University of Tennessee campaign comes to Hardeman County

HARDEMAN COUNTY, Tenn. — The University of Tennessee is working on a campaign to inspire youth in West Tennessee.

The University of Tennessee’s Everywhere You Look campaign has hit Hardeman County.

Ron Blair, the director of Lone Oaks Farm, says it’s important that these murals exist.

He says hundreds of kids and adults visit the farm everyday, but with the new mural, there is no way they can miss it.

“It’s a 1,200-acre piece of property. The future home of our West Tennessee 4-H center. So it’s important to us that when they leave here, about 5,000 youths a year come here to understand that this is the University of Tennessee,” Blair said.

Blair says the mural campaign, along with the programs they have at the farm, can lead to more youth developing an interest in agriculture.

He says the university’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Math program, or STEM, accepts a little more than 5,000 students a year.

He says in teaching these kids, experience seems to be the best teacher.

“I always tell people we don’t teach science here, and we don’t teach agriculture here. We do science and we do agriculture here,” Blair said.

Blair says it’s important that residents of Tennessee know that the University of Tennessee cares about the development of the state and the future of the youth.

“This mural is the last thing they see as they leave, and I think it’s important that they understand,” Blair said. “The University of Tennessee is committed and has a presence in rural Tennessee.”

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