Mt. Pleasant Students Build Lifesize Operation Game for Farm Bureau

Issue #723

May 07, 2026

In this What’s Up Columbia issue…

🌤️ Columbia’s Friday Weather - Sunny w/ high of 75, low of 53

📰 Mt. Pleasant Students Build Lifesize Operation Game for Farm Bureau

📰 Columbia State Unveils Legacy Wall Highlighting 1967 Dedication and Early History

🎸 The Ryman’s 134th Birthday Sale

🗓 List of Upcoming Events Just Updated!

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

🗓 Know of Some Local Events Not Listed? Send us the Details!

Mt. Pleasant Students Build Lifesize Operation Game for Farm Bureau

Students in the Advanced Manufacturing class at Mt. Pleasant High School have completed a year-long project in partnership with Farm Bureau Health Plans, designing and building a life-size version of the classic Operation game for use at promotional events across Tennessee.

The project led by Mt. Pleasant High School teacher, Seth Woodard, gave students hands-on experience in manufacturing, design, fabrication, and problem-solving while working to meet real-world client expectations. The oversized interactive game will be used by Farm Bureau Health Plans as an engaging tool at community events and outreach efforts across Tennessee.

“This project is a great example of how career and technical education prepares students for high-demand careers,” said Amy Roberts, Career and Technical Education Director with Maury County Public Schools. “Manufacturing programs like this not only teach technical skills but also emphasize teamwork, creativity, and communication.

“Partnerships with organizations like Farm Bureau Health Plans are critical because they give students real-world experience and show them the value of their work beyond the classroom,” said Tristan Brown, CTE College and Career Coordinator with Maury County Public Schools.

Students spent months planning, engineering, and constructing the game, applying skills such as precision measurement, electrical components integration and quality control. The collaboration reflects a growing emphasis on experiential learning within the Maury County Public Schools’ CTE programs.

To support the program and recognize the students’ work, Farm Bureau Health Plans presented a $5,000 check to Mt. Pleasant High School. The funds will help enhance classroom resources and expand future project-based learning opportunities.

“We are incredibly proud to partner with the Mt. Pleasant High School engineering program on this unique project,” said Tracy Ring, Chief Marketing Officer with Farm Bureau Health Plans. “Seeing these students apply complex skills like circuity and 3D design to create something that comes to life in a way that directly benefits our organization’s outreach is inspiring. Supporting the next generation of innovators is at the heart of what we do, and we can’t wait to see what they achieve next.”

Columbia State Unveils Legacy Wall Highlighting 1967 Dedication and Early History

Columbia State Community College recently hosted a ribbon-cutting in the John W. Finney Memorial Library for the new Legacy Wall, showcasing the deep history of the college’s dedication event and early years. The project was led by the student members of Columbia State’s Eta Beta Chapter of the Sigma Kappa Delta honor society.

The museum-grade displays were created after over a year of research went into understanding the history of how Columbia State was founded. The research mainly focused on uncovering materials relating to the college’s 1967 dedication ceremony, which featured honored guest speaker then-First Lady "Lady Bird" Johnson, accompanied by her husband, President Lyndon B. Johnson. The display also highlights the first graduating class in 1968.

Sigma Kappa Delta student research, with the guidance of college faculty and staff, helped bring these historical pieces to the current display wall. 

Isadora “Izzy” Swingle, current president of Columbia State’s SKD chapter, first shared the idea with members to see if there was a way to display important relics of the college’s beginnings. SKD members then unanimously voted to design, research, preserve and display the story of Columbia State.

Finney Library Director Anne Scott and Librarian Kyle Avirom worked with SKD Lead Faculty Sponsor Dr. Jessica Evans, associate professor of English, to make this project a reality. They decided to make the Legacy Wall displays multimedia-focused to tell the college's important history, while also allowing students to think about their stories and how the college has impacted them.

The Maury County Archives also served as a foundational partner in the creation of the display.

Approximately 50 documents were uncovered, chosen and scanned from the archives. 

In addition to documents and artifacts featured from the county archives, Columbia State’s library archives can also be found on display. Some of those items include a 1967-1968 Columbia State Catalogue signed by both Lady Bird Johnson and President Johnson, a presidential seal envelope and a congratulatory letter by Lady Bird to one of the first graduating students of Columbia State, and even the pen that was used during the first class registration.

The display features several historical documents that can be read, as well as multi-media features such as the documentary of Columbia State’s dedication, “Red Letter Day in Maury County,” an audio diary of Lady Bird Johnson, the documentary “I, Leonardo da Vinci” (a gift to the college from the Johnsons), and links to online archival photographs and documents. Students and library visitors can scan a QR code to watch, listen or read these as well as other resources.  

The Legacy Wall is located on the Columbia Campus on the second floor of the Finney Library next to the Reader’s Theater. The display can be visited during regular library hours Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The Ryman’s 134th Birthday Sale

Celebrate the Ryman’s birthday with 134 hours of savings. Grab buy one, get one free* tickets on select Ryman shows throughout the summer, and come see why this stage has been iconic since 1892.

Offer valid through Saturday, May 9 at 11:59 PM local time. 

Click for more info

Upcoming Local Events

🗓 Have an event to add? Send us the Details!

Friday, May 8th

Saturday, May 9th

Sunday, May 10th 🌺 Mother’s Day 🌺

👇 Click the Links to Learn About our Local Business Sponsors! 👇

🎵 This Week’s Live Music

Friday, May 8
TBA - The Spot Burgers & Beers, 5–8 PM
TBA - River Terrace, 6–8 PM
Bethany Trainor - Buck & Board, 6–8 PM
John Conlee - The Mulehouse, 7:30 PM
Zachariah Smith - Puckett’s, 7:30–9 PM

Saturday, May 9
Nick Bentley - Keg Springs Winery, 2–5 PM
Crossbridges - Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 3–7 PM
Classic Vinyl - Hampshire Hills Distillery, 5–9 PM
TBA - River Terrace, 6–8 PM
Larkin & Leigh - Twisted Copper, 7–8:30 PM
Curated Writers Round - The Bourbon Gospel, 7:30 PM
Real Deal Band - The Rebel Bar & Grill, 7:30 PM
Will Nance & Friends - Puckett’s, 7:30–9 PM
The Ministry of Fun - Twisted Copper, 8:30–10 PM

Sunday, May 10
The Sins - Amber Falls Winery & Cellars, 1–5 PM

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