12
community
august18
2016
Where Are They Now? Dillon Dethlefs
At the age of 18 Dethlefs trav-
eled straight from Portland, Oregon to
Portland, Maine and began working in
New Hampshire and Vermont, and then
moved on to Idaho where he managed
his own crew swapping out blades on
wind turbines. From Idaho, he went on
to New Mexico for several months.
“I learned a lot real quick and
it was really an awesome experience,”
says Dethlefs. “If a kid wanted to learn
a good trade, this is a field that is always
Dethlefs competing at the 2016
Vernonia Jamboree Logging Show.
Dethlefs it was a bit of a struggle to move
up to college level academic studies.
“I’m more of a hands on type of learner,
so when it comes to books I really had to
put my nose to the grindstone,” he says.
“I didn’t really know how to study but
luckily I always had my previous teach-
ers from Vernonia that I could call and
they would give me pointers and ways to
study and learn.”
Dethlefs graduated from North-
west Renewable Energy Institute with a
3.0 GPA and a year’s worth of college
credits. Following his graduation he
began applying for jobs and was hired
to work as a travel technician by Sky
Climber Wind Solutions, a supplier of
premiere wind turbine maintenance, re-
pair, and inspection services.
Last season Dethlefs won the
OMRA Off Road Championship.
going to be around. This industry has all
sorts of different trades involved in it -
ironworking, hydraulics, electrical. You
can get paid to travel to different states
and if you get your passport you could
continued on page 13
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“It definitely was a good
time and a good experience,” says
Dethlefs about his years in the
Vernonia school system. “All the
teachers, all the teachers’ aides,
coaches, library staff... everyone
helped me out a lot, both back in
the past in high school and still to
this day. They were a big influence
on me and they definitely helped
me.”
At the graduation ceremo-
ny, Dethlefs was very surprised to
be selected to receive the “Chance
to Become Scholarship” which is
awarded each year by school staff
to a deserving student. The schol-
arship is aimed at students who
might not be eligible or qualify
Dillon Dethlefs accepting the Chance to Become
Scholarship from Gordon Jarman at his
for typical scholarships. In many
VHS 2012 graduation.
cases they are considered average
ther than high school.”
students and may come from fami-
“I witnessed a young man who
lies that cannot pay for their continuing
education. They might be students with had incredible desire to not just work
a special talent or they may have over- hard and get through some tough stuff,
come behavioral or personal problems. but who always seemed willing to help
It is a $5,000 scholarship, given to a stu- others if he saw a need,” says School
dent over two continuous school years, Maintenance Supervisor, Mark Brown
$2,500 each year. The program pays for about Dethlefs. “It is one of those things
expenses associated with attending a I am not sure if people are born with or
four-year college or university, a com- become. I think he could have thrown in
munity college, or a career school for a the towel several times and no one would
have blamed him. But he kept pushing
professional trade certificate.
“I certainly wasn’t expecting on and was an inspiration to many peo-
that when I was sitting there at gradua- ple he may not have been aware of, both
tion,” says Dethlefs. “When my name other classmates and grownups.”
Dethlefs used his scholarship
was called it was definitely emotional
for me. When I was chosen it gave me a to attend Northwest Renewable Energy
lot of confidence in myself and the con- Institute in Vancouver, Washington and
fidence to go and further my education. completed a six month program to be-
No one in my family had ever gone fur- come a Wind Turbine Technician. For
continued from front page
Garden
June t
MIKE PIHL
LOGGING CO., INC
Free Estimates
Specializing in Private Timber
503-429-1470
cell 503.789.1268
fax 503.429.0252
mplogging@frontier.com
1984 mist drive, po box 321 vernonia, or 97064
