Blue Ridge Electric Awards Local Educators Grants For Innovative Teaching Projects
For Immediate Release
Contact: Renee R. Whitener, Director of Corporate Communications, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, Phone: (828) 758-2383; Pager: 1-800-471-1323; E-mail: Renee Whitener
Lenoir, North Carolina (November 7, 2001) – Several local educators were recently honored by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation during a luncheon ceremony to award the cooperative’s annual Bright Ideas grants.
The grants, which have surpassed $2 million for projects across the state, underwrite innovative, supplemental academic projects not covered in regular school budgets. North Carolina’s electric cooperatives and their statewide organization, North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation, sponsor the Bright Ideas Grant Program.
Bright Ideas grants totaling $5,600 were given to 8 different Caldwell County educators and their teams during the luncheon ceremony held recently at Cedar Rock Country Club.
Winners of the grants are:
- Danny Montgomery, of South Caldwell High, for “Passive Solar Heat Storage” to benefit 105 students. The grant totaled $1,000.
- Candis Hagaman, of Sawmills Elementary, for “Our Town USA” to benefit 75 students. The grant was for $700.
- Donna J. Miller, of Sawmills Elementary, for “Tradition! How do Families Celebrate the Holidays?” to benefit 142 students. The grant was for $500.
- Beth Isaacs, of Davenport Elementary, for “Classical Magic” to benefit 525 students. The grant totaled $500.
- Laurie Skates, of Granite Falls Middle, for “Bungee Rockets!” to benefit 65 students. The grant was for $500.
- Maria George, of Granite Falls Elementary, for “Support “Ort” with Orton-Gillingham” to benefit 118 students. The grant totaled $500.
- Libby Huff, of Granite Falls Middle, for “Water Rockets”, to benefit 765 students. The grant totaled $1,000.
- Vicky Smathers, of Hibriten High, for “A Board in the Hand” to benefit 132 students. The grant totaled $900.
Bright Ideas is an annual academic grants program sponsored by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation in conjunction with the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation and it’s 26 other member electric cooperatives. Bright Ideas grants help further traditional academic learning by funding scholastic projects that go beyond available school funding. Each September, Blue Ridge Electric seeks applications from area educators and principals serving grades K-12
in public schools. Grant awards are from $100 to a maximum of $2,000.
For the 2001-2002 school year, Blue Ridge Electric received eighty-one Bright Ideas grants from Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery and Wilkes Counties. A total of $18,000 in funds has been awarded to 25 teachers to directly benefit over 5,200 students. This is the eighth year Blue Ridge Electric has sponsored Bright Ideas.
To learn more about the Bright Ideas grants program, visit Blue Ridge Electric’s web site at www.blueridgeemc.com.
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