Your application is not among the four winners, it is among the eight finalists! Congratulations!

A panel of eight rural telecommunications experts systematically reviewed 135 complete, online applications received by the National Center for Small Communities (NCSC) by July 20. Applications were evaluated and scored on the basis of five criteria: impact, innovativeness, replicability, degree of community involvement, and proposed use of the award funds.

The judges selected one winner and two finalists in each of four awards categories: Telecommunications Applications, Community Capacity Building, Youth Development, and Infrastructure Technology/Policy (a combined category because we received very few Policy applications). Because so many of the 135 applications were impressive, the judges had a challenging time choosing among them.

The following winners and finalists are posted on the AOL Awards Home Page at http://ruraltelecon.org/aolawards.asp:

Telecommunications Applications

WINNER: Maddock, ND (pop. 510) A new Rural Business and Technology Center offers shared telecommunications infrastructure and a multi-purpose facility that promotes business development, health care and child care services, and computer and Internet training and education.

FINALISTS: Haines, AK; Dillon, MT

Community Capacity Building

WINNER: Sylvester, GA (pop. 6,377) Created one of the nation's first Free Nets in 1994, serving 600 users in two remote rural counties. In addition to free Internet access from home or business computers, the county hosts 150 public access locations where local citizens can get online.

FINALISTS: Mendocino Unified School District, CA; Buellton, CA

Youth Development

WINNER: McDermitt, NV (pop. 373) Local high school students established and independently manage an Internet Service Provider that furnishes local dial-up access for McDermitt and seven surrounding communities. Now that long-distances charges are no longer required, the area's schools, businesses, farmers, mining companies are traversing the Internet.

FINALISTS: Elsa, TX; Pratt, KS

Infrastructure Technology/Policy (combined category)

WINNER: Questa, New Mexico (pop. 2,046) A grassroots organization partnered with the State Radio Communications Bureau to render Internet access using wireless technology. Due to the region's mountainous terrain and sparse population, US West was unwilling to lay fiber optic cable. La Plaza Telecommunity's wireless demonstration project has made the Internet accessible to local artisans, schools, businesses, health clinic, and Questa's low-income, ethnically-diverse citizens.

FINALISTS: Harlan, IA; Abingdon, VA

Thanks again for your participation, and congratulations!

Nancy Stark

Director, Community and Economic Development

National Center for Small Communities