Supporting Agricultural Education in Maryland one teacher at time!
MATA members,
The Board of Directors is proposing a change in the MATA bylaws to be voted on at the April 1st meeting during the MD FFA Spring Judging. This email serves as the official 30 days notice to our current membership to review the proposed change. Questions can be addressed to Tom Hawthorne (thomas.hawthorne@fcps.org) or Sarah Shriner (Sarah.Shriner@fcps.org).
The proposed change to be voted on is as follows: Elimination of Section 4 of Article II.
Article II
Membership
Section 1 The active members shall include all teachers in the state of Maryland who are engaged in the teaching of Environmental, Agricultural, and Natural Resources in the secondary and middle schools and who have paid MATA membership dues.
Section 2 Affiliate members may include post-secondary agriculture educators, members of the faculty of the University of Maryland System, employees of the Maryland Agricultural Education Foundation, the State FFA Executive Secretary and any others engaged in the program of agricultural education who are not employed as secondary or middle school teachers.
Section 3 Associate membership shall consist of those persons who are not eligible for active or affiliate membership, but who maintain an interest in the areas of agricultural education, including teachers of other disciplines.
Section 4 Any active member leaving the State of Maryland to teach elsewhere or working at any position other than the teaching of agricultural education either in or out of the State, shall automatically become an affiliate member in MATA for the remainder of the membership year.
As a heads up, we will also have further information about the MATA constitution and bylaws at our July Summer MATA Conference.
2/1/23
3/1/23
*4/1/23 - MATA meeting @ MD FFA Spring Judging
4/19/23
5/3/23
6/7/23
7/5/23
Meetings are held virtually at 6:30 PM
All are welcome to join in the meetings by our Google Meet Link: https://meet.google.com/vxp-ymwp-kgq
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
Maryland Agriculture Teachers Association, Inc.
9104 49th Avenue College Park, MD 20740-1830
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