SAE Day!

 On March 9th, I got to go on my very first SAE visit! If you are anything like I was only a few years ago, you probably have no idea what "SAE" means, and why I'm conducting an SAE visit. 

What is SAE?

SAE is an acronym for "Supervised Agricultural Experience", and it is exactly what it sounds like. We utilize the opportunity of Supervised Agricultural Experiences for learners to get experience in different agricultural fields outside of the classroom. SAE helps FFA members to obtain FFA degrees, proficiency awards, career exposure, and even school credit! There is so much more that goes into SAE, as well as numerous other benefits, but that's a story for another time:) 

My First SAE Visit!

PV FFA member with her horse, Mouse

        Now for the moment you have all been waiting for: hearing about my very first ever SAE visit! Ag teachers will conduct SAE visits to see (in person) all of the cool things that their members are up to. At these visits, the advisor and member will talk together to set SAE goals, acknowledge strengths, and navigate areas for improvement. During these visits, we also review the records that the SAE holder maintains in a website called AET (the Agricultural Experience Tracker).
        The member that I visited is a freshman at Pequea Valley working on her very first SAE with her rodeo horses. She owns three horses: one miniature and two performance horses (Mouse and Joe). She uses Mouse for goat tying and barrel racing, and she uses Joe for breakaway roping. As a fellow horsegirl who is a rodeo enthusiast, I really enjoyed visiting her and seeing her passion for horses and rodeo shine through her SAE. In addition to equine care and management, competing on two performance horses, and training herself and her horses, she is utilizing some ag mechanics skills by building an addition to her barn! 
        She is incredibly motivated and has set great goals for the future of her SAE. By her next visit, she plans to have her barn addition finished, Joe ready for breakaway, and Mouse ready for goat tying and barrel racing. She is even planning on bringing her mini horse, Moana, to a petting zoo this spring held at Pequea Valley High School! As sad as it is only being her student teacher and not her full-time advisor, I am really excited to see the growth of her SAE and the fulfillment of her goals.

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