WOODBURY — Nonnewaug High School’s Ellis Clark Agriscience Program brings rigid old frames to life with a tractor tune-up unit. 

This time of year, students of the agricultural mechanics class fetch their tractors for an educational course about engine repair taught by Andrew Zielinski.

The tractor tune-up is one of the most hands-on units the agricultural mechanics class takes part in.

“I like hands-on work,” said Drew Dugan, a junior. “We get to diagnose, take apart, fix and put it all back together.”

The students of the mechanics class are respectful of the projects in the shop because to them this is more than just an engine tune-up unit.

According to Dugan, being able to bring his own tractor into school gives him a sense of “pride and accomplishment” on a more personal level than working on someone else’s tractor.

During the fall season, students around the agricultural building grow excited watching the tractors flow into the shop.

“I like seeing all the different types of tractors come in, and the way they come out after,” said Gabriela Distefano, an equine science student. “It seems I hear everyone talking about it and the stories from the past years.” 

According to Zielinski, the tractor tune-up unit is a part of the curriculum that was started and run by previous instructors. 

For future classes, Zielinski would like to incorporate more diesel mechanics into the tractor tune-up unit to increase the variety of engine systems that students can learn from.

“It’s a great hands-on experience that helps us learn to work rather than reading out of a textbook,” said Nathan Hayes, a junior. “Now I can go home and apply my skills to my own tractors, cars, and equipment.”