I am a high school senior at Florence-Carlton High School. I am actively pursuing a career as a lineman. I will be attending the Montna Tech/Haighlands College pre-apprenticeship lineman course in the fall of 2024. It is a 1 semester course that involves both hands-on training, as well as an in-class curriculum. I am very excited for this program because according to the research I have done on the subject, it has a very high chance to give me a big jumpstart on my career. It may also set me apart from other beginner linemen that decided to go through the union. This is because I will have had more experience than them when I am able to begin my career. I have always struggled with the stress of not having enough money to pay for my future family's needs. This is another reason I am excited to attend this course, because a jumpstart at the career means more income and debt payoff. Considering that my end goal is to live comfortably with a family. I am certain this high paying career is right for me. Receiving this amazing scholarship would be a valuable source of paying for my lineman course, as well as ensuring I have all the materials I need to be successful in the career training. Cable crimpers, cutters, and locators are all expensive tools that I may need to purchase prior to or while taking this course. Receiving this scholarship would be a valuable resource to access, should I have to pay for any of these things. The course itself is relatively expensive too. At around $13,000, not including food or room and board, this is a steep price for a high school senior like myself. Also, my family has undergone many financially challenging times in recent years. Things like surgeries, orthodontia, and switching jobs have all taken a toll on our financial capabilities. It goes without saying that aside from receiving this honorable award, it would be a great help in paying for this course. Like John, I believe that being an electrical worker will give me a sense of purpose. I have always struggled with finding what I will do for a career. When I stumbled upon the lineman sector, I knew it was right for me. I have always loved to tinker and work with my hands. This career will allow me to fulfill that sense of accomplishment after completing each job. I am aware of the dangers that come along with the career as well. It would be an immense honor to receive this scholarship created in John Geremia's memory and I pray that whoever receives this amazing scholarship uses it to carry on his legacy just as I would.

I am pursuing being a lineman and have already secured a spot in Montana Tech's pre-apprenticeship lineman program. I am passionate about this career because I have always loved working with my hands, fixing things, figuring out how things work, and being in the air. When I heard that being a lineman checked all the boxes, I was committed to the trade. After Montana Tech's pre-apprenticeship program, they hook you up with a job. The teachers of the very small program evaluate which company you are best suited for. With your permission, they contact and talk with the company, in order to give you the best chance at the job. I would most likely start out as a groundman, moving around a lot and probably living out of hotels and my truck. But depending on how far the pre-apprenticeship certification gets me, I could start out making over $70,000 a year. However, if my plans fall through, I would be more than happy to persue a electrician, or plumbing career through an apprenticeship. I have always known I would go into a trade, the question for me was which one. I believe I have finally answered that question. The biggest form of adversity I have had in life came through sports. Sports had always been a huge part of my life and when I decided to try high school football I learned what hard work and dedication truly means. I was properly put through my paces every single day. There were times when I thought about quitting sports altogether. There were loads of blood sweat and tears that I put into that team. I overcame it by working hard, keeping a positive mental attitude, and just doing what I know how to do. Now I helped lead my team to 3 back to back Class B state titles. I have been in the news many times, and I will be playing in the Class B all star game in June. Football taught me that adversity is the path to success, and now that I know this I am ready for more adversity throughout my life. I understand that in the trades, there is constant adversity. Wether its a tough job, tools and machines breaking down, or hard nosed co-workers, theres no denying that being in the trades is not easy. In these times of hardship it is going to be important to remember to not let your guard down, and to keep on working as hard as you can while not letting it affect the strong, friendly, resilient person that you are.

1. I am going to pursue a Lineman career and possiby an electrician career after lineman school. 2. I am interested in this trade because this trade pays exceptionally well because of the danger of being at high altitudes and working with electricity in bad weather conditions. I love working with my hands and I am interested in careers that have an added risk in order to keep things interesting in the workplace. 3. In my high school years I have had to be creative and use problem-solving skills often in order to complete tasks. I have worked on jet ski engines and gotten them running after years of not being able to turn over. I have also worked with my friends on their truck engines when their trucks break down. Another situation in which I used my skills to fit a lift kit to my truck. Lift kits often have fitment issues. When I put my lift kit on, I had to do trimming in certain areas in order to clear certain parts on the truck. Lastly, during the winter, I made a downhill ski bike. This involved tig welding an A-frame made of aluminum. The bottom of the A-frame was bolted to the downhill skis, and at the top, I fabricated a through-axel to be bolted to the forks and the subframe of the bike. Because the bottom of the skis had the bolt head sticking out, I countersunk through the base of the ski and with the bolt in place, filled the countersink hole with epoxy resin to maintain a flat surface to glide across the snow. I also had to strip the bike itself of all of the cables, derailleur, brakes, shift levers, and cassettes. This project forced me to think way outside the box and use a creative outlook to get my desired outcome for the project. 4. After I graduate high school, I am going to attend Montana Technological University. I will be attending their Pre-Apprenticeship Line program. Upon completion of this program, you are automatically entered for job application. This is very helpful because I can go to work straight out of school. I have already been accepted into this University and have applied for housing. All I need to do is turn in my FASFA and immunizations. After my lineman program, I may decide to do an apprenticeship for an electrician in the Missoula area. This would be a great idea because it would open up opportunities for more professional careers than just being a lineman. 5. If you were to call any adult in my life and ask them if they recommend me, they would say this scholarship is perfect for me. This is because I am an extremely hard worker, I have loved to work with my hands since a very young age, I would be a smart and coachable asset to any company or organization, and I am an agreeable person who has a way of getting along with most everybody in my current workplace.