March 8, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT:
Karen P. Powell, Public Relations Manager
SkyLine Membership Corp.
PO Box 759, West Jefferson, NC 28694
336-982-3800, ext. 6117
e-mail: Karen.powell@skyline.org

Applications for SkyLine Youth Programs Now Available
WEST JEFFERSON, NC - Applications for youth programs sponsored locally by SkyLine Membership Corporation are now available at area high school guidance departments and at all SkyLine Customer Service Centers in West Jefferson, Sparta and Seven Devils. The three programs highlighted here are the Frank James-SkyLine Scholarship, the Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour to Washington, D.C., and the Cooperative Leadership Conference.

Frank James-SkyLine Scholarship
Ten scholarships with a total value of $22,500 are scheduled to be awarded this spring to children of SkyLine members to assist them with the cost of a college education. Five $1,000 scholarships, renewable up to four years, will be awarded to students who will attend a four-year college or university. Five $500 scholarships, renewable up to two years, will be presented to students who will attend a two-year community/technical college.

The scholarship program, which was established by the Board of Directors in 1987, expanded in 1995 to include awards to students attending two-year colleges. In 2000, the annual awards were extended over two and four years, respectively. The scholarship is named in memory of Frank James, longtime SkyLine board member and former president, who was a strong advocate of education, having served as a teacher, principal and later superintendent of Ashe County Schools. To qualify, applicants must be children of current SkyLine members (of at least one year), and be graduating seniors at a public high school in the co-op’s five-county service area (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Watauga and Johnson). The scholarships will be awarded on the basis of scholastic achievement, financial need, demonstrated leadership and community involvement. Area guidance departments will establish the deadline for scholarship applications at their respective schools.

FRS Youth Tour to Washington, D.C.
This June, SkyLine will sponsor two high school juniors to be among over 100 students to attend the Foundation for Rural Service’s 2005 Youth Tour to Washington, D.C. Now in its 10th year, the FRS Tour brings rural students from across the United States to Washington, D.C. for a four-day visit from June 4 through 8 to some of the most historical sites in the nation. While here, students also learn about the telecommunications industry, as well as the regulatory and legislative processes. Educational sessions on these topics are greatly enhanced by both site visits to the U.S. Capitol and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, in addition to meetings with industry leaders and members of Congress.

The students also are given ample time to explore the Nation's Capital and its many attractions. While here, the group visits such sites as the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials; the Korean, Vietnam and new World War II Memorials; Mount Vernon, home of George Washington; the Smithsonian Museums; and, much more. To be eligible to apply, the student’s parents must be Skyline members of at east one year, and the student must meet the following program requirements:
• be a junior at a public high school in the co-op’s five-county service area;
• write a letter of application, including future plans beyond high school;
• submit a 500-word essay on one of three selected topics;
• have a minimum 3.25 grade-point-average (GPA);
• obtain a letter of recommendation from a teacher or school official;
• exhibit demonstrated leadership in campus organizations;
• exhibit demonstrated community involvement through volunteer activities.
The application deadline is Monday, April 11.

Co-op Leadership Conference
The 2005 Cooperative Leadership Conference is a five-day leadership development program scheduled from June 6 through 10 at White Lake, N.C. Sponsored by the Cooperative Council of North Carolina and member cooperatives from across the state, the conference features workshops, speakers, recreation and small group sessions that center around the cooperative way of doing business. This year’s conference promises to be a fun week with lots of leadership development and fellowship opportunities for young people.

Participants also will be eligible to apply for a $1,000 college scholarship, and four outstanding campers will be selected to represent North Carolina at the National Institute on Cooperative Education (NICE) at the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky from July 31 to August 4. Rising high school sophomores, juniors or seniors who are children of Skyline members can apply for the conference sponsorships. (Applicants must be must be at least 15 years old at the time of the Conference.) Up to 10 students will be selected to attend. The application deadline is Monday, April 11.

For more information on any of these programs, please contact Karen Powell, Public Relations Manager, at SkyLine’s corporate offices (800-759-2226). SkyLine Membership Corporation is a local, member-owned cooperative that provides telecommunications services to residents of Alleghany, Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties in North Carolina and Johnson County in east Tennessee.