Annual Tractor Day at Colonel Richardson

A yearly tradition that just keeps getting bigger (and better) – Tractor Day at Colonel Richardson High School is “a celebration of agriculture in Southern Caroline County,” CRHS Principal Jared Sherman said. 

Much like our farmers are at the mercy of the weather, so is this event, which is why it had to be rescheduled to June this year. Sherman explained, “This is all student-run. They set it up, they plan it. They have a teacher who advises it, but… they really take ownership of it and they’re very proud of it.”

Caroline  County Career & Technical school Counselor Brad Pluschak said he can’t remember what year Tractor Day came about, but it has come a long way since then. “Some kids basically said, ‘Hey, can we get something? Because we don’t play sports… we go home to the farm after school.’” While it used to be as simple as students driving their family’s agricultural machinery to school for the day, it has now grown to include presentations, live animals, awards and superlatives, food vendors, higher education resources for trades and agricultural programs, yard games, a pig-kissing fundraiser, and this year, a dunk tank for students to get some end-of-year revenge on their teachers. 

Agriculture is central to the culture of CRHS, and for good reason. It’s no secret that Caroline County has its roots in agriculture and remains economically agriculture-based today. CRHS staff member Victoria Donovan said that when her students sometimes knock on Tractor Day, she reminds them “how special it is to come from a community that is centered on agriculture and to get to celebrate it. I think highlighting that not every school has this, this is something special that we do, then they really start to value and see that this is a really cool, important thing that we contribute…And what's more important than taking pride in your local community?”

Another teacher, Megan Ozman, who is also a part of the planning process for the event, said, “and a lot of these kids are continuing a legacy that for many of them is generations back… Farming is such a labor of love and it is such a lifestyle, and I think it’s important that we show these kids support and that we value what they and their families do for a living.” Ozman also said that the students who drive their tractors to participate in Tractor Day get to show their peers “what they go home to… what they do. It’s really neat and I’m glad to be a part of it.” Principal Sherman said the students get excited to answer questions about their equipment or their work on their respective farms, “They love talking about it.” 

This support of students who are entering the agricultural workforce has been evident at CRHS during events like senior awards night and graduation. During a season when so many are feeling unsure about their future in a world of possibilities, many Southern Caroline County high schoolers are already aware that they will be carrying on one of these familial farming legacies. Scholarships given out at the recent awards night specifically for agriculture students, and the presence of informational booths at Tractor Day like Chesapeake College’s trades programs, helps to give these students the resources to succeed, rather than giving attention solely to students entering colleges or universities after high school. 

Students from both Colonel High and Middle Schools had opportunities to enjoy the festivities, which eventually culminated in teacher Megan Ozman being nominated to kiss a pig when the donation bucket with her picture on it received the most funds.

Just another Monday in Caroline County, right?