Students receive $24,000 in High Demand Jobs Scholarships

Eight students studying for future careers in agriculture, nursing, diesel technology and other high-demand careers received generous scholarships because they plan to return to Phelps County to work after graduation.

The High Demand Jobs Scholarships are part of the Phelps County Development Corporation’s efforts to create a quality local workforce. This year, $24,000 in scholarships were awarded ranging from $1,000-$4,000 each.

Logan Wood said he has known since he was a young child that he wanted to live in Holdrege in his future.

“I know everybody, and if you need help, people are willing to help you,” he said.

The 2021 Holdrege High School graduate will be studying diesel technology at Southeast Community College in Milford as part of LandMark’s certified technician training program.

Wood has always loved working on cars and trucks, which led him to a job working on tractors and combines at John Deere while still in high school.

“I started working there two years ago and fell in love with what I was doing out there,” he said.

His goal after finishing his two-year training program is to return to work at John Deere and become a master technician.

He is grateful that the High Demand Jobs Scholarship will help pay for his tools and other college necessities.

Josh Reed, also a 2021 HHS graduate, will be studying agriculture at Southeast Community College in Beatrice with the help of a High Demand Jobs Scholarship.

“This scholarship will help me be able to focus on my studies and come back and work in Phelps County,” Reed said.

He plans to pursue a future career as an agronomist/crop consultant. He discovered his love of agriculture in eighth/ninth grades and was active in FFA throughout high school. He has already gained career experience by working at South Platte Crop Consulting in high school.

He looks forward to returning to the area because he wants to be close with people he knows, close to areas to pursue his hunting and fishing hobbies, and close to abundant agricultural opportunities.

“Holdrege is a great place for agriculture,” he said.

Scholarship winners must sign a contract stating their intention to return to Phelps County and work after their education. The scholarships are funded through LB840 sales tax funds, private donors and matching funds from the Phelps County Community Foundation.

The scholarships are intended to encourage graduating seniors and non-traditional students to pursue work in local high-demand jobs: nursing, agri-business and technology positions, auto and diesel mechanics, engineer technologists, mechatronics engineers, injection mold technicians, electro-mechanical technologists, machinists, tool and die makers, construction trades, welders and commercial truck drivers.

The 2021 scholarship winners are Hunter Brenn, 2018 Holdrege High School graduate, studying agriculture at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (fourth-year recipient); Sarah Pelton, 2018 Bertrand High School graduate, studying nursing at Bryan LGH College of Health Sciences (third-year recipient); Anna Pelton, 2021 Bertrand High School graduate, studying biology at Oral Roberts University; Alexis Billeter, 2021 Loomis High School graduate studying physical therapy at Southeast Community College in Beatrice; Nathan Anderson, 2020 Holdrege High School graduate, utility lineman school at Northeast Community College in Norfolk (second-year recipient); Joshua Reed, 2021 Holdrege High School graduate, studying agriculture at Southeast Community College in Beatrice; Jenessa Landin, 2021 Holdrege High School graduate studying nursing at the University of Nebraska at Kearney; Logan Wood, 2021 Holdrege High School graduate, studying diesel technology at Southeast Community College in Milford.

In the eight years that the scholarships have been offered, $200,000 has been awarded to more than 70 students.