North Carolina’s electric cooperatives presented more than 100 educators from the Triangle and surrounding areas with grants totaling more than $176,000 during the annual Bright Ideas celebration in Raleigh.
The event, hosted by the North Carolina Association of Electric Cooperatives (NCAEC) and four of the state’s 26 local electric cooperatives, including Wake Electric, Piedmont Electric, South River EMC and Central Electric, honors Triangle-area teachers who have been awarded a grant for their ‘Bright Idea’ that will help bring learning to life for their students.
On top of walking away with funding for their Bright Ideas classroom projects, the educators and school administrators enjoyed a photobooth, fellowship and an inspirational message on the impact of their careers in education from Dr. Mary Ann Wolf, president and executive director of the Public School Forum of North Carolina and host of the weekly television show “Education Matters.”
From sustainability gardens to elephant DNA testing to student-led podcasts, these Bright Ideas education grants have helped North Carolina students explore their curriculum to new depths for 30 years.
For many of the educators, the Bright Ideas program is an experience that keeps on giving, many years later. Whitney Williams, second grade teacher at Grady A. Brown Elementary in Hillsborough has used multiple Bright Ideas grants from Piedmont Electric Cooperative to build hands-on outdoor learning projects for her students.
“The idea that I’ve been able to build this over three years now, and this is my third time winning, I can make it bigger and bigger,” said Williams. “Every time I’m awarded with another grant, it energizes me to do more.”
For 30 years, North Carolina’s 26 electric cooperatives have awarded more than $16 million in grants to fund 15,000 projects, benefiting nearly 4 million students.
“Classroom projects that enrich learning can be costly,” said Nelle Hotchkiss, senior vice president and chief operating officer for NCAEC. “Many teachers personally fund experiences that bring learning to life for students, and we recognize how important those lessons are in – and beyond – the classroom. That, combined with our dedication to supporting the communities we power, is why North Carolina’s electric cooperatives created the Bright Ideas program 30 years ago.”
Applications to apply for a Bright Ideas grant open in April and run until September. All 26 of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives select Bright Ideas winners each year, with grants available in all 100 counties. North Carolina K-12 educators can learn more and apply at ncbrightideas.com.