Lenora, Kan, 5-24-2024 — Nex-Tech is pleased to announce Elsie Chartier as a national award recipient of the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) scholarship program. Elsie was among 55 students across the nation who were awarded FRS scholarships this year, and one of four who received the $5,000 Sarah Tyree Good Neighbor Scholarship, funded through Randy Tyree and Shirley Bloomfield, NTCA’s CEO.

Elsie is the daughter of Ron and Laura Chartier of Hays. She is a graduate of Hays High School and planning to attend Fort Hays State University to pursue a bachelor’s degree in social work.

The FRS awarded $173,000 to 55 students from rural communities served by members, like Nex-Tech, of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association. The program awards one-time scholarships to students from across rural America for their first year of college, university, or vocational-technical school, and one scholarship to a student entering law school. Each student is sponsored by an NTCA member company.

“Nex-Tech truly enjoys being involved with and supporting national organizations like FRS because of their focus on offering advancement opportunities to our youth,” said Jimmy Todd, CEO/General Manager. “On behalf of the entire Nex-Tech Team, we extend our congratulations to Elsie on her educational accomplishments thus far and wish her every success in the future.

“Receiving an FRS scholarship is quite an achievement because we had more than 1,300 applications for the 55 scholarships we awarded this year,” said FRS Executive Director, Pam Becker. “The students who are receiving these scholarships are curious, smart, hard-working, kind, and give me hope for the future. Providing opportunities for young people in rural communities has been a core mission for FRS for the past 30 years, and it would not be possible without the generous support of NTCA members and other individuals in the rural broadband industry. We are excited to announce our 2024 scholarship recipients today and look forward to seeing what they accomplish in the future.”

A full list of scholarship awardees and the NTCA member companies who partner with FRS to make the funding possible is available online.