18-year-old tractor driver Maria Grushetskaya was awarded a personal tractor at the regional "Dazhynki" in Braslav
Maria GRUSHETSKAYA is not a timid girl. From childhood, she showed an interest in technology, which is why after the 9th grade she entered the Kokhanovichi Lyceum. She trained as a fourth-category tractor driver-machinist-excavator operator and a category "C" driver. The only female machine operator in the district, she was awarded a personal MTZ-82 tractor at the recent regional "Dazhynki" festival. Maria started working as a machine operator at OJSC "Komsomolskaya Pravda" in the agro-town of Vorontsevichi, Tolochinsky District, she works hard and receives good feedback from management.
WHY was a ninth-grader drawn to technology? Perhaps it's in the family. Her grandfather, brother, and father Sergey, who used to put his daughter in his cab from a young age and show her how these machines worked, also work as machine operators at the same farm.
— At first, I just rode with my father, but by the 5th grade, I could drive a tractor myself. We went to the fields together, and I helped with the harvest, — Maria explains her deliberate professional choice.
At the lyceum, she studied mechanical devices for three years. In her second and third years, she completed her industrial practice in her native Vorontsevichi, and she returned here to work under a targeted contract. Along with her, having received their professions, young colleagues arrived, with whom Maria studied not only at the lyceum but also at school. She quickly got used to the fact that in a group of 22 people, she was the only girl. They accepted her as one of their own. She says it's easier with guys: they are non-confrontational, straightforward, and they also respected and protected their fellow student — after all, she was the only girl in the group.
Maria has grown fond of her agro-town. It's cozy and not crowded here. True, it's a pity that the school was closed, only a kindergarten remains. The rural club is open, but the young tractor driver doesn't go there often. She spends more time on household chores at home; the family has a large household, and it takes time to manage it. Among her favorites are the horses Kuzya and Lusya.
— The mare is still young; we'll only harness her in the winter. You know, I love horseback riding. I learned myself. My grandfather had a horse, and I practiced on it.
— Aren't you afraid of falling without equipment? — I ask the rider.
— I rarely wear it. What is there to be afraid of? The horses obey me. If necessary, I can...go fast, no — slower.
Maria plans to enter the Gorki Agricultural Academy to study agronomy and is preparing for internal exams. At the lyceum, she set herself the goal of obtaining a driver's license for a passenger car:
— Now I can operate almost all types of machinery; there are none that I find difficult. I still need to master driving a semi-trailer truck. You know, I even thought about becoming a long-haul truck driver. My favorite mode of transport is a motorcycle; it can't compare to a car in terms of thrill. I currently have an IZH, but I dream of a Honda. However, I need to save up for that model.
The girl masterfully operates a combine harvester, having harvested grain and rapeseed on it for two seasons. Initially, she worked in a crew with her brother, then with her uncle. She also learned the basics of driving at the lyceum. By the way, Maria not only drives but also understands repairs. If she doesn't understand something, she immediately asks her father.
— Of course, the personal tractor I received at "Dazhynki" adds responsibility. There's no room for error. I need to prove that it was not given to me in vain, — the mechanizer reasons. — I try to do everything assigned to me on time; if I can't make it, I might stay late at work. The main thing is to justify the trust. I want to show everything I'm capable of.
Director of OJSC "Komsomolskaya Pravda" Sergey LISOV:
— Maria followed in her father's footsteps. Sergey Grushetsky works at "Amkodor." It is gratifying that the only female mechanizer in the district settled with us. This year, we hired five young specialists: an accountant, an agronomist, and three mechanizers. We provide dormitory accommodation for all those in need and offer additional payments and loans to help the young people feel comfortable in the agro-town. Maria is local, from Vorontsevichi, and, of course, we will support her if she dedicates her working life to "Komsomolskaya Pravda." The personal tractor she was awarded is owned by the farm but is assigned specifically to her.
WHY was a ninth-grader drawn to technology? Perhaps it's in the family. Her grandfather, brother, and father Sergey, who used to put his daughter in his cab from a young age and show her how these machines worked, also work as machine operators at the same farm.
— At first, I just rode with my father, but by the 5th grade, I could drive a tractor myself. We went to the fields together, and I helped with the harvest, — Maria explains her deliberate professional choice.
At the lyceum, she studied mechanical devices for three years. In her second and third years, she completed her industrial practice in her native Vorontsevichi, and she returned here to work under a targeted contract. Along with her, having received their professions, young colleagues arrived, with whom Maria studied not only at the lyceum but also at school. She quickly got used to the fact that in a group of 22 people, she was the only girl. They accepted her as one of their own. She says it's easier with guys: they are non-confrontational, straightforward, and they also respected and protected their fellow student — after all, she was the only girl in the group.
Maria has grown fond of her agro-town. It's cozy and not crowded here. True, it's a pity that the school was closed, only a kindergarten remains. The rural club is open, but the young tractor driver doesn't go there often. She spends more time on household chores at home; the family has a large household, and it takes time to manage it. Among her favorites are the horses Kuzya and Lusya.
— The mare is still young; we'll only harness her in the winter. You know, I love horseback riding. I learned myself. My grandfather had a horse, and I practiced on it.
— Aren't you afraid of falling without equipment? — I ask the rider.
— I rarely wear it. What is there to be afraid of? The horses obey me. If necessary, I can...go fast, no — slower.
Maria plans to enter the Gorki Agricultural Academy to study agronomy and is preparing for internal exams. At the lyceum, she set herself the goal of obtaining a driver's license for a passenger car:
— Now I can operate almost all types of machinery; there are none that I find difficult. I still need to master driving a semi-trailer truck. You know, I even thought about becoming a long-haul truck driver. My favorite mode of transport is a motorcycle; it can't compare to a car in terms of thrill. I currently have an IZH, but I dream of a Honda. However, I need to save up for that model.
The girl masterfully operates a combine harvester, having harvested grain and rapeseed on it for two seasons. Initially, she worked in a crew with her brother, then with her uncle. She also learned the basics of driving at the lyceum. By the way, Maria not only drives but also understands repairs. If she doesn't understand something, she immediately asks her father.
— Of course, the personal tractor I received at "Dazhynki" adds responsibility. There's no room for error. I need to prove that it was not given to me in vain, — the mechanizer reasons. — I try to do everything assigned to me on time; if I can't make it, I might stay late at work. The main thing is to justify the trust. I want to show everything I'm capable of.
COMMENT
Director of OJSC "Komsomolskaya Pravda" Sergey LISOV:
— Maria followed in her father's footsteps. Sergey Grushetsky works at "Amkodor." It is gratifying that the only female mechanizer in the district settled with us. This year, we hired five young specialists: an accountant, an agronomist, and three mechanizers. We provide dormitory accommodation for all those in need and offer additional payments and loans to help the young people feel comfortable in the agro-town. Maria is local, from Vorontsevichi, and, of course, we will support her if she dedicates her working life to "Komsomolskaya Pravda." The personal tractor she was awarded is owned by the farm but is assigned specifically to her.