MOOREFIELD, W.Va. (March 10, 2025): Moorefield High School Sophomore Josiah Whetzel will spend a week in Washington, D.C., attending the Foundation for Rural Service Youth Tour, sponsored by Hardy Telecommunications.
Whetzel will spend June 2-6 in D.C., enjoying sightseeing and participating in educational sessions about telecommunications and the governmental processes surrounding the industry, said Hardy Assistant General Manager Derek Barr. About 100 students from across the country, all sponsored by their local rural telecommunications company, are expected to attend.
Barr said the students will hear about the challenges of bringing modern telecommunications to a rural area like Hardy County with sparse population. The tour includes a visit to the Federal Communications Commission and question-and-answer sessions with people advocating for rural broadband in Congress. Hardy pays all basic expenses, including hotel, meals, and transportation.
The tentative agenda for this year’s FRS Youth Tour has the group visiting the Smithsonian Museums, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Vietnam Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, U.S. Capitol, Arlington National Cemetery, and Mount Vernon. The students also will enjoy a special cultural performance, sponsored by the Tim Owens Memorial Fund. The fund, established in memory of Mr. Owens, a longtime supporter of the rural telecommunications industry, makes it possible for participants of the FRS Youth Tour to experience the world-class cultural and artistic opportunities unique to Washington, D.C. In 2024 the group attended a play at the Kennedy Center.
Whetzel wrote in his application that his interest in the tour stemmed from a desire to embrace new and exciting opportunities. He participated in the West Virginia Governor’s School for Tourism (GST) in 2024, and that experience inspired him to apply for the FRS Youth Tour.
“(The GST program) was an amazing time, and I believe this one will be as well,” he said.
Hardy Telecommunications Inc., a member of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association, is a non-profit cooperative dedicated to bringing affordable broadband Internet service to the citizens of Hardy and surrounding counties. The company offers services through Hardy OneNet, Hardy County’s first fiber-to-the-home network. It is recognized nationally as a Smart Rural Community Provider.
The Foundation for Rural Service (FRS) was established in 1994 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) by NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association. FRS programs advance rural communities by focusing on education for rural youth, encouraging community development and introducing policymakers to the challenges of providing broadband services in rural communities.
