Darfield High School students show off their tractors for Drive Your Tractor to School Day. Photo / Supplied
Darfield High School students show off their tractors for Drive Your Tractor to School Day. Photo / Supplied
Mufti day is a pretty standard event for many Kiwi kids but Darfield High School gave it a rural twist this week with its Drive Your Tractor to School Day.
Darfield High School principal Andy England said it was a seniors-only day, rather than an “everybody drive a tractor to school” affair.
“I think we’d probably run out of space,” he told The Country’s, Jamie Mackay.
Turns out he was right to be concerned as the tractors that did turn up on the day were “big by our standards”.
“They struggled to get into the school actually; one of them had some pretty impressive driving skills to get through our little lane.”
The seniors had the idea of bringing their tractors to work to show their appreciation for learning about agriculture at Darfield High, England said.
“I thought what a neat way for them to show their thanks for their time at school doing ag.”
Image 1 of 6: Darfield High School students take part in Drive Your Tractor to School Day. Photo / Supplied
It wasn’t just seniors who were interested in Drive your Tractor to School Day, as the vehicles attracted a “definite gathering of kids of all ages,” England said.
There are around 750 students at Darfield High School and ag courses are offered from Year 9 through to Year 13.
“In any one year there will be a group of 20 to 30 students taking ag,” England said.
Seniors either focused on research and theory, which helped them prepare for Lincoln University or took a more practical approach to be “farm ready” by the time they left school, England said.
He was pleased to see more secondary schools offering agricultural options.
“Farmers need people to work on farms. The country needs researchers to continue to advance agriculture and it’s an exciting industry for the students to be involved in.”
Next year the school is running a pilot project with Primary ITO, where students from Haeata Community Campus and Rolleston College will be able to access ag opportunities at Darfield High School.
“They haven’t got access to the same facilities and community connections that we do, so we’ll do some practical teaching with them and connect them with farmers locally and give them an opportunity to experience the agricultural sector.”
If the pilot proved successful, England said it would be extended to more city schools.
He praised farmers, local apprenticeships and engineering firms who helped out in general with the agricultural component at Darfield High School.
“These students – we can only teach them so much – and I’m proud of what we do teach them, but actually, they learn so much when they go out to the farm and they get shown by the people who are doing the actual jobs that they want to do.
“We’d be nothing without the support of our local community – they’re amazing.”
