By Blake Jackson
Nicole Guise Hall, an agricultural education teacher and FFA adviser at Millville Senior and Junior High Schools, has been named the 2026 recipient of the Janet Harding Ruslavage Memorial Service & Promotion Award.
Established in 2024, the award honors the legacy and service of Janet Harding Ruslavage by recognizing a Pennsylvania resident between the ages of 18 and 30 who demonstrates outstanding commitment to serving and promoting the state’s dairy industry.
The award reflects Ruslavage’s lifelong dedication to dairy promotion and education. Jeff Harding, speaking on behalf of the Harding family, highlighted the importance of recognizing young people who continue that work.
“My mom was a promoter for dairy all of her life, and she was a role model for many young ladies over the years. We bottled and sold our own Golden Guernsey milk at the farm, so she felt promotion and service to the industry was really important. We are proud that this award was established with donations from many individuals across the industry to recognize the outstanding contributions of young people serving and promoting Pennsylvania’s dairy industry,” said Jeff Harding on behalf of the Harding family.
Hall teaches approximately 25 percent of the student population at Millville Senior and Junior High Schools through 12 agriculture, food and natural resources courses. Her instruction emphasizes hands-on, differentiated learning.
Hall also serves as chair of the Pennsylvania FFA Milk Quality & Products Career Development Event, a statewide competition centered on dairy knowledge and skills.
Through grant writing, Hall has obtained more than $47,000 to support experiential learning and strengthen agricultural education. She is also active with the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau’s Ag Promotion and Education Committee and organized a dairy outreach initiative that reached all K-2 students at Millville.
“Receiving the Harding Award is such an exciting and meaningful, full-circle moment for me. From exhibiting 4-H dairy projects, serving as a Dairy Princess, and now being a high school agriculture education teacher, the dairy industry and dairy promotion have been a constant and important part of my life. I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunities this industry has given me and I’m excited to continue promoting dairy and inspiring the next generation of agricultural leaders,” Nicole said.
Hall has also organized community events such as “Cows and Cones” and Millville’s first “Dairy Day,” where 50 first-graders adopted calves and connected with a local farmer. Her agricultural advocacy earned her the 2025 National Teachers Turn The Key Award.
Hall received a $3,000 cash prize and was honored at the Pennsylvania Dairy Princess State Pageant in September.
Photo Credit: center-for-dairy-excellence
Categories: Pennsylvania, Education