Bright Ideas Grant Program
Blue Ridge Electric supports education of our youth and our schools through a variety of scholarships, grants and learning opportunities. Each September, Blue Ridge Electric seeks applications from area educators and principals serving grades K-12 in public schools. Bright Ideas grants provide educators with funding of up to $1,500 per grant for innovative classroom projects that benefit students and would not otherwise be covered by the school budget. Bright Ideas has financed a variety of hands-on projects, including activities in music, art, history, language, reading, science, math, and information technology. Proposals can come from any area of the curriculum.
Blue Ridge Electric is in its sixteenth year of providing Bright Ideas grants as part of its support of youth and education in the communities it serves. To date, Blue Ridge Electric has awarded over $286,000 and provided direct funding assistance that has impacted more than 80,000 students.
The application deadline for Bright Ideas grants is September 30. Projects must directly benefit students, provide ongoing benefits, and use innovative teaching methods. This year, a special emphasis will be placed on applications incorporating environmentally friendly ideas or projects.
Applications and full details of the Bright Ideas program can be found at www.ncbrightideas.com. All applications must be submitted online at the Web site above. For more information, please contact Grey Scheer, director of community relations, or visit www.ncbrightideas.com. Here you will be able to see sample applications, apply on line and get the answer to most any question you may have about your ‘bright idea”.
For the 2009-2010 school year, Blue Ridge Electric received 91 Bright Ideas grant applications from schools in its service territory in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery and Wilkes County. Funds totaling $18,852 were awarded to 20 classrooms and teachers to benefit thousands of area students, teachers, schools, and communities.
Grant winners for 2009-2010 were:
Alleghany District
Jeff Tutterow and Tony Southern, of Alleghany High School,
for “Biodiesel Processor.”
Angie Strode of Sparta Elementary School for “CSI Sparta.”
Melissa Weaver of Sparta Elementary School for “Real Life
Geometry.”
Ashe District
MaryBeth Knight Greene of Ashe County High School for
“Solar Panels, Fuel Cells and Race Cars.”
Keana Triplett, Tanya Hudler, Tim Trivette, Christy Rivers,
Mike Tasso and Elaine Cox, of Ashe County High School, for “Whoa Baby!”
Pat Kincheloe Morrison, Daniel Calhoun, Walter Pugh, Rusty Rogers, Mark Shepherd and Susan Van Wyk, of Ashe County High School, for “A Secret Classroom.”
Dustin Farmer of Ashe County Middle School for
“Survivor Ashe.”
Tonya Turnmire Blevins of Blue Ridge Elementary School for “Flipped About Reading.”
Caldwell District
Shea Bolick of Caldwell Early College High School for
“A County, A Class, A Creation—The Caldwell County Children’s Book Collection.”
Debi Miller and Donna Nichols, of Dudley Shoals Elementary
School, for “Saving the Planet—One Click at a Time!”
Elizabeth Fox of William Lenoir Middle School for “Exploring
Alternative Energy Sources.”
Watauga District
James Eichmiller of Watauga High School for “Clickers for
the Classroom.”
Allyson McFalls and Kathy Moore, of Blowing Rock Elementary
School, for “Environmental Library.”
Patty Buckner and Pat Warren, of Bethel Elementary School,
for “Creative Center City.”
Terri Miller, Tim Walker, Will Selle, Joy Pritchett, Beth Winkler and Judd Pinnix of Green Valley Elementary School,
for “Strike Up the Band.”
Avery County
Jeri Minford, Donna Burnop, Levin Suddreth and Robert Tufts,
of Cranberry Middle School, for “Cranberry City.”
Justin Carver and Alise Lipps, of Newland Elementary School,
for “Get Your Fuze On: Reading in the 21st Century.”
Alise Lipps and Justin Carver, of Newland Elementary School,
for “Freaky Friday.”
Wilkes County
Kerry W. Miller of Central Wilkes Middle School for “I’m a
Master Reader.”
Shelly Somers and Russell Sparks, of East Wilkes Middle School,
for “Aquatic Pollution? Aquatic Solutions.”
