Blue Ridge Electric Awards Local Educators Grants For Innovative Teaching Projects
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Corporate Communications, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383 ext. 3213; Pager:1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener
Sparta, North Carolina (November 16, 2000) – Several local educators were honored this week by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation as the cooperative awarded its annual Bright Ideas grants during a special visit to the school system.
North Carolina’s electric cooperatives and their statewide organization, North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, sponsor the Bright Ideas Grant Program. The grants underwrite innovative academic projects not covered in the regular school budget that provide additional learning opportunities above and beyond the normal classroom setting.
Bright Ideas grants totaling $2,100 were given to the following Alleghany County educators:
Donna Link, Abreena Tompkins, Levonda Ritchie, and Lynn Lambert, of Alleghany High School, for “River Reach” which will benefit 100 art, environmental science, journalism and agricultural students. The project will help students gain respect and appreciation for natural resources and their connection to other living things with a goal of having students become life-long advocates for the New River and the environment in general. The grant was for $1,100.
Patti Cox and Pam Phipps, of Alleghany County Schools, for “Alleghany County: A Community With Character” to reach all Alleghany County students. The project will promote age-appropriate character traits, which are a necessity for success. The project will facilitate an integrated curriculum contributing to the overall well-being of students. The grant totaled $1,000.
Across its service territory, Blue Ridge Electric is awarding nearly $18,000 in Bright Ideas grants to 22 educators for learning projects that will directly benefit over 4,300 students. This is the seventh year Blue Ridge Electric has offered Bright Ideas grants and to date has awarded $122,500 to provide direct funding assistance to impact over 37,600 students.
“As a locally owned and operated electric cooperative, we have a deep commitment to support the local community — education is an area our members have told us is especially important to support,” said Renée Whitener, director of corporate communications for Blue Ridge Electric. “Through Bright Ideas grants, we are helping provide our youth with creative learning opportunities and at the same time rewarding innovative thinking by local educators who are going the extra step to help enrich the educational experience for students.
“We are very happy to be able to give back to the community and especially pleased to recognize our winning educators and help provide additional learning tools for our schools,” Whitener added.
Applications for Bright Ideas grants are accepted each September from area educators and principals serving grades K-12 in public schools. Grants of up to $2,000 are available for qualifying projects.
To learn more about the Bright Ideas grants program, visit Blue Ridge Electric’s web site at www.blueridgeemc.com, or contact Grey Scheer, director of community relations, by calling Blue Ridge Electric at 372-4646.
Back to Top
