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Maryland Agriculture Teachers Association Inc.
Supporting Agricultural Education in Maryland one teacher at time!
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MATA and NAAE Awards
Sent on behalf of MATA President Sarah Shriner and the Awards Committee:
MATA and NAAE Members,
The Awards application is hot off the press! Our members have amazing programs, activities, and lessons and we want to recognize YOU.
The MATA Professional awards have been completely revamped and winners will receive a choice of prizes! These include your choice of a transport wagon for convention and outings with students (once in a lifetime prize), a Visa gift card, or payment of you annual MATA membership. These awards are to recognize your hard work in the classroom, FFA chapter, and with SAEs. There are also awards for marketing (Spreading the Word), promoting and supporting agricultural programs (Agricultural Education Advocate) and for those teachers who have former students who are now teaching agriculture (Teacher of Teachers). The Teacher of Teachers award only required the cover page to be completed and submitted.
The 2023 Maryland recipients of the NAAE Awards winners will be eligible to apply for their respective regional categories for NAAE in 2024. These awards are always due on May 15th. If you are then selected as a regional winner, this can include a trip to the NAAE National Convention in December. Are you a new or beginning teacher and want to attend national convention? Fill out the Teacher Turn the Key application for an amazing professional development experience.
The award application<https://nam02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fdocs.google.com%2Fdocument%2Fd%2F1KGd87LwhFQmi1hhkcPMr1h3AM55KVZe1gVB5ttrGC00%2Fcopy&data=05%7C01%7Csarah.shriner%40fcps.org%7C50b40fe2255d42cf9b4a08db522ca7d7%7Cbe02c2670ded4c91a8bf4667962e95cb%7C0%7C0%7C638194124009534685%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=qLCc1vbbAJiGRofFOXxTwoIiqpq5YMwmbwXMQMZnaqE%3D&reserved=0> is in the form of a google doc. You will make a copy of it and convert it to a pdf before submission. Save it with your last name and award area. Email your submission to: info@mata-md.org<mailto:info@mata-md.org> by 11:59PM on Monday June 5th, 2023. Thank you to our amazing awards committee who have put so much work in on these awards: Sarah Welty, Amanda Farmer, Diane Herndon, and Bridget Nicholson.
Reminder: 2022 Maryland NAAE Award winners should complete their award applications and submit by 5/15/23.
MATA Teacher Spotlight
Sara Seiser
Middletown High School
How many years have you been teaching?:
Finishing up my 12 year of teaching
Where did you attend college and what degrees?
Bachelors Degree in Agriculture Education and Extension from West Virginia
Masters Degree in Special Education from Frostburg University
How many schools have you been at?
I have been at two schools so far in my teaching career. Frederick High School from 2010 - 2014 and Middletown High School from 2014 - present. My student teaching was completed at Linganore High School under the direction of Pat Beachy and Thomas Hawthorne.
Classes you teach?
Currently I am teaching the Horticulture pathway, Introduction to Agriculture and the Agriculture Mechanics Pathway.
Organizations you are part of and offices held:
Maryland Agriculture Teachers Association - serving on the blue print committee and previously held the office of membership chair.
FFA Alumni Member
ADGA, NAAE, and Farm Bureau
Best memory you have as an agriculture teacher:
I have had the opportunity to have a lot of great experiences with students as advisor. One of my favorite experiences was from when I first started teaching. FFA had put out an SAE idea of having students work with the guiding eyes dog training program. I mentioned the idea to my agriculture classes and a student came in the next day and told me my Mom said I can do the service dog project. I was not expecting my announcement to go past saying it to the class. I was so surprised I call to make sure with her Mom and they had already gone ahead and turned in her application. It was such a fun experience seeing continue her project over her next four years. Her service dog trainees went with us to conventions, leadership conference and afterschool activities. She had the opportunity to give a workshop to the ag teachers association. I value this experience so much because it reminds me to not count anything out and that students will continue to surprise you. The more years that I teach I am amazed at some of the awesome ideas and opportunities students create.
Whom has impacted your teaching role in Agricultural Education the most?
Mr. Staley my FFA advisor and my experience as a State FFA Officer impacted my teaching role the most. Without these two influences I would not have chosen a career in agricultural education. Since I have begun teaching I have had many others influence me. Ag teaching can be a very hard profession with long hours, always balancing family life and work life and often times being the only teacher in your area in the building. The support from others directly impacts my ability to be a quality educator.
Activities/hobbies you do for fun?
I enjoy spending time with my family going on hikes and family activities. I enjoy riding horses and raising dairy goats.
Interested in nominating a Maryland Agricultural Educator for the MATA Spotlight? Email: richard.stonebraker@fcps.org
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