By Bonnie Marshal
LCSWA scholarship co-chair
Nearly $20,000 in educational funding was approved June 4 by the Linn County Small Woodlands Association.
University scholarships relating to forestry were awarded to five Oregon State University students. The scholars will share $19,000.
Another $500 was awarded to an environmental education project at Scio High School.
Money for these educational opportunities come from the LCSWA Seedling Sale – the 32nd annual event will be Feb. 13, 2027.
The two returning scholars are Mason Montigue and Emmaline Westfall. Montigue just completed his AAOT degree (Associate of Arts Oregon Transfer) at Linn-Benton Community College and will be entering Oregon State this fall as a junior, majoring in Forest Restoration and Fire Prevention.
Originally from Sweet Home, he will be working as a wildland firefighter out of La Grande this summer.
Westfall will be starting her junior year at Oregon State University in natural resources, specializing in ecological restoration. She has landed two summer jobs, one as a research assistant working with a graduate student and one with the Corvallis Parks and Recreation, working as a youth volunteer core leader. She will be leading youths in service projects related to maintaining natural habitat areas around Corvallis.
Three new scholarship recipients have been announced for the 2026-27 school year – Blaise Pindell, Allison Dariano and Camryn Kolouch.
Pindell, of Philomath, has completed requirements for an associate’s degree in forest engineering from Southwestern Oregon Community College and plans to attend OSU this fall, working toward a forestry degree with a specialization in forest management.
Dariano, a junior, is seeking dual degrees at OSU: a natural resources degree with an ecological restoration specialization in the College of Forestry and a sustainability degree through the College of Agricultural Science.
Kolouch will be entering OSU’s College of Forestry this fall as a freshman, focusing on forest ecosystems and conservation. Her goal is to become a dendrologist.
The $500 Scio High School donation will be used for building materials and compost for the school’s Environmental Studies program.
Teacher Steven Westbrook attended the June 4 meeting, outlining proposed projects and those already under way.
Raised beds, fencing and a nature walk are in the works. The board approved the donation unanimously.