Sarah Sheaffer '23
Family and consumer sciences education
Camp Hill, Pennsylvania
As Sarah Sheaffer ’23 said goodbye to her professors in May, she also had to say goodbye to her students. As a student teacher at Cumberland Valley High School, she had spent months working with students in grades 10-12.
“It’s a bittersweet feeling, especially with student teaching. I have a class of 100 students, and I know them all. I’m done, and they’re still learning as I leave,” she said. “I taught a culinary class, global foods and textiles. They were working on pieces for a fashion show when I left, so I went back for that. I could see their personalities shine through their work.”
She says her biggest accomplishment so far is getting a degree.
“My dad went to Messiah and my nana went when it was the Bible academy,” she said. “I put in a lot of work and I think that’s something I’m most proud of. When you’re a freshman, you learn how much work it is to be a college student. I have a great appreciation for a college degree now that I have one.”
For her, family and consumer science is an education in life skills, and that’s something she has tried to convey in her teaching.
“These are things that students—no matter if they go into the workforce or if they go to college—are going to use, especially human development. That gives you an edge in life. Trying to make friends and finding out who really is a good person. It’s important to understand people,” she said. “Family and consumer sciences teaches students how to be well-rounded. It’s more than just cooking. It’s a balanced meal. It’s more than just sewing. It’s how do your $20 jeans affect the environment.”
As someone who deals with food intolerances, she has a passion for nutrition and wellness.
“It has shaped the way I have gone into education. I wanted to learn as much as I can about food,” she said. “Cooking is something I really enjoy. It’s a good thing to understand, and it draws me to people with food intolerances and allergies.”
For now, she’s going to spend some time helping her mom take care of her grandparents and enjoy time with family. She’s also looking forward to figuring out who she is outside Messiah.
“I have a lot of my identity rooted in school and Messiah, which is awesome and I don’t want to lose that, but I’m leaving my students, leaving my friends. The community that’s at Messiah, it’s hard to think about not going there anymore,” she said.
— Anna Seip