Jessica Metta, Gorge Tech Alliance, with Jack Perrin, STEM Educator of the Year. Also honored were Steve Olson and Jordan Holt, founders of SightLine Applications, as the Tech Leaders of the Year.
Jessica Metta, Gorge Tech Alliance, with Jack Perrin, STEM Educator of the Year. Also honored were Steve Olson and Jordan Holt, founders of SightLine Applications, as the Tech Leaders of the Year.
THE GORGE — Gorge Technology Alliance (GTA) held its 11th annual awards program Dec. 12, recognizing both Tech Leader and STEM Educator of the Year and honoring all finalists for the two awards.
Steve Olson and Jordan Holt, founders of SightLine Applications, were honored as the Tech Leaders of the Year. Founding the company in Hood River in 2007, Olson and Holt have made SightLine Applications “a great place to work and had the significant achievement in July 2023 of receiving a strategic investment from Artemis Capital Partners,” said a GTA press release. “The investment from Artemis, a Boston- based private equity firm, will help pave the way for remarkable growth and development.”
Olson is also a long-time leader with the GTA, serving in the past on the Board and as President for many years. Learn more at sightlineapplications.com.
The STEM Educator of the Year award was given to Jack Perrin, founder and director of Gorge MakerSpace in White Salmon, whose mission is to empower and inspire people of all ages and back- grounds to explore and build their creative skills.
“Since 2014, Perrin has been selflessly bringing youth and adult classes to the community, leading youth robotics in White Salmon, and finding new ways to reach students less represented in STEM careers like girls and Latino students,” said the GTA press release. “Perrin is also well known in the Gorge for his STEM leadership, serving on numerous advisory committees to stay at the forefront of new STEM initiatives and opportunities to provide better outcomes for his students.”
As one benefit of this award, the GTA has donated $1,000 to Gorge MakerSpace. Learn more at Gorgemakerspace.com.
STEM Educator finalists who were honored included Chuck Webber, CTE/computer science teacher and VEX robotics coach at The Dalles High School, and Jamie Sowell, South Wasco High School’s director of technology and VEX robotics coach. The GTA’s annual awards pro- gram recognizes and thanks the many companies, organizations and individuals working to advance the tech industry and STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in the Columbia River Gorge, said the press release. The GTA Technology Leader and STEM Education Leader of the Year awards are presented to the individual or organization who made the largest positive impact on the technology and STEM education community of the Columbia River Gorge. Nominations are accepted from across the Gorge and all finalists are celebrated at the annual Winter Party for their leadership and hard work. Learn more at crgta.org.
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