2024 Scholarship Recipient
Congratulations to this year’s Linemen of POCo Scholarship winner, Jeffrey Pierson, a senior graduating from Newport High School. You may have seen Jeffrey working hard—literally running to help customers—at the Newport Ace Hardware for the last two years.
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.
"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
Congratulations to this year’s Linemen of POCo Scholarship winner, Jed Draper, a senior graduating 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
Congratulations to this year's Linemen of POCo Scholarship recipient, Dylan Schoener. Dylan, a senior at Newport High School and the son of a Pend Oreille County lineman, 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, a senior at Newport High School, wants to follow 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.
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.
Dylan Reijonen, a senior at 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.
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
We would like to congratulate Cusick High School Senior Nate Allen, the inaugural winner of the Linemen of Pend Oreille County Scholarship. We are sorry you are missing out on many of the festivities of your senior year, but we celebrate the opportunity to see one more promising lineman enter the trade. Congratulations again and best of luck on that wide open road ahead of you!
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.
Aside from being voted CHS Senior Class President, Nate has also been 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 has also participated in the Cusick Youth Coalition—a drug and alcohol free coalition—for the last two years and attended Running Start through Spokane Community College. On top of that, he has been active in 4-H showmanship for 12 years.
