Skip to content
IdeaTek Awards $6,500 in Freedom Fighter Scholarships to Five Kansas Graduates
Record applicant pool prompts expansion of inaugural scholarship program
BUHLER, Kan. — IdeaTek Telcom is proud to announce the five recipients of its inaugural Freedom Fighter Scholarship Program, awarding $6,500 to graduating high school seniors across its Kansas service area.
After receiving more than 100 applications, IdeaTek expanded the program from three awards to five — recognizing the exceptional quality of submissions and the company’s commitment to investing in the communities it serves.
“IdeaTek was founded on the belief that strong communities start with connected people — and that means investing in the next generation,” said James Krstolich, Director of Community Relations & Philanthropic Partnerships at IdeaTek. “This scholarship is our way of saying we’re not just bringing Internet Freedom to these communities, we’re committed to their future.”
This year’s winners represented students across IdeaTek’s service area.
- Camryn Hiner, Garden Plain High School, received the Visionary Award of $2,500 and will attend Kansas State University.
- Britta Mongeau, Eureka High School, received the Innovator Award of $1,500 and will attend Emporia State University.
- Ruby Baker, Kapaun Mount Carmel Catholic High School, received the Pioneer Award of $1,000 and will attend Creighton University.
- Kolton Bishop, Pratt Skyline High School, received a Community Award of $750 and will attend Barton Community College.
- Landon Hauschild, Northeast Magnet High School, received a Community Award of $750 and will attend the University of Kansas.
Students were selected by a committee based on a video submission sharing their passions, career goals and commitment to giving back to their communities. No minimum GPA was required.
“We were blown away by the response to the first year of our scholarship,” Krstolich said. “The stories these students shared — their drive, their plans for the future, their commitment to their communities — these five recipients represent exactly the kind of spirit IdeaTek was built to support.”
Applications for the 2026-2027 school year will open this fall at ideatek.com/scholarship.
About IdeaTek Telcom
IdeaTek was founded in 1999 by Daniel Friesen and four friends while attending Buhler High School. Today, with the mission of “fighting for Internet Freedom,” the company employs more than 220 Kansans and continues to grow. IdeaTek has deployed over 7,500 miles of fiber and built 150 fixed wireless towers, serving customers in over 120 Kansas communities. IdeaTek uses a unique and innovative approach to deploy scalable, long-term fiber-optic infrastructure, working to bridge the digital divide in Kansas communities. IdeaTek is a champion for broadband equity and is committed to enriching the communities they serve. The company was recently named to Inc. 5000’s list of fastest-growing companies for the 11th time.
Learn more at ideatek.com.