2009 Scholarships
Each year, the Foundation for Rural Education and Development awards scholarships to rural America's best and brightest students. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $2,500 and are funded by the FRED Scholarship Endowment and by donations to the FRED Annual Giving Campaign. The Everette Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship honors Mr. Kneece's vital and pioneering efforts on behalf of FRED and is awarded in the amount of $5,000 to the year's top applicant.

To apply for any FRED Scholarship students must live in or attend school in an OPASTCO member's service area. To find out if you are in the service area of an OPASTCO member contact your local telephone company.

2009 Scholarship Application Brochures will be available in the Fall of 2008.

A sample Telco letter of nomination, sample financial statement I or a second sample financial statement II are also available. Applications are mailed to telephone companies in mid-October. A sample application can be viewed here.

In 2008, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the OPASTCO membership during the FRED Annual Giving Campaign, a total of $72,500 was awarded to 61 scholarship recipients.

The Foundation for Rural Education and Development is pleased to present the 2008 class of FRED scholars. Congratulations to all the winners!

Everette Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship- $5,000
Kayla Bowden
nominated by Canadian Valley Telephone Company

J. Benedict Ackley Scholarship - $2,000 per year for 4 years
Cassandra Lloyd
nominated by The Middleburgh Telephone Company

Rob West FRED Presidential Scholarship- $2,500
Kristy Stevenson
nominated by Pioneer Communications

FRED General Scholarship- $2,500
Megan Roland
nominated by Hemingford Cooperative Telephone Company

Harry Vickroy Memorial Scholarships- $2,000
Troy Becker
nominated by Great Plains Communications Inc.

Nathanael Ellis
nominated by Wilson Telephone Company, Inc.

FRED General Scholarships- $1,500
Emma Cress
nominated by FairPoint Communications

Tyler Fulcher
nominated by Millry Communications

Morgan Gronvold
nominated by North Dakota Telephone Company

Internship Scholarships- $1,000
Quinton Brooks
nominated by Inland Telephone Company

Alyse Berning
nominated by Mt. Angel Telephone Company

Charles Zinser, Jr. Scholarship- $1,000
funded by a donation from Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative
Hannah Bass
nominated by Plant Telecommunications

 $1,000 FRED General Scholarships

Kelly Edmond
nominated by Alaska Power & Telephone

Jaclyn Kramer
nominated by Arvig Communication Systems

Chris Wilson
nominated by Bay Springs Telephone Company, Inc.

Kelli Collison
nominated by Blackduck Telephone Company

Aren Koenig
nominated by Citizens Telephone Company

Eric Asbe
nominated by Clear Lake Independent Telephone Company

Lindsey Ferrell
nominated by Consolidated Telephone Company

Simon Kern
nominated by Diversicom - Melrose Telephone Company

Carlie Ideker
nominated by Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc.

Michelle Willhelm
nominated by Enhanced Telecommunications Corporation

Stephanie Boaldin
nominated by EPIC Touch Co.

Jenna Jensen
nominated by Hamilton Telecommunications

Hannah Westfall
nominated by Hancock Telephone Company

Katie Sleaford
nominated by Henry County Telephone Company

Nikki Charboneau
nominated by Hiawatha Communications, Inc.

Larry Lump III
nominated by Horizon Chillicothe Telephone Company

Ashley McCoy
nominated by Hot Springs Telephone Company

Russell Shurski
nominated by Inland Telephone Company

Abigail Ahyong
nominated by Ketchikan Public Utilities

Brittany Auger
nominated by Ketchikan Public Utilities

Jacob Thibodaux
nominated by Lafourche Telephone Company, LLC

Kathryne Killen
nominated by Loretto Telephone Company, Inc.

Joseph Glocke
nominated by Manawa Telephone Company, Inc.

Isabella Hanu
nominated by The Middleburgh Telephone Company

Brooke Reid
nominated by Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

Jordan Serbus
nominated by Minnesota Valley Telephone Company

Hillary Swirczynski
nominated by Nortex Communications

Micala Waller
nominated by Otelco, Inc.

Mollie Schoenhals
nominated by Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

Lucas Hoffman
nominated by Park Region Mutual Telephone Company

Emma Faulk
nominated by PBT Telecom, Inc.

Natasia Otto-Berglund
nominated by Pierce Telephone Company, Inc.

Kelsey Dean
nominated by Pigeon Telephone Company

Jody Sellers
nominated by Plant Telecommunications

Miriam Thressa Hoeksema
nominated by Reasnor Telephone Company, LLC

Ashton Smith
nominated by Ritter Communications, Inc.

Craig Hall
nominated by Rock County Telephone Company

Kelsey Westlie
nominated by Ronan Telephone Company

David Elliott
nominated by Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc.

Sarah Iverson
nominated by Sierra Telephone

Kristen Amber Hoopes
nominated by Silver Star Communications

Kelly Smith
nominated by Solarus

Jason Crick
nominated by South Central Telephone Association, Inc.

Haleigh Zueger
nominated by TelAlaska, Inc.

Bethany Gamble
nominated by United Telephone Company

Caroline McHugh
nominated by Waitsfield and Champlain Valley Telecom

Steven DeLawyer
nominated by Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association

Stephanie Kruggel
nominated by Winthrop Telephone Company

Drake Austin
nominated by WTC Communications