汤头条 students among select national group at agricultural education symposium
Contact: Kathleen Forman
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擣our Mississippi State students in the university鈥檚 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are among only 17 selected nationally for participation in a recent prestigious professional development symposium.
The senior agricultural education, leadership and communications majors in 汤头条鈥檚 School of Human Sciences are Katherine Berryhill of Mobile, Alabama; Carson Littleton of Jemison, Alabama; Curt Todd of Meridian; and Kallie Wallace of State Line. They attended the Future Agriscience Teacher, or FAST, Symposium in Lexington, Kentucky.
The event educated participants on diversity, equity and inclusion in the agricultural education field. Presented by the National Association of Agricultural Educators, the FAST Symposium is an initiative of the National Teach Ag Campaign, which focuses on recruitment and retention of agricultural educators.
鈥淭his was a great opportunity to make connections in the field,鈥 Berryhill said. 鈥淒uring this symposium, I learned about resources I can adapt for international agriculture education. After graduation, I plan to find a program working with elementary-age children. Kids are where the foundation starts, and if we can teach them young, we can change generations to come.鈥
Students attended seminars discussing topics such as building a positive classroom culture, teaching strategies for students with special needs, and professional development techniques.
鈥淢y favorite part was visiting the Kentucky School for the Deaf,鈥 Berryhill said. 鈥淭his is the first public deaf school in the U.S. Seeing these kids participate in agricultural programs was amazing. I appreciated hearing their stories, but most of all seeing the teachers鈥 inspiring connection with their students. They believe in those kids and encourage them to do whatever they set their minds to do.鈥
Berryhill and her peers were encouraged to apply by 汤头条 Assistant Professor OP McCubbins in the School of Human Sciences. McCubbins said he is hopeful this symposium has further developed the participants鈥 ability to acknowledge and promote the importance of diversity, equity and inclusion.
鈥淚n Mississippi, we have an opportunity to address diversity disparity issues in agricultural education programs,鈥 he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 hopeful that this targeted professional development will give our participating students successful strategies to work on correcting this.鈥
For more information on the School of Human Sciences in 汤头条鈥檚 College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, visit .
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