Scholarship Offers Sage Student a Second Chance and a Stronger Path Forward

Steven Shirts has done a lot of thinking about where he wants to go next in life.

Before deciding to pursue a career in trucking, Steven’s life took an unfortunate turn, which led to him completing a six-month rider program focused on drug and alcohol treatment. This gave him the space to reflect on his past — on the work he’d been doing, the money he was making, and what the next chapter of his life could look like.

“I was thinking I wasn’t making much money doing the jobs I was doing,” Steven said. “I was working in concrete, and that’s young man’s work.”

At age 56, he knew he needed a change. He wanted something more sustainable that would let him keep working without breaking down his body.

“I wanted to steer away from that kind of physical labor,” he said. “Not pulling 50-pound bags or worrying about throwing my back out.”

Truck driving, he said, became his ideal path. And as a student at Sage Truck Driving School in Caldwell, Idaho, he’s starting his journey on a positive note, having recently been named a recipient of a $1,000 Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship.

Planning the Final Leg of His Career Journey

As Steven started exploring options, trucking kept coming up. People in his community talked about it as a reliable career, one with steady demand and better pay than many of the jobs he’d held before.

“I’d like to see the country,” Steven said. “And I know the money’s better. It’s a good career at this point in my life.”

With an estimated 15 working years ahead of him, Steven said he wanted to make the most of that time.

“I was thinking about getting the best bang for the time I have left,” he said. “It’s tiring work sometimes, but it’s not going to strain a muscle like concrete does.”

Steven said he’s been familiar with Sage Truck Driver School for a number of years. He remembers hearing people talk about Sage long before he ever considered enrolling himself. His son even attended a SAGE program in Wyoming.

“It was planted in my head a long time ago that Sage was a good school,” Steven said.

Now attending the Caldwell, Idaho campus, Steven says the support he’s received at Sage has made a huge difference in his decision to enroll, especially when it came to navigating funding.

“They’ve helped me figure things out when it comes to funding the program,” he said.

That help included the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship, which Steven learned about through Kara Morris, a representative at the Caldwell campus.

Since 2015, Howes Products and Sage Truck Driving Schools have been proud to offer the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow $1,000 Scholarship Program. The scholarship is funded by Howes and can be applied for at all Sage Truck Driving Schools across the country. 

“We are proud to recognize Steven Shirts as a recipient of the Howes Truckers of Tomorrow Scholarship,” said Rob Howes II, President of Howes Products. “His excitement and commitment to pursuing a career in trucking embodies the very spirit of this program and we look forward to seeing him succeed as part of the next generation of trucking professionals.”

Steven said the moment he found out he’d received the scholarship was a turning point.

“Oh man, I was excited. Relieved,” he said. “Short of jumping up and down, I was just happy. It really helped make it possible.”

Along with additional assistance through a Department of Labor launch program, the scholarship helped close the gap and move his plans forward.

“I was blessed to get that $1,000 help,” he said. “The rest, I’m going to come up with.”

Looking Ahead with Gratitude

Steven’s current career goals are pretty straightforward. He wants to get trained, get on the road, and build a stable future doing work that fits his life as it is today.

He’s especially grateful for the people who helped him reach this point.

“I’m thankful for the help I’ve gotten, especially Kara at the Caldwell campus,” Steven said. “She really helped me out a bunch. Friendly, helpful, just a good person to have there.”

To the people who made the scholarship possible, Steven has a simple message.

“Thank you so much,” he said. “Keep doing what you’re doing, helping people like this. You’re helping the industry, and you’re helping people get a real chance.”