Foundation - WTA Advocates for Rural Broadband

WTA Foundation: Supporting Educational Dreams

As of 2008, the WTA Foundation has awarded over $500,000 in academic and trade school scholarships to graduating high school seniors of WTA members. Learn more about applying or how you can contribute below.

What you can do:

Encourage all students to strive for top scholastic marks in order to qualify for scholarship awards in future years;
Make the award program widely known throughout your company;
Encourage your employees with high school seniors of the current academic year to apply for scholarships;
Help develop and support community service projects for students in your community; and
Support the WTA Foundation, Inc. by making tax deductible contributions.

How companies can get involved:

Consider what an educational scholarship can mean to a student. In some cases, it can be the deciding factor in a student’s decision to attend a school of higher learning. The WTA Foundation is administered by a special committee that devotes a portion of its time every year to evaluate scholarship applications. The committee is constantly impressed with the qualities and skills that the high school senior applicants possess.

2026 Scholarship Recipients

In 2026, a total of $35,000 in scholarships was awarded, marking the largest distribution since 2008. The Scholarship Committee granted twelve (12) Academic Scholarships and five (5) Trade Scholarships.

2026 Academic Scholarship Recipients

Luke Louviere, REV – $3,500
Marissa Dobson, REV – $3,250
Isabella Sanders, NATCO – $3,000
Clay Kincaid, Penasco Valley Telephone, $3,000
Addison Bainter, MTC Communications – $2,400
Tait Morris, Rally Networks – $2,300
Katherine Cappalonga, Toledo Tel – $2,000
Savana Rumback, Nex-Tech – $1,750
Anna Belnap, Blackfoot Communications – $1,500
Jaelyn Waters, Rally Networks $1,500
Oliver Ownbey, Copper Valley Telecom – $1,000
Logan Lindemann, Syntrio Solutions – $1,000

2026 Trade Scholarship Recipient

Carson Rugenitz, Alpine Communications – $2,400
Sawyer Thompson, Valley TeleCom Group – $2,400
Hayden Rettke, Arvig – $1,500
Derek Clydesdale, Nex-Tech – $1,500
Kaelyn Conklin, Penasco Valley Telephone – $1,000

Scholarship Claim Instructions

Letters to all applicants will be sent on May 1, 2026.

To claim your scholarship, you must submit proof of college registration along with the required information listed below:

Please include the following:

Proof of Enrollment – A document from your college or university confirming your current enrollment (e.g., enrollment verification letter, class schedule, or student ID showing the term/year).
Student Information – Your full legal name, date of birth, university-issued student ID number (if available), and your current email address and phone number.
Institution Information – The full name of your college or university, the address for the financial aid or bursar’s office, and a contact person (name, phone number, and email, if available).

All scholarships must be claimed no later than Friday, August 27, 2026. Failure to submit the required documentation by this deadline will result in forfeiture of the scholarship.

You may submit your documents by email to Taylor Myers or by mail to:

WTA Foundation
Attn: Taylor Myers
P.O. Box 7207
Helena, MT 59602

WTA Foundation will send your scholarship award directly to your college or university on your behalf once the proper documents have been submitted.

Fall Forum Raffle Boxes – Get Involved

Preparations are underway for our annual WTA Foundation Fall Fundraiser, held in conjunction with the WTA Fall Educational Forum, October 4–7, 2026, in Santa Rosa, CA—and we invite you to be part of it.

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our members, the WTA Foundation has awarded more than $500,000 in scholarships to graduating high school seniors of WTA member employees. Your continued support helps us grow this impact and invest in the future of our communities.

Our raffle boxes are a key part of our fundraising success. This spring alone, they raised over $14,000—and with your help, we can make this fall even more impactful.

We are currently seeking cash donations to curate exciting, high-value raffle prizes. Contributions of $500 or more are encouraged to help us secure premier items that drive engagement and maximize fundraising efforts.

How You Can Help:

Contribute funds to support high-quality raffle prizes
Encourage your organization or partners to participate

📌 Please use this donation form and return it by June 30, 2026 to Taylor Myers.

📬 Cash donations can be mailed to:
WTA Foundation
PO Box 7207
Helena, MT 59604

The WTA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization, and contributions may be tax-deductible (Tax ID #20-5808143).

Your support directly benefits our scholarship program and the next generation of our industry. We sincerely appreciate your generosity and commitment to the WTA Foundation’s mission.