FRED Announces 2011 Technology Grants Program Winners

November 30, 2011

RTFC Capital Connections | Vol. 23, No. 11

OPASTCO’s Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED) has announced the 2011 winners of the RTFC-sponsored Technology Grants for Rural Schools program. Launched in 1999, the program helps public schools in areas served by OPASTCO members make technology an effective and engaging part of the school curriculum. The program is also designed to foster cooperation between the school, community and local telco.

The $35,000 donation from RTFC’s Cooperative Educational Fund was awarded to seven schools, each of which received $5,000. FRED received grant requests totaling about $175,000 from schools nominated by OPASTCO members.

“It’s amazing to see the response to this program each year,” said Melissa Korzuch, FRED director. “Technology can be a powerful tool to improve classroom learning, but many of the grant applications we receive are from schools in high poverty areas that cannot afford technology upgrades, particularly in this economy. That makes this program so important, and we greatly appreciate RTFC’s support.”

The winning schools will use the grants to purchase a range of technology to enhance the learning experience, including science lab equipment, laptop computers, mathematics software and interactive white boards.

More information on the technology grant program, including a list of the 2011 winners, is available on FRED’s website.

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