Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative (FTC) will be sending two high school students from within the FTC service area to the Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) Youth Tour in Washington D.C. June 1-5, 2026. The FRS Youth Tour will be a five-day, all-expense paid trip to Washington D.C. sponsored by Farmers Telecommunications Cooperative.

The FRS Youth Tour provides students from rural areas with a first-hand look at the telecommunications industry. It educates students about the legislative and governmental processes. It also gives students the rare opportunity to spend four days in the nation’s capital visiting famous historical sites, including the Washington Monument, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Cathedral, the U.S. Capitol and Arlington National Cemetery. This trip will present the opportunity for students to meet other high school students from rural communities across the country and form friendships that will last a lifetime.

The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) is pleased to announce the James L. Bass Scholarship, available to first-year law students who have an interest in serving in rural communities. FRS is the philanthropic arm of NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association, of which FTC is a member. With an active law career that spanned more than 70 years, James Bass helped secure funds for rural telephone systems to bring modern telephone service to rural areas. He was pivotal in the creation of NTCA, where he served as one of the organization’s earliest presidents. Bass continued his leadership with service for more than 50 years as legal counsel.

Recognizing Bass’s impact to the industry and his passion for the legal profession, the NTCA Board of Directors established a scholarship for students with an interest in rural communities to attend law school. The first James L. Bass Legal Scholarship will be awarded in spring 2025 and will be at least $5,000.

“Jim was not only a founding member of NTCA, he was a guiding light for our association through much of his lifetime,” said Shirley Bloomfield, chief executive officer of NTCA. “He spent his last years in service to the association as our general counsel where he helped guide our national board through growth and transformation. How fitting it is to honor him with a law school scholarship recognizing not only his passion for rural America but for the legal profession as well. My sincere thanks to all the NTCA members who so generously donated in Jim’s memory.”

“It is a true honor to offer another scholarship opportunity that promotes professional careers for our future leaders in rural America, while honoring a true legacy in our industry,” says Fred Johnson, CEO of FTC.

Application materials and more information about the scholarship can be found here.

The deadline to be considered for the spring 2026 James L. Bass Scholarship is February 16, 2026.