Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District announces that Jessica Lindsey of Beavercreek and Jairo Romero of Canby are the 2014 recipients of the District’s scholarships. These awards of $2,000 each are available to Clackamas County high school graduates or students currently residing in Clackamas County who will be considered a sophomore or higher in fall 2014. Award recipients must be working towards an associates, bachelor or graduate degree in the field of agriculture (including horticulture), natural resource science or a related discipline.
Jessica Lindsey, currently a junior at Portland State University, is studying mechanical engineering with the goal of modernizing horse-drawn farm implements. Jessica has extensive experience with horse-drawn equipment which she uses on her family farm, at cultural events, and as a summer farm intern. She hopes to improve safety and efficiency and to create multipurpose, light and sturdy horse-drawn implements that support sustainable small farms in this country and are useful to farmers in third world countries. She believes horse-drawn agriculture is good for the environment and helps connect consumers to the land and nature.
Jairo Romero, currently a freshman at Clackamas Community College, is studying agribusiness. His goal is to become a farmer and to share and expand upon his farming knowledge. Jairo has been working on a local family farm since he was fifteen and is the first member of his family to attend college. He is excited to utilize his skill and knowledge to employ conservation practices that create healthy soils and conserve water and enable him to harvest a high quality product.
The board of Clackamas County Soil and Water Conservation District is pleased to honor these young scholars with scholarships as they work to protect natural resources and support agriculture for a sustainable future. This is the fourth year the District has offered scholarships to local students.