While working as a mechanic for a local tree-trimming company a few months ago, Logan Collins saw electrical linemen in action nearby.
That sparked the Crothersville High School senior’s interest in a career after he graduates.
“I saw those guys working, and I was like, ‘Man, that’s kind of cool. All of that electricity, and they don’t even care,'” Collins said, smiling.
After he graduates Friday and then wraps up working for North Vernon-based H&L Tree Trimming Inc. this summer, Collins will head to Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Georgia, to become a journeyman lineman.
The son of the owner of H&L Tree Trimming went to the same school.
“He said he loved it, so now, he’s working for Duke Energy out of Madison, and he has been there for a few years, and he’s making pretty good money,” Collins said.
The 15-week program will start in September. After 180 hours of classroom training, Collins will spend the rest of the time in the field.
“I think it will be a rush for me because I don’t really like heights at all,” he said with a grin. “Most people are scared of the electricity that is going through those lines, and I’m not really bothered by electricity, so I think it would fit for me. A pole is only like 30, 40 feet up in the air, so I don’t think I’ll have that much of a problem.”
After finishing his training, Collins said it will take four to five years to get a journeyman’s license.
Before any of that happens, he will participate in Crothersville’s 122nd commencement ceremony at 8 p.m. Friday in the school gymnasium.
Collins will be one of 24 graduates.
“It’s kind of crazy. I want to (graduate), but I don’t,” he said.
His uncertainty comes from what he said he will miss the most: The people.
“All of my friends because I’m probably not going to see most of them after this,” he said.
Collins spent kindergarten and first grade in Brownstown before going to Crothersville from second to sixth grade. Then he went to Columbus for a year and a half before returning to Crothersville.
“I like the small classes,” he said. “I like how all of the teachers can kind of look over you at once. Whenever I went to Columbus, I didn’t really like it because there were such big classes, and you never really got one-on-one with the teachers. If you ever have a problem with something, you can go to your teacher instead of having to wait in line for 30, 40 minutes. Here, it only takes maybe five or 10.”
Collins was involved with FFA his first two years of high school.
“I like helping people, and we always helped the community,” he said. “We did the toy and food drive, and I really liked doing that and enjoyed that. And whenever we had the community yard sales, we are out here frying pork burgers.”
This school year, he has been in the Science Club and History Club.
“I like Civil War stuff, so that’s the part that I was mostly interested in,” Collins said of the History Club. “We really went over older history stuff in the United States whenever we met up.”
During Science Club meetings, Collins helped with different experiments.
His only sport through high school has been baseball. He said he started playing in Brownstown when he was 4, going from T-ball to Little League to travel ball.
“It definitely benefited my earlier years and high school years,” Collins said. “I like how we’re one team. If everybody is up, you’re cheering on other people. The coaches, they are great guys. I’ve been with them ever since they started, so my freshman year was their first year. I really like them, and the whole team has come a long way from freshman year.”
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Name: Logan Collins
Age: 18
Hometown: Crothersville
Residence: Crothersville
School: Crothersville High School
School activities: Baseball, History Club, Science Club, FFA
Future plans: Attend Southeast Lineman Training Center in Trenton, Georgia, and work toward becoming a journeyman lineman
Family: Parents, Crystal Brown and D.J. Collins; siblings, Corey Reynolds and Josh Reynolds
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What: Crothersville High School commencement
When: 8 p.m. Friday
Where: Crothersville High School gymnasium
Who: 24 seniors will graduate
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