02/27/2026
On February 25, our Year 2 Diesel Technology students visited the High Plains Ag Expo in Greeley as guests of 21st Century Equipment, exploring a different side of diesel—agricultural equipment. They traded semis for seeders and Bobcats for combines, many seeing this machinery up close for the first time.
Instructor Ellen Gutierrez, Washington Square Diesel Technology instructor, reflected, “It was great for students to see how what we study applies to real jobs. Hydraulics on a fertilizer sprayer may look different, but they use the same principles and key parts.”
Kian Martinez (‘11) said he had little experience with agriculture before the trip and was surprised by the level of science and math behind both growing food and operating the machinery used to harvest it. When asked if he could see himself pursuing an agriculture career, he paused, shook his head, and said, “But it’s good to know those careers exist. You never know!” Whether his future leads to highways or harvest fields, the greater takeaway was simple: sometimes the most important discovery is realizing just how many paths are available.
