West Carolina Receives NTCA Smart Rural Community Showcase Award For Community Education Program

September 14, 2026 

Abbeville, SC – West Carolina has been named a winner of NTCA – The Rural Broadband Association’s 2026 Smart Rural Community Showcase Awards. The cooperative was one of only eight broadband providers to receive the honor out of more than 850 NTCA member companies. 

Announced at the 2026 NTCA Fall Conference in Nashville, TN, the awards recognize rural providers who put broadband to work in real ways through collaborative and innovative projects across agriculture, economic development, education, and health care. 

“These community-based broadband providers are not only delivering robust and reliable connectivity but are also improving the quality of life in their communities,” said NTCA CEO Mike Romano about this year’s winners. “Their efforts demonstrate what’s possible when local providers invest in the long-term success and ongoing vitality of the people and places they serve.” 

West Carolina was recognized for its community education program, which offers free classes to all customers on topics including streaming, cybersecurity, AI, email setup, and WiFi X. Designed to meet customers where they are, both geographically and in their technology journey, the program helps them build the skills and confidence needed to make the most of their broadband connection. 

“We are honored to see West Carolina recognized on a national stage for leading the way in customer education,” said Chris Townson, CEO of West Carolina. “For more than 70 years, we have carried a commitment to show up for our customers in ways that reach well beyond bringing broadband into their homes. Our education program is one of the truest expressions of that responsibility: to listen, to guide, and to earn the trust our customers place in us every day. A special thanks goes to our employees, whose expertise and dedication have built this program and carried it forward for more than a decade.” 

The education program launched in 2014 with Streaming 101, a class that gave members a hands-on introduction to streaming services and a place to ask questions as they made the switch from cable TV. Today, the cooperative hosts around 20 classes each year at locations throughout the community, including West Carolina offices, churches, city halls, and other public spaces. What began as a way to help members navigate the shift to streaming has grown into an ongoing commitment to preparing the community for an increasingly digital world. 

“This award isn’t really about broadband speeds or fiber miles. It’s a recognition of the relationships we’ve built in these classes,” said Max Crawford, senior marketing & communications education manager at West Carolina. “Every time someone leaves one of our sessions feeling a little more confident in the class subject; that’s the real win for West Carolina. We are honored to receive this award, and we are just getting started.”