North Carolina’s electric cooperatives recognized nearly 100 educators from the Triangle and surrounding areas during American Education Week, awarding more than $192K in Bright Ideas classroom grants at 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 — Wake Electric, Piedmont Electric, South River EMC and Central Electric — honors Triangle-area teachers who have been awarded a grant for their “Bright Idea” to help bring learning to life for their students.

In addition to receiving funding for their Bright Ideas classroom projects, educators and school administrators enjoyed fellowship, a photo booth and an uplifting program celebrating the impact of their work in education. Guests heard from Sara Howell, associate director of policy programs at the Public School Forum of North Carolina, who shared reflections on the value of inspiring young minds and the long-lasting impact of innovative learning experiences.

For more than three decades, Bright Ideas grants have supported creative classroom projects across North Carolina — from outdoor learning labs and robotics programs to student-led podcasts and hands-on science experiments — helping students explore subjects in new and meaningful ways.

Now in its 31st year, the Bright Ideas program has provided more than $16.5 million in grants to fund more than 15,400 projects, benefiting four million students in classrooms across all 100 North Carolina counties.

“Classroom projects that enrich learning can be costly,” said Kristie Aldridge, 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 more than 30 years ago.”

Applications for the next grant cycle open in April and run through September. All 26 of North Carolina’s electric cooperatives select Bright Ideas winners each year. North Carolina K-12 educators can learn more and apply at ncbrightideas.com.