Wilkes Communications, located in Wilkesboro, N.C., has been providing communications, information, and entertainment services to its communities since 1951. Being a good community member is more than just providing communication services to the people who live there, and Wilkes Communications is committed to supporting the people and organizations that make Wilkes County a great place to live and work. One element of that commitment is investing in the county’s future by supporting youth excellence. Wilkes Communications does this by distributing scholarships to local students and supporting various local youth organizations, like the United Teens in Action (UTA) and Time, Talent, and Treasure Leading to Change (T3LC).

In 2008, Wilkes Communications established a scholarship program to support high school graduates throughout its service area. Each spring, the Scholarship Selection Committee reviews applications and awards scholarships to commendable graduates to further their educational journey. Since the program began Wilkes Communications has awarded more than $400,000 to over 400 deserving seniors.

The United Teens in Action is a youth focused civic engagement program sponsored by Wilkes Communications, the local chamber of commerce and the school district. Through the program, high school juniors become involved in making Wilkes County a better place for all residents. The students are from the five Wilkes County high schools—Wilkes Early College, East Wilkes, North Wilkes, West Wilkes and Wilkes Central—and meet monthly during the school year. Through UTA the students learn about their community and develop interactive and personal leadership skills. In 2023, UTA participants chose to provide an activities day for the Ruby Pardue Blackburn Adult Day Health Care Center.

The Time, Talent, and Treasure Leading to Change (T3LC) is a youth philanthropy program that acts as an extension of United Teens in Action. Through this program, high school seniors from each of the five Wilkes County high schools are given the opportunity to provide multiple grants up to $1,500 to various organizations that impact the youth of Wilkes County. As a sponsor of T3LC, Wilkes Communications helps local high school seniors build leadership skills, collaborate with one another to address real issues in the community and decide how they want to bring change for the betterment of future generations.