Regardless of who the next president of the United States will be on November 5th, students from your rural community can be among 14 others who will be traveling to Washington, DC next year. FRED and the National Exchange Carrier Association (NECA) are providing an opportunity for students from rural communities to travel to Washington D.C., for a week long program to learn more about the government, civic affairs, and telecommunications regulations. This year, the program runs from April 19-24, 2009. Students will have the chance to tour historic landmarks, attend seminars, and meet members of Congress, journalists and other Washington insiders. The program is open to high school juniors and seniors who live or attend a high school in an area that is served by a nominating OPASTCO Telephone Company Member. Brochures with the application and additional information are available online at FRED's Leadership Through Learning page.

This year's Leadership Through Learning Program application deadline is December 8, 2008. Participation is free to the telco and student.

For more than a decade, FRED and RTFC have been working to facilitate cooperation between OPASTCO members and schools in their service areas. This program provides the resources schools need to bridge the "digital divide" by funding technology in the classroom. FRED applauds the grant recipients, who work to provide new and innovative approaches to learning. In 2008, thanks to RTFC's generous donation, FRED awarded $50,000 in grants to 8 schools in rural areas:

▪ Altha Public Schools, Grant: $1,662.14, Nominated by: GTC, Inc.
▪ Bowlegs Public Schools, Grant: $9,500, Nominated by: Pottawomie Telephone Company
▪ Davenport Public Schools, Grant: $5,947, Nominated by: Central Oklahoma Telephone Company
▪ Eastern Greene Middle School, Grant: $3,235, Nominated by: Smithville Telephone Co, Inc.
▪ Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District, Grant: $8,670.82, Nominated by: Ketchikan Public Utilities
▪ Lavina Schools, Grant: $9,790, Nominated by: Mid- Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc.
▪ Redland Elementary School, Grant: $5,000, Nominated by: Clear Creek Telephone and Television
▪ Wittenberg School, Grant: $6,195, Nominated by: Wittenberg Telephone Company

Congratulations to all the recipients.

CoBank and FRED are pleased to offer the 2008 TELERGEE Benchmark Survey, which includes 2007 year-end financial data from over 200 rural Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers (ILECs) nationwide. All participants in the study are clients of TELERGEE member CPA firms. Each TELERGEE firm supplies the financial statements that go into producing the benchmarks presented in the study.
The study presents four classifications of ILECs:
- Cooperatives on cost study
- Cooperatives on average schedule
- Corporations on cost study
- Corporations on average schedule
The study is available only in PDF format this year.

Cost is $200 for OPASTCO members and $250 for non-members.
For a sample preview, click here.

FRED's Ethyl Grant program awards grants in community development as well as education. The program collectively aims to enhance economic conditions in rural communities and technology advancements in public schools. In 2008, FRED awarded a total of $9,620 to rural communities. The newest communities to receive funding are:

▪ Hinesburg Community School, Grant Amount: $2,500
Nominated by: Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom
▪ Remus Area Historical Society, Inc., Grant Amount: $750
Nominated by: Blanchard Telephone Company

Thank you Nortel Networks and Bennet and Bennet, PLLC for your sponsorship of this program.

December 8, 2008 - Leadership Through Learning Program deadline
January 17-21, 2009 - OPASTCO Winter Convention in Kauai
January 19, 2009 - FRED's Traditional Hawaiian Luau