Lineworker scholarship recipient announced

The 2024 recipient of the LaVern and Nola McEntire Memorial Lineworker's Scholarship is Lukas Roberts of Sherman. Roberts is a graduate of Williamsville High School and is currently enrolled at Lincoln Land Community College (LLCC) in the electric distribution lineworker program.

"My goals as a lineworker [will be] to make a good living to provide for my future family and to travel to areas hit by natural disasters to help them restore their way of life," Roberts said in his application. "I always like the opportunity to help people."

The scholarship, awarded for the first time in 2011, was endowed by LaVern and Nola McEntire. LaVern served as a co-op lineman for more than 42 years at McDonough Power Cooperative. He and wife Nola set up the scholarship to assist students attending lineworker's school at LLCC.

The $2,000 scholarship is awarded annually to an individual who is related to an Illinois rural electric cooperative employee or director; is the son or daughter of an Illinois electric cooperative member; is enrolled in the Lincoln Land lineworker's school; or has served or is currently serving in the U.S. armed forces or National Guard.