NLGF Scholarship Spotlight: Liam Burke’s Path to the Linemen Institute

NLGF board member Bob Porter (right) presents Liam his scholarship check.

The Northern Lake George Foundation (NLGF) is proud to announce that we have awarded a $3,000 scholarship to Liam Burke, a 2025 graduate of Ticonderoga High School, to help him pursue a pre-apprentice electrical lineman program at the Linemen Institute of the North East (LINE) in Kingston, NY. The scholarship reflects NLGF’s ongoing commitment to supporting local students in developing practical skills that strengthen both their futures and the community we call home. 

Liam’s decision to pursue linework came from a clear-eyed view of the world around him. With automation and artificial intelligence reshaping industries, he wanted to focus on a career that would always require skilled human hands. “I know [automated machines and robots] aren’t going to dangle up on a pole, […] and [the grid infrastructure] is only going to get more developed, so I might as well hop in that field,” he said. Determined to make an informed choice, he reached out to professionals in the industry and listened closely to their advice. “I went down to the barn here in Ti at National Grid and talked to a couple guys I know”. He explains that the advice they gave was very straightforward: “go to the Linemen Institute.” That guidance led him to LINE, where he has since thrived in a hands-on, results-driven environment. 

Now approaching graduation, Liam has already completed a series of interviews and earned multiple industry certifications. “They make it so easy. I’m getting all my certifications: CPR, OSHA, CDL, bucket truck, diggers, my climbing certificate” he explained. The program’s structure, combining classroom learning with extensive field practice, has given him the confidence and qualifications to step directly into the workforce. 

That progress, however, he states would not have been possible without financial support. “I’m so thankful that I got the scholarship for it and was able to make it happen. It’s the reason I was able to go. It paid off a lot of my loan.” The scholarship relieved financial pressure and allowed him to fully focus on training and career preparation. 

For Liam, this opportunity represents more than personal advancement—it’s a reflection of the community that raised him. “We’re all family. I know half that town would bend over backwards for me, and I would do the same for them,” he said. He’s already thinking about how to pay that generosity forward. “I plan on giving back what was given to me by the foundation. I’m not in the spot right now, but in 10 years when they help someone else and pay for their training, I’ll donate for it too.” 

That sense of belonging, combined with a relentless work ethic, has shaped Liam’s journey from an early age. “Ever since I’ve been 10, I’ve worked on the family farm. […] The day I turned 14, I started working at the Wind-Chill. How many hours I put in there was crazy!” he said. That drive has now carried him into a field where persistence, teamwork, and precision are essential—and where his success will ripple outward into the wider community. 

Through stories like Liam’s, the NLGF’s Education & Workforce Development initiative demonstrates the power of opportunity in action: how targeted support and community trust can turn potential into lasting results. His training is already opening doors to multiple job opportunities and recognized certifications, putting him on track for a long-term career in a sector vital to the region’s infrastructure and growth. 

Liam’s story also underscores a larger truth: that investing in local talent builds stronger, more resilient communities. As he put it, people in Ticonderoga “bend over backwards” for one another—and when the next generation has the tools to succeed, that spirit of giving comes full circle. 

The Northern Lake George Foundation congratulates Liam Burke on his achievements and looks forward to seeing where his determination and skill will take him next.