Derrick Cobb loves to do two things – drive a tractor and cook.

The Montgomery County junior got to do both on Feb. 23.

As part of FFA week, several members of the MCHS FFA chapter – including Cobb – drove their tractors to school. Also, the chapter held its annual barbecue at the school’s Ag Shop, where Cobb got to cook steaks, chicken and bratwursts under chilly conditions.

“It means a lot to me to be a part of this organization,” Cobb said. “I love helping people and all of the fun things we do.”

The MCHS FFA group began its FFA week on Feb. 19, when members went to mass at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Jonesburg. The group participated in paintball at Good Game Sports Park in Truesdale on Feb. 20, had a Dynamic Duo dress up day on Feb. 21 and wore their official dress uniforms and drove their farm trucks to school on Feb. 22. The members wrapped up FFA week on Feb. 24 by touring Purina, Parallel AG and Wood Hat Spirits.

Junior Hannah Davis said she enjoyed the Dynamic Duo dress up day, when she and her sister, Kaylie, got to dress up as characters from the Top Gun motion picture series.

“It was pretty cool,” Davis said. “(Kaylie) was Maverick and I was Goose, so that was pretty fun.”

A total of 11 tractors were in the parking lot at Montgomery County High School on Feb. 23. Cobb led the procession of tractors on the way to school.

“We met before school in town before the parking lot got full,” Cobb said. “Then, we paraded up here and parked in front of the school so the community could see us.”

Cobb drove his 1980 John Deere 4440 tractor to school.

“That tractor has been in our family for a long time,” Cobb said. “We just got it restored a few years ago and we plan to keep it for a long time.”

Davis didn’t drive a tractor to school, but she drove her farm truck two days before. The new truck was purchased by her grandparents.

“I think driving your tractor to school had a pretty good turnout because I saw a lot of tractors out there,” Davis said. “I was going to drive one, but the one I was going to drive I never drove it before. I thought someone was going to show me, but that didn’t work out. Next year, I will drive a tractor, for sure. But at least I got to drive a farm truck, so that was fun.”

At the two-hour barbecue, Cobb cooked for more than 150 people. Cooking is not anything new to the junior.

“I started cooking a long time ago,” Cobb said.

Cobb is the sentinel of the MCHS FFA chapter. He’s part of an officer group that includes president Cora Johnson, vice-presidents Brianne West and Presley Schluss, secretaries Carie Schroer and Shea Stille, treasurer Ray Poston, reporter Lexy Veach, historian Destani Eversmeyer and parliamentarian Avery Ridgley.

Cobb said the best part of being with the MCHS FFA is doing activities with the other members.

“It’s fun to hang out with them, especially people with a lot of knowledge about agriculture like me,” Cobb said. “To be a part of this with them is neat. You get to make new friendships, meet new people and just have a good time.”