The following schools are eligible: Center Woods Elementary School; Chester Academy; Hillsboro-Deering Elementary, Middle, and High Schools; John Stark Regional High School; Pinkerton Academy; Sandown North Elementary and Central Schools; Timberlane Regional Middle and High Schools; Washington Elementary School; and Weare Middle School.

Technology Grants for Rural Schools are offered to public schools working to enhance learning by increasing the use of technology in the classroom. This includes adding new programs and curriculum for technology education and purchasing new equipment. The grants range from $1,000 to $10,000. The deadline for schools to be considered for a Technology Grant is September 14, 2006; however, completed application forms and proper documentation should be sent to the following address by August 1, 2006: Dawn Foster, Granite State Telephone, PO Box 87, Weare, NH 03281-0087.

Applications can be obtained at the schools listed above or by visiting FRED's website at www.fred.org.

The grants are sponsored by the Foundation for Rural Education and Development (FRED) in partnership with the Rural Telephone Finance Cooperative and Nortel Networks. FRED was established in 1989 by rural telephone companies like Granite State Telephone to address the educational and developmental needs of rural areas. The foundation raises funds to sponsor programs and activities that will further enhance the educational, social, and economic conditions of rural America.

Granite State Telephone is a locally owned and operated communications company serving the communities of Chester, East Deering, Hillsboro Upper Village, Sandown, Washington, Weare and Windsor with over a century of telecommunications experience. Affiliates include Granite State Long Distance, providing long distance telephone service, and GSInet providing high-speed Internet access, and full-service website hosting, development and maintenance.