FRANKFORT, Ky. — The parking lot of the Franklin County extension office recently looked more like a mini National Farm Machinery Show, as dozens of students from the nearby Franklin County High School gathered to drive their tractors and lawn mowers to school.
The annual Drive Your Tractor to School Day event has grown over the past few years and is conducted in conjunction with the school’s FFA chapter. Kylen Douglas, the FCHC FFA advisor and agriculture teacher, said the activity was a tradition at the high school he attended and he wanted to start the same custom upon taking his current job.
"This is the eighth year of doing this. We’ve taken it from six the first year, and now we had 45 driving this year," he said.
In addition to students, this year a Kentucky state FFA officer attended, as did a student representing Kentucky 4-H and a teacher. In the past, the school’s principal has participated and for the last two years, Agriculture Commissioner James Comer has also attended. "We have a mixture of traditional farm kids whose parents farm, all the way to students who work on farms, to those that come from subdivisions and have lawn mowers," said Douglas.
He added an event like this helps to bring attention to what modern FFA and agriculture is about. "Agriculture is very important as we all know, but it’s not just about farm boys on tractors. It’s about marketing and sales, lawn care and landscaping and food service," said Douglas. "This is about educating people about agriculture."
If anything is indicative of what FFA is today, it may be that all of the school’s new FFA officer team is comprised of young women. Douglas said this is the first time that has happened; in recognition, FFA members wore pink shirts for the event. Those shirts also contained a message about something more serious. "They brought up the idea of using the pink shirts to raise awareness for breast cancer, and $5 from each sale of a shirt goes toward the Relay for Life," he said.
Micheala McCane, FFA chapter president and the Capital City region FFA treasurer, said this year marked her third in the event. "We set a goal this year (for participation) and we wanted to reach it. We really pushed it," she explained. "There are so many stereotypes with the FFA about being country, of living on a farm, and that is not true. There is something in FFA for everyone."
McCane also said the event is not just something for the school students to enjoy; it is for the community, as well. FFA members did their part to inform their community with the help of a local radio station. She wants to see Drive Your Tractor to School Day continue and one way to ensure that is through community involvement.
Darilyn Browning, Kentucky state FFA secretary, attended to show her support by driving a lawn mower on the short route from the extension office to the school. "It’s a great cause and I love to be out here with FFA members who are doing this for Relay for Life," she said. "I’ve actually participated in two other tractor parades this year, and I think it’s just a great ag promotion to get the community members out who maybe really don’t know about the agriculture industry. They get to see the tractors and all the farm toys. It’s a great way to advocate."
As the tractors pulled up in front of the school, participants were greeted by fellow students, parents and other community members. The farm implements were parked in front of the school for the day, where other students gained an opportunity to examine the vehicles up-close.
