2010 Scholarships -- Update
Applications for the FRED Scholarship program were due February 8th, which was in the middle of an unprecedented snow storm that hit Washington, DC.  As a result, many applications were delayed.  Please note that all applications that arrived in the office on or before February 21, 2010, were processed and students who returned complete applications will receive postcards the week of March 1st notifying them of their inclusion in the review process.  The review committee will make their decisions by May 1, 2010.  Any questions can be directed to FRED at fred@opastco.org.

About the Program
Each year, the Foundation for Rural Education and Development awards scholarships to rural America's most accomplished and intelligent students. Scholarships range from $1,000 to $5,000 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. An estimated $75,000 will be awarded in 2010.

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.

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 2009, thanks to the extraordinary generosity of the OPASTCO membership during the FRED Annual Giving Campaign, a total of $72,500 was awarded to 59 new scholarship recipients. The Foundation for Rural Education and Development is pleased to present the 2009 class of FRED scholars. Congratulations to all the winners!

A sample press release can be found here for the nominating telephone companies.

2009 Scholarship Recipients

Everette Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship- $5,000
Neil Turner
Nominated by Park Region Mutual Telephone Company

Chris Becker Past Presidential Scholarship- $2,000
Jessica Crase
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

FRED General Scholarship- $2,000
Adam Hoerz
Nominated by The Middleburgh Telephone Company

Amy Swenson
Nominated by North Dakota Telephone Company

Fayelen Gerteisen
Nominated by Pierce Telephone Company, Inc.

Joshua Dlabal
Nominated by Wilson Telephone Company, Inc.

FRED General Scholarship- $1,500
Rachel Thelen
Nominated by Arvig Enterprises, Inc.

Chad Bergstrom
Nominated by Great Plains Communications, Inc.

Katherine Hugart
Nominated by Hemingford Cooperative Telephone Company

Kristen Eck
Nominated by South Central Telephone Association, Inc.

Jerrod Williams
Nominated by TelAlaska, Inc.

Internship Scholarships- $1,000
Jacob Sonnek
Nominated by Blue Earth Valley Telephone Company d/b/a BEVCOMM

Charles Zinser, Jr. Scholarship- $1,000
Funded by a donation from Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative
Jaci Hamel
Nominated by Twin Valley Telephone, Inc.

General Scholarships- $1,000
Tricia Glorioso
Nominated by Armstrong Telephone Company of Pennsylvania

Eric Asbe
Nominated by Clear Lake Independent Telephone Company

Bryce Humpert
Nominated by Community Telephone Company

Danielle Kutz
Nominated by Comporium

Logan Portivent
Nominated by ComSouth Telecommunications

Anna-Marie Vanuga
Nominated by Dubois Telephone Exchange, Inc.

Claire Lattire
Nominated by Enhanced Telecommunications Corporation

Hugh Kromer
Nominated by FairPoint Communications

Jamie Anderson
Nominated by Geneseo Telephone Company

Jordann Seirer
Nominated by Gorham Telephone Company

Nicholas Campono
Nominated by Granite State Telephone, Inc.

Audrey Fox
Nominated by Hamilton Telecommunications

Devan Callaway
Nominated by Hart Telephone Company

Kelcie Martineau
Nominated by Hiawatha Telephone Company

Chase Burbage
Nominated by Home Telephone Company, Inc. - SC

Leah Heidegger
Nominated by Hot Springs Telephone Company

Russell Skurski
Nominated by Inland Telephone Company

Carolina McGinnes
Nominated by Ketchikan Public Utilities

Britney Guidry
Nominated by Lafourche Telephone Company, LLC

Nicholas Patri
Nominated by Manawa Telephone Company, Inc.

Logan Stepan
Nominated by Melrose Telephone Company

Jacob Becraft
Nominated by Metamora Telephone Company

Adam Carlson
Nominated by Minnesota Valley Telephone Company

Robbyn Reukauf
Nominated by Mid-Rivers Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

Christy Reed
Nominated by Millry Telephone Company

Daniel Bolsen
Nominated by Moultrie Independent Telephone Company

Kalyssa Pollard
Nominated by Nortex Communications

Lance Day
Nominated by Otelco, Mid-Missouri Division

Sara Quesenbury
Nominated by Panhandle Telephone Cooperative, Inc.

Justin Quattlebaum
Nominated by PBT Telecom, Inc.

Brandy Roberts
Nominated by Pioneer Communications

Corbitt Spivey
Nominated by Plant Telecommunications

Travis Lohse
Nominated by Ridgeville Telephone Company

April Soukup
Nominated by Ronan Telephone Company

Michael Albert
Nominated by Rural Telephone Service Company, Inc.

Chelsie Faulkner
Nominated by Sierra Telephone

Matthew Dove
Nominated by Solarus

Desiree Vogt
Nominated by Sunflower Telephone Company, Inc.

Maureen Kurtz
Nominated by Sycamore Telephone Company

Sara Collins
Nominated by Totah Communications, Inc.

Colin Henson
Nominated by United Telephone Company

Toni Mullins
Nominated by Wahkiakum West Telephone

Jane Hughes
Nominated by Waitsfield and ChamplainValley Telecom

Callie Bergan
Nominated by Winnebago Cooperative Telecom Association

Jade Miles Halvorson
Nominated by Winthrop Telephone Company

Collin Bartels
Nominated by WTC Communications