever been a student teacher can attest to, the internship makes for one of the most busy seasons of life one has experienced up to that point. The work of an agricultural educator is never truly "finished" or "caught up", and in the midst of the busyness it can become easy to forget to look around and appreciate the growth and development that is taking place around you in the lives of students. During my student teaching experience, my trips to the Pennsylvania FFA ACES and SLLC conferences with students provided me with meaningful experiences to do just this.

In February, Dave, Sarabeth, and I loaded up a bus with 45 students to travel to Harrisburg for the Agricultural Cooperation Establishes Success (ACES) conference. We brought the biggest crew of students out of any school in attendance our weekend, which goes to show the value of an ag teacher having their CDL (shoutout to Dave for allowing large groups from the FFA chapter to be a part of these experiences). For many of our students, this was their first overnight trip away from their families.

At the conference, students participated in workshops about leadership, teamwork, and advocacy. We were able to enjoy a dinner together with some entertainment in the form of teachers participating in karaoke in front of a ballroom of over 500 people. They even had a special round for student teachers - how kind of them! While this was certainly a bit stressful, many of the students said this was one of the highlights of their experience, which makes it worth it for me. :)

In March, Dave and I took a group of students to the State Legislate Leadership Conference (SLLC), which is also held in Harrisburg. This conference has a slightly different feel, as it is geared for older students and each FFA chapter is allowed to bring a limited number of students based on total membership. We brought a crew of seven incredible students who were excited to learn about advocacy, parliamentary procedure, and the legislative process at the state level. Students participate in workshops and are divided into a mock House of Representative and Senate to debate real-life bills out of Harrisburg.

At the conclusion of the conference, we had an opportunity to travel to the PA State Capitol Building to do a legislative visit with the office of our PA State Senator, Gene Yaw. For most all of our students, this was one of their first times visiting the Capitol Building and meeting with their legislators. It was inspiring to see my students take an interest in the legislative process and how to engage with the political process in positive and constructive ways, surpassing so much of the negative and divisive discussion that often surrounds these topics.

Above all, trips to conferences like ACES and SLLC provide incredible opportunities to support students in new experiences that take them beyond their current comfort zones. It is easy to forget what life was really like as a high school student, but I'm quickly taken back as I help students learn how to leave a tip on your receipt at a sit-down restaurant and check out of a hotel room. FFA provides students with many valuable life experiences both in and out of the classroom, and trips like these demonstrate this most clearly. 

As I wrap up my student teaching internship, I'm most grateful for the deep relationships formed at conferences like these. From connecting with other ag teachers I have not seen in some time to talking about life with students ready to step into what's next following high school, these trips often provide a breath of fresh air in the midst of the fast-paced student teaching semester. From my own experiences at these conferences to now providing my own students with similar opportunities, a lot of things have started to come full circle.