Meet our new 4-H Ag in the Classroom Educator!

My name is Shealyn Otto and I’m so excited to join the team as the new Ag in the Classroom Educator! I grew up in the farmlands of western New York where some of my favorite childhood memories are learning to milk cows and volunteering as a strawberry picker at a local farm. My love of agriculture was fostered by my homeschooling mother who encouraged me in all my horticultural pursuits. Ultimately, I decided that the way I would make the most impact with my life would be through agriculture.

I graduated in 2022 from Cornell University with a degree in Plant Sciences, concentrating on the intersects between conservation, ecology, and agriculture. I then spent a year working for ECHO, an organization doing international agricultural development. There I participated in a farm internship and an ag development certification program, learning many regenerative agricultural techniques and community development strategies.

Throughout my education, I have realized that my true passion is community outreach and education, especially that of children. My goals are to highlight the importance of small-scale and community supported agriculture and provide ag resources for people of all ages and backgrounds.

When not working, you’ll find me playing Beethoven on the piano, eating ice cream, or looking for mushrooms, birds, and interesting plants!