2025 Scholarship Recipient
Mason McCanna, our 2025 Linemen of POCo Scholarship recipient, is a lifelong Pend Orville County resident and graduated from Riverside High School. He also simultaneously earned an Associate's Degree through the Running Start Program as a high school senior.
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Mason's inspiration to become a lineman came from his lineman father, who installed 30-foot poles in their back yard so Mason could start practicing his climbing. Obviously, he is a driven, hardworking young man with his eyes on the prize.
2024 Scholarship Recipient
Jeffrey Pierson, the 2024 Linemen of POCo Scholarship recipient graduated from Newport High School. If you live in Newport, you may have seen Jeffrey working hard—literally running to help customers—at the Newport Ace Hardware during high school.
He is also a three-sport athlete, having played basketball, tennis and football. Jeffrey wants to follow in the footsteps of his uncle, who is a retired lineman. He has always wanted to work in the trades and enjoys being outside and working with his hands. In addition, Jeffrey wants to be an asset to his community and provide for his family as a lineman.
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"I look forward to being a dad someday who gets to drive the bucket truck to the school for the younger kids to see during career day. I want to help, work hard and inspire more people to want these same things in life," Jeffrey said.
2023 Scholarship Recipient
Jed Draper, the 2023 Linemen of POCo Scholarship recipient graduated from Selkirk High School. He is a five-time Scholar Athlete, having played varsity baseball and basketball as well as club baseball for two years.
Draper has dreamt of life in the trades for some time, but landed on the decision to become a lineman following in the footsteps of his grandpa, who was a lineman for 30 years. Jed loves working with his hands and is always up for a challenge. He has worked as a ground keeper for the Spokane Indians, logged, and worked on a farm.
“Line work is a job with real world impact, which is something I understand and appreciate,” Draper said. “Without linemen, the world would come to a stop at every storm. The risks of line work are something that I do not shy away from. The commitment to the community is something I will take pride in.”
2022 Bill Pickerel
Scholarship Recipient
Dylan Schoener received the 2022 Linemen of POCo Scholarship in honor of Pend Orville County Lineman Bill Pickerel. Dylan, who graduated from Newport High School is the son of a Pend Oreille County lineman and has been learning everything he can from his father to prepare himself for a future in the trade.
Dylan will not only be graduating with a high school diploma this year, but will also graduate with an associate’s degree after going through the Running Start program.
Amidst his studies, Dylan also worked at Super 1 and has done tree work and other odd jobs for local community members. He also played football, baseball and basketball. Dylan is enthusiastic about his future as a lineman and says he, “loves the outdoors and will never settle for a behind-the-desk job.”​
2021 Scholarship Recipients
Trevin Kiss and Dylan Reijonen
Trevin Kiss, who graduated from Newport High School, is following in his father's footsteps, who has been a lineman for years. But, Trevin didn't know for sure until he stepped into his dad's old hooks and scaled a pole for himself. That's all it took.
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Trevin's main hobby is motocross, but he also participates in his church youth group and has tutored fellow students in math. He plans to attend Northwest Lineman College in the winter.
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Dylan Reijonen, who graduated from Cusick High School, ​
has watched his older brother head into the line trade and has a close friend whose father is a Pend Oreille County lineman.
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With a background in sports—football, basketball and baseball—and being an adrenaline junkie, the line trade seemed like a natural fit.
Dylan also showed livestock in 4-H for 14 years.
2020 Scholarship Recipient
Nate Allen, a Cusick High School graduate, was the inaugural winner of the Linemen of Pend Oreille County Scholarship in 2020.
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Nate is following in the footsteps of his father, who is a lineman for the Pend Oreille Public Utility District. With the help of his dad, who erected a pole in their backyard, Nate has been practicing his climbing skills since he was 10 years old.
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Aside from being voted CHS Senior Class President, Nate was also awarded team captain in baseball, football and wrestling, and made it to the Washington State 1A Wrestling Tournament for the Newport Grizzlies for the past three years. He also participated in the Cusick Youth Coalition—a drug and alcohol free coalition—for two years and attended Running Start through Spokane Community College. On top of that, he was active in 4-H showmanship for 12 years.
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