Pineland Telephone Announces FRS Scholarship Recipient

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Pineland Telephone Cooperative, Inc. is excited to announce that Grace Catherine Hood has been awarded a scholarship through the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS). Founded in 1994, FRS is the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, of which Pineland Telephone is a member.

The FRS Scholarship Program awards one-time scholarships to students from rural communities for their first year of college, university, or vocational-technical school. Each student is sponsored by an NTCA member company that also contributes a portion of the scholarship award. This year, thirteen students in the Pineland service area applied. This year, 40 scholarships totaling $120,000 were awarded by FRS, making 2022 one of the largest award years in scholarship history.

Grace Catherine will be graduating David Emanuel Academy this year as Salutatorian. She is a native of Canoochee, Georgia, and is the daughter of Clay & Allison Hood. In addition to her many scholarly honors and achievements, Grace has been a member of the DEA soccer, tennis, track, and cheerleading teams, has served on the Citizens Bank Advisory Board, participated in the Fulford Youth Leadership Academy and One Act Play, and was a member of the BETA Club, Worship Inspire Nurture Grow Share (WINGS) Club, and SONshine Committee. She plans to attend the University of Georgia as a student in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science. Grace was awarded the FRS Scholarship Award of $2,500.

“Over the past several years, many deserving students in our service area have been selected for this prestigious honor. It’s encouraging to see that hard work and determination are still present in our young people. Grace Catherine will no doubt continue this successful tract as she moves into her college years. We wish her the best as she begins her studies at UGA,” says Chief Executive Officer and General Manager, Dustin Durden.

“Providing opportunities for young people in rural communities is a core mission for FRS. We are proud to partner with NTCA member companies and generous individuals in the industry to make these scholarships possible each year. Congratulations to Grace,” said Pam Becker, Executive Director of FRS.

A full list of scholarship awardees and the NTCA member companies who are partnering with FRS to make the funding possible is available online at frs.org/programs/youth-programs/scholarships.

The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS), the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association and its members, seeks to sustain and enhance the quality of life in rural America by advancing an understanding of rural issues. Through scholarships, grants, and a variety of educational programs, FRS focuses on educating rural youth, encouraging community development, and introducing policymakers to challenges unique to rural communities. Find out more at www.frs.org.

NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association is the premier association representing nearly 850 independent, community-based telecommunications companies that are leading innovation in rural and small-town America. In an era of transformative technological advancements, regulatory challenges, and marketplace competition, NTCA members are leading the technological evolution for rural consumers, delivering robust and high-quality services over future-proof networks that make rural communities vibrant places in which to live and do business. Because of their efforts, rural America is fertile ground for innovation in economic development, e-commerce, health care, agriculture, and education, and it contributes billions of dollars to the U.S. economy each year. Find out more at www.ntca.org.