Congratulations 2013 FRED Scholars!
In May 2013, FRED awarded $75,000 in scholarships to group of outstanding rural students.  A total of 53 students were selected to receive scholarships ranging from $1,000 - $5,000.  Students hail from Alaska to New York and represent rural communities in 25 states.

FRED has a longstanding history of supporting the educational efforts of rural youth.  With the $75,000 awarded this year, the total scholarship amount exceeds $1.2 million over the last 21 years.   

The “Everette Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship” was awarded to Tara Smith nominated by ComSouth Telecommunications in Georgia.  Ms. Smith will receive $5,000, which represents FRED’s top scholarship.  Along with strong academic records and extensive involvement in extra-curricular activities, she has demonstrated a desire to return to a rural area in the United States or Canada after completing her studies.   This award is even more significant this year because Mr. Everette Kneece, FRED’s founder and the individual who the scholarship was named after, passed away on April 1, 2013. 

Scholarship checks will be mailed directly to the students' schools in late August.

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

About the Program
Each year, the FRED 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.

A sample Telco letter of nomination, sample financial statement I or a second sample financial statement II are also available.

2013 Scholarship Recipients

Everette Kneece Return to Rural America Scholarship- $5,000
Tara Smith
Nominated by: ComSouth Telecommunications, GA

FRED General Scholarships- $2,500
Rose Davis
Nominated by: Comporium, SC

Veronica Bair
Nominated by: Great Plains Communications Inc., NE

Sapphire Andersen
Nominated by: Hamilton Telecommunications, NE

Holly Bronson
Nominated by: Newport Telephone Company, NY 

Caitlin Young
Nominated by: Nex-Tech, KS

Bradley Dillner
Nominated by: Otelco, Mid-Missouri LLC, MO

Corey Harlow
Nominated by: Shenandoah Telephone Company, VA

Jennifer Smith
Nominated by: Solarus, WI

Grace Caza
Nominated by: The Middleburgh Telephone Co., NY

J. Benedict Ackley Scholarship- $2,000 per year for 4 years
(Must be awarded to a student from New York)
Jared Boyles
Nominated by: The Middleburgh Telephone Company

FRED General Scholarships- $1,500
Grace Bateman
Nominated by: Arvig Enterprises, Inc., MN
               
Drake MacFarlane
Nominated by: Clear Creek Mutual Telephone Co., OR

Timothy Watson
Nominated by: Millry Telephone Company, AL

Tucker Billman
Nominated by: Oregon Telephone Corporation, OR

Kori Hall
Nominated by: Pioneer Communications, KS

Cassidy Sloot
Nominated by: Winthrop Telephone Company, MN

Maxwell Roth
Nominated by: WTC Communications, IA

FRED General Scholarships- $1,000
Emily Ellis
Nominated by: American Broadband, Inc., NC

Tyler Hubbard
Nominated by: Canadian Valley Telephone Company, OK

Victoria Stambaugh
Nominated by: Central Oklahoma Telephone Company, OK

Alexandria Barton
Nominated by: Chazy & Westport Telephone Corp., NY

Amanda Verbrugge
Nominated by: Communications 1 Network, IA

Alexandria Witzig
Nominated by: Craigville Telephone Company, IN

Megan Bleck
Nominated by: DFT Communications, NY

Brian Frondorf
Nominated by: Enhanced Telecommunications Corporation, IN

Brittney May
Nominated by: JBN Telephone Company Inc., KS

Bayley Lindgren
Nominated by: Ketchikan Public Utilities, AK

Joseph Ferguson
Nominated by: Loretto Telephone Company Inc., TN

Emily Ochs
Nominated by: Minnesota Valley Telephone Company, MN

Megan Schumacher
Nominated by: Nortex Communications, TX

Nicole Broden
Nominated by: North Dakota Telephone Company, ND

Chelsea Truscott
Nominated by: Ontonagon County Telephone Company, MI

Jordan Thigpen
Nominated by: Otelco Inc., AL

Kaitlynn Maddox
Nominated by: Panhandle Telephone Cooperative Inc., OK

Rachel Wiedenfeld
Nominated by: Pierce Telephone Company Inc., NE

Taylor Wolschlager
Nominated by: Pigeon Telephone Company, MI

Emily Fike
Nominated by: Pine Belt Telephone Company, AL

Logan Little
Nominated by: Plant Telecommunications, GA

Sadie Sondeland
Nominated by: Polar Communications, ND

Tyler Douthit
Nominated by: Pottawatomie Telephone Company, OK

Benjamin Eggers
Nominated by: Ridgeville Telephone Company, OH

Adam Lowry
Nominated by: Ritter Communications, Inc., AR

Madison Samora
Nominated by: Sierra Telephone, CA

Jason Clark
Nominated by: Silver Star Communications, WY

Urvi Patel
Nominated by: TEC, AL

Kelsey Kalkowski
Nominated by: Three River Telco, NE

Carlyn Olson
Nominated by: Twin Valley Telephone Inc., KS

Garrett Shafer
Nominated by: United Telephone Association Inc., KS

Janesn Heckenberg
Nominated by: Van Buren Telephone Company, IA

Chandler Chapman
Nominated by: Wahkiakum West Telephone, WA

Andrew Hoefling
Nominated by: WesTel Systems, IA

Alex Borell
Nominated by: Wilson Telephone Company Inc., KS