Mark Honeyfield
~Thirteen members of the Raton High School FFA Chapter from Raton, New Mexico, accompanied by FFA Advisor, Mark Honeyfield and Raton High School instructor, Max Bryson, attended an educational field trip at 4 Rivers Equipment in Pueblo, Colorado, on Friday, March 11, 2016.
Dave Wright, sales representative of 4Rivers Equipment, was the group’s host for the day. The tour began in the Parts Department where Josh McClure explained to the students how equipment inventory is organized online for accessibility when a customer is in need of purchasing parts. He also explained how parts are arranged in the warehouse to allow for prompt customer service as students walked through the facility.
The students were then taken on a tour of the small and large engine repair shops by Shop Manager/ Master Technician, Jim Langlois. The students observed the 4 Rivers’ staff of technicians at work on machines as small as a lawn mower to as large as an 844J John Deere loader. Students witnessed actual “on the job” issues that technicians explained to them as they problem solved to complete tasks.
The 4 Rivers office staff then provided lunch for the group before leading them out to their back lot to introduce students to various pieces of equipment and gave each member one-on-one instruction of how to operate an 824 Loader, an 85D Mini Excavator, an 8370R Farm Tractor, and a 310SK Backhoe.
The students then returned to the Finance Department where Frank Dionisio and Chad Parker explained the different options available to customers when purchasing large equipment for their farms, construction firms, and/or personal use.
The purpose of this trip was to expose high school students to the variety of career opportunities available to them if they are not interested in the traditional 4-year college path. Students learned that equipment technicians are continually being educated because farm and construction equipment is continually becoming more sophisticated with computer technology to enable people to be productive by completing tasks more easily and efficiently.
The Raton FFA Chapter would like to thank everyone at 4 Rivers Equipment for taking time away from their regular workday to share their expertise with them. The day was both educational and enjoyable!
