Marlington High School senior Hannah Oyster was particularly upset about a flat tire this morning. It meant she couldn’t drive her tractor to school.

FFA students typically drive to school in their farm trucks or tractors one day during FFA Week, said Gary Baker.

Baker teaches natural resources, agricultural studies, animal care and horse management at the high school, which also features horticulture and landscaping departments.

About 10 to 15 percent of the Marlington student population lives in the semi-rural portion of Stark County that includes Marlboro, Lexington and Washington townships, he said.

On Wednesday, the students hosted an FFA breakfast for the school staff, cooking scrambled eggs, sausage and French toast, Baker said.

Not required

Today was Drive the Truck or Tractor to School Day “to show off as part of the FFA,” he said. The students drive in on tractors that they use on the farm to pull equipment and do other types of farm work, he said.

The event isn’t a school requirement.

Four arrived in their tractors, despite the bad weather. Uncounted others drove trucks, which weren’t as easily identifiable as farm equipment.

“We’ve been doing it for quite a few years,” Baker said.

Oyster said that, more recently, the students were only driving their farm trucks, but last year, they started up with the tractors again.

She drove her tractor to school last year, and she intended to drive it to school today.

“I wanted to because it’s my senior year,” she said.

Ohio tractor law

In Ohio, anyone as young as 14 — after passing a course — is permitted to drive a tractor on the highway, Baker said.

“You can drive younger if it’s your parents’ tractor,” he said. “But usually most of them don’t let (their children) drive until they’re 14.”

FFA Week will conclude Saturday with a first-time FFA Career Development Event, he said.

Canton Repository