| SPECIAL
TO SIERRA STAR
Sherry Colgate of Sierra Telephone presents Michelle Deckert with her
scholarship award of $500 from Foundation for Rural Education and Development.
Michelle
Deckert, a graduate of Yosemite High School received a $500 scholarship
from the Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED). Michelle
was nominated by Sierra Telephone. The award is given based on merit and
demonstrated commitment to rural life.
Michelle will be using this scholarship to attend California State University,
Stanislaus to study Criminology and work in the field of Forensic Science.
FRED, a national charitable foundation located in Washington D.C., was
founded in 1989 by the Organization for the Promotion and Advancement
of Small Telecommunications Companies (OPASTCO). The FRED Scholarship
Program is made possible through the generosity of small, independent
telephone companies and their vendors that operate in rural areas across
the United States and Canada. FRED strives to provide education and development
in rural areas and support the more than 1,000 small independent telephone
companies in the U.S. and Canada that are providing state-of-the-art telecommunications
technologies and service to their customers.
“Telephone companies like Sierra Telephone are a valuable asset to their
rural communities. Our goal is to work with Sierra Telephone to create
educational opportunities for rural America’s best resource - its young
people,” said Diana Gradert, FRED President.
“Michelle Deckert was selected from an outstanding group of young people
to represent the best of rural America,” stated Foundation Director, Melissa
Korzuch. “This year we awarded more than $74,000, thanks to the extraordinary
generosity of our member companies and we hope that number will continue
to increase because the number of worthy students brought to our attention
grows each year.”
Coarsegold teacher, Jon Corippo is the 2003 recipient of the FRED Rural
Teacher of the Year award — a $5,000 technology grant sponsored by Nortel
Networks.
For more information about the Foundation and its programs, contact Sherry
Colgate — Sierra Telephone 683-4611.
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