UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Brandon Bixler, a 2024 graduate of Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences, has launched a new agricultural and environmental sciences program in the Career and Technical Education Department at McCaskey High School in Lancaster.
Since graduation, Bixler has taught foundation science courses to ninth grade students, using every spare moment to plan the new program. He worked to bring crucial components to life, including curriculum planning, course scope and sequence development, assembling an occupational advisory committee made up of community members, applying for grants, and creating the documentation needed to receive a charter from the National FFA Organization and program approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
“This is all brand new to our school, and there is a lot of work that goes into building a program like this from the ground up,” Bixler said. “A lot of these tasks take place behind the scenes and are on top of the instructional planning and in-classroom teaching that often comes to mind when we think of the work teachers do.”
In June, at the annual Pennsylvania FFA State Convention, Bixler saw his efforts pay off when he and several students joined McCaskey administrators on stage to receive their official charter. With the charter in hand, he said he is eager to offer the first agricultural and environmental science courses during the 2025-26 school year.
“We are so excited to have Brandon at McCaskey High School as its agriculture education teacher and FFA adviser,” said Mike Brammer, executive director of the Pennsylvania FFA Association. “Brandon has worked to make a difference. At McCaskey, he is doing that with new students and a new program.”
Bixler, who holds a bachelor’s degree from Penn State in agricultural and extension education with a minor in international agriculture, said he plans to make a difference in his classroom and local community by leaning into his educational and immersive experiences as a Penn State student. He said his role at McCaskey, paired with his globally centered education, positions him and the program to tackle pressing issues.