Senior Heads to Middle America

Ryan Glover l Digital Editor

After an early graduation, many students spend their school-free days working at local jobs. Senior Blayne Heisey chose to follow this path but not in a usual way.

Heisey has big plans for himself to say goodbye to Lebanon and hello to Middle America.

“Living in PA is very boring, and I think it will be good to get away for a little,” said Heisey.

Before these big plans though, Heisey must prepare by taking a four-week class starting Feb. 13 at the Lancaster CTC. Here, he will be getting his commercial driver’s license which is necessary for his job.

“A CDL is a separate driver’s license which I need for my job,” said Heisey.

The license will allow Heisey to drive tractor trailers and semi-trucks.

After the four weeks are up, his big trip starts as he takes off to Kansas. He has applied and was hired to work for a harvest crew over the span of a few months.

“Basically, we will start by doing maintenance to all the combines, tractors, and silage harvesters when I first get out there,” said Heisey. “Then around the first of May, we will start by chopping barley until the wheat gets fit.”

After this, his traveling trip continues down to Texas where he will continue with his crew. His trip does not stop there though because his harvest crew will then work their way back up through Kansas.

“We will move to Texas and start combining in Texas and then keep moving through Oklahoma and then Kansas then Nebraska until all the wheat is cut, and then we will move back to the home base in Kansas,” said Heisey.

After a day in the field, Heisey will get to rest during the nights. Unlike the normal worker, he will have no house to go back to though.

“They have tiny houses that they pull behind pickup trucks when we go to different states,” said Heisey.

He is counting down the days and cannot wait to start his new job.

“I can’t wait to graduate because school never really interested me,” said Heisey. “The harvest crew is very exciting, and I will be getting great experience from it while getting out of PA.”

Though he can’t wait, he still has great memories from school and people he will miss.

“The thing I will miss most about Cedar Crest is the great ag teachers,” said Heisey.

“One of my favorite high school memories was hanging out with my friends.”

Once work wraps up in November, he plans to attend the University of Northwestern Ohio to major in their farm service tech program. From here, he hopes to graduate and live a successful life in the work force.