2024 Lane Electric Scholarship Winners

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By Craig Reed

Lane Electric Cooperative has again recognized students in its service territory for their past work and their future goals. 5 students—Sophia Brock, Charlie Davis, Jane Dellinger, Tressa Geyer, and Sawyer Kordon—were awarded Lane Electric scholarships at the co-op’s annual meeting to help with their college and trade school tuition and fees.

Each year, Lane Electric awards $20,500 in scholarships to help students pursue their academic and vocational goals. Questions regarding the scholarship application process can be directed by emailing Lane Electric or contacting April Matson, manager of member and public relations, at (541) 484-1151.

Following are profiles of the 2024 scholarship recipients.

Sawyer Kordon

• Recipient of a $5,500 scholarship to VOLTA trade school.

Sawyer Kordon, 18, job shadowed a Lane Electric lineworker for a day and made the decision to join the profession.

He is a recent graduate of Lowell High School and was awarded a scholarship that funds a 10-week course at the Vocational Outside Line Training Academy in Warrenton. VOLTA is a private, nonprofit vocational training school that prepares students for entry-level work as a lineworker.

Sawyer began his coursework in July. Training takes place Monday through Thursday. At the same time for 4 Fridays, he attended a Commercial Driver’s License course, another lineworker requirement “I like working outside,” he says. “I like how there is equipment involved. I’ve seen how linemen can support their families well. I’d like to get into an industry where I can do that and this is an industry where I can.”

When interviewed during his second week of VOLTA training, he said he had already learned how to climb a pole and how to work with some of the hardware. He added there was a heavy emphasis on safety.

“You don’t touch the wrong wire at the wrong time,” says Sawyer, the son of Chad and Jen Kordon.

During his high school years, Sawyer worked on a neighbor’s ranch. He helped with the cattle and hay operation and had the opportunity to run some equipment.

Sawyer says after he finishes the VOLTA course, he’d like to work for a utility, preferably Lane Electric if there is a job opening, but adds he’ll go anywhere there is an opportunity.

“My goal is to eventually become a journeyman,” he says. “I appreciate Lane Electric very much for this opportunity, helping me gain the knowledge and skills I need in order to get my foot in the door. I couldn’t do this without Lane Electric’s help.”

Sophia Brock

• Recipient of a $4,500 scholarship to attend Lane Community College.

Sophia Brock, 18, a 2024 graduate of Pleasant Hill High School, plans to take prerequisite classes for the nursing program at Lane Community College.

“My commitment is to pursue rural nursing someday,” she says. “I grew up rurally, I watched people not get the help they needed simply because of where they lived or how little money they had. My goal is to work in a rural area in order to help those types of people.”

Sophia, the daughter of Becky and Brad Brock, has experienced the nursing profession up close since her mother is a long-time nurse. She’s also seen the life cycles of dogs, cats, ducks, and horses during her youth on the family’s rural property and believes those experiences will help her deal with the health issues suffered by patients.

“Nursing has always been in my mind as a career option,” Sophia says. “I like being around people. I’d like to make a difference in what I do and to be able to see the difference. I want to be there for people on their worst days. Helping them would be a special privilege.”

Sophia says she was honored to receive the Lane Electric scholarship.

“It makes my dream more a reality,” she says. “Thank you.”

Tressa Geyer

• Recipient of a $3,000 scholarship to the college of choice.

Tressa Geyer made the long trip from her Pleasant Hill home to Fort Worth, Texas, where she is now a student at Texas Christian University.

The 2024 graduate of Pleasant Hill High School was accepted into TCU’s honors college. She is studying business with a focus in finance and management.

“I’m a little uncomfortable leaving family and friends, but I think overall it’ll be a really great experience and will help me grow and become a more independent individual,” Tressa says.

“I want to thank Lane Electric for helping to support me and giving me this opportunity to go to the school of my dreams,” the 18-year-old says. “TCU is perfect for me.”

Tressa, the daughter of Eric and Nancy Geyer, applied to 11 schools. She selected TCU because she was accepted into its honors college, earned a faculty scholarship, and was drawn to the nationally ranked school of business.

At Pleasant Hill High School, Tressa was president of the FFA chapter and participated in competitive speaking for 3 years. She gave speeches on the benefits of clear-cutting, the benefits of mass timber production and an overview of the timber industry, and the consequences of carbon credits. Her presentations at the state FFA event earned her 3 top-5 placings.

She was her district’s FFA secretary during her junior and senior years.

Tressa was also the chairperson of the Ag in the Classroom Program. During her sophomore and senior years, she taught elementary students about different aspects of agriculture. She also managed a group of 4 third graders in the Destination Imagination program, helping them write and solve an investigation involving archaeology.

Tressa says her high school experiences have prepared her to further her education.

“I’ve always wanted to go out of state,” she says. “It’ll be like an adventure. But I’m not super excited about the heat.”

Charlie Davis

• Recipient of $4,500 Dave D’Avanzo Memorial Community Scholarship to attend Lane Community College.

The spirit of the Dave D’Avanzo scholarship is to provide an opportunity for a Lane Electric member to explore a new career path.

Charlie Davis, 50, looks forward to a career transition. He was a truck driver for 18 years but was laid off 10 months ago during a company downsizing.

“I went through a period of figuring out whether to go back to the same line of work or to a new line of work,” he says.

Charlie says he decided on social work because of the personal traits he believes he has to offer.

“Empathy, understanding, patience, and great listening skills,” he says. “It’s a process of helping people with their own self-realization in order to be effective.

It’s not so much trying to project my own ideas but being a person there who can help guide others.”

Charlie is no stranger to social work discussions. His wife, Usha Davis, pictured with Charlie, is a licensed clinical social worker.

“She has helped me a great deal throughout life and now through this transitional process,” Charlie says. “It’s nice to have somebody there to support me in a big way through this change.”

Charlie plans to earn a 2-year associate transfer degree at Lane Community College and continue his degree at a 4-year university.

This scholarship is named in honor of past Lane Electric employee Dave D’Avanzo, the co-op’s member and public relations manager who was community-minded.

Jane Dellinger

• Recipient of a $3,000 scholarship to the college of choice.

Jane Dellinger says she is “definitely ready for her next step.”

She’ll use her Lane Electric scholarship to help with expenses at Oregon State University in Corvallis where she’ll work toward a degree in natural resources.

Jane, 18, is a 2024 graduate of McKenzie High School. She believes the small school has properly prepared her for a college curriculum.

“I had a lot of 1-on-1 time with my teachers who reviewed my work and prepared me for this next step,” Jane says. “I was also able to take dual enrollment classes with Lane Community College during my junior and senior years.

“I liked the personal experiences developed at the small school compared to a big school,” she adds, noting there were only 7 students in her graduating class. “You know everybody, you form lifelong relationships with everyone.”

At McKenzie, Jane participated in an after-school robotics program and a once-a-month waters program that focused on the McKenzie River watershed. She also participated in discussions about natural resources at home. Her parents, Miranda and Quin Dellinger, are employed by the U.S. Forest Service.

Jane picked OSU to continue her education because “I got an academic scholarship and it’s a great school for natural resource study.”

Jane adds she was pleased to receive the Lane Electric scholarship.

“I want to thank Lane Electric for helping to give me this next opportunity,” she says. “It does a lot for the community here and I really appreciate that.”