Hill Country Telephone Cooperative (HCTC) has committed $10,000 to each of the 26 schools across the regions it serves, a decision that underscores the role rural cooperatives play in supporting local education and community life. Madysen McDonald of HCTC discussed the initiative on an episode of The Building Texas Show titled How Texas Youth Are Changing The Game at VentureFest, speaking with host Justin McKenzie in Ingram.
McDonald said the timing was right for the cooperative to make the investment. “There’s a lot of communities right now that need it,” she said, adding that HCTC is “really excited to see how they can use that money to help them and help their students.” The funding is directed to schools within HCTC’s footprint, which stretches from Ingram to Fredericksburg and out to Big Lake, including Mason, Sonora, Junction and El Dorado.
The cooperative’s support for students extends beyond financial contributions. On Friday nights, HCTC sets up a tent near the ticket gate at football games such as Comfort vs. Ingram and Mason vs. Junction, handing out trinkets for fans on both sides and giving away HCTC prizes. McDonald said the kids are especially excited to visit. “They come up to us all the time and they say, ‘Hey, my parents have HCTC. We love you,’” she said. HCTC tries to connect with young fans on their level and support members’ kids as much as it can, she added.
Those same students are the ones McKenzie expected to see on stage at Hill Country Venture Fest in Mason, where he served as emcee. He said pitching a business in front of hundreds of people builds resilience. McDonald shared his enthusiasm: “I can’t wait to see how these kids’ brains are working.” The event highlights the growing emphasis on entrepreneurship among rural youth, and HCTC’s backing helps create opportunities for students to develop business skills.
The episode also covered what HCTC provides across its service area. The co-op started with landline service and expanded into fiber and fixed wireless, which reaches ranch properties where running fiber from the gate is not practical. McKenzie noted that a landline can still matter when cell service goes down and someone needs to call 911. New residents can learn more at Hill Country Telephone Cooperative.
For McDonald, the co-op difference is personal. HCTC employees live in the communities they serve, so members see them at the grocery store and at T-ball games. She said the best way to give back to HCTC is to show up at its events and stay connected through its social media pages. McKenzie closed on the cooperative spirit: when the business is local, the money goes back into the community’s kids, teams and events like Hill Country Venture Fest.
The initiative matters because it demonstrates how a rural telephone cooperative can leverage its resources to strengthen local schools and communities. The $10,000 per school commitment provides direct financial support to 26 schools, while HCTC’s presence at football games and entrepreneurship events fosters a sense of connection and invests in the next generation. For readers in the region, the funding could translate into improved educational resources and opportunities for students. The cooperative’s example also highlights the potential for local businesses to contribute to community resilience and youth development.
The full conversation is available on The Building Texas Show.
