Bright Ideas Grants Awarded by Blue Ridge Electric for Innovative Learning Projects

For Immediate Release

Contact: Renee Whitener, Director of Public Relations, Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation, (828) 758-2383, Ext. 3213; Pager: 1-800-471-1323; or E-mail: Renee Whitener

Boone, North Carolina (November 8, 2007) – Bright Ideas grants totaling more than $6,000 were awarded today to eight local educators and their teammates by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation.

The cooperative awarded the grants to educators and their principals during a luncheon at Blue Ridge Electric held in their honor. The program is part of the cooperative’s commitment to supporting local education, schools and students.

Bright Ideas is an academic grants program sponsored by Blue Ridge Electric in conjunction with the North Carolina Electric Membership Corporation and its 26 other member electric cooperatives. These grants enhance traditional academic learning by funding innovative scholastic projects that go beyond available school funding.

Local winners of the grants are:

Wendy Jessen and Natalie Willis, of Green Valley Elementary School, for “Brain Benders”, which will benefit 500 advanced level students. The grant will benefit all advanced learners in Watauga County in grades K-2 to develop specialized learning centers in classrooms. The grant totaled $500.
Amanda Ward and Michele Nichols, of Mabel Elementary School, for “Text Talk”, which will benefit 142 language arts students in grades K-6. The grant totaled $1,273 and increase skills in listening, speaking, reading and writing vocabulary.
Robin Lowe, of Watauga High School, for “Poetry Alive” which will benefit 100 English and Language Arts students. Five classes will experience two resident poets who will conduct an intensive week-long workshop on performance poetry. The grant totaled $500.
Kathie Rider, of Watauga High School, for “Quilt It” which will benefit 110 Mathematics students. Students will combine geometric shapes, patterns and concepts to design quilt patterns by involving math, arts, crafts and computer skills with the ultimate goal of creating a quilt. The grant totaled $475.
Tammy Gragg, of Parkway Elementary School, for “Speak to Me” which will benefit 40 students in need of speech and language learning assistance. The funding will help students afflicted with apraxia—a speech disorder. The grant totaled $795.
Becky Reis, Kathy Butler, Sondra Edwards and Jeanie Hawkins, of Blowing Rock Elementary School, for “Eighth Grade Chorus Festival” which will benefit 310 students. This project will enable eighth graders to participate in an all-day choral rehearsal at Appalachian State University and present a concert open to the community. The grant totaled $750.
Kimberly Tufts, of Cranberry Middle School in Avery County, for “Popular Product Project”, which will benefit 55 seventh grade English and Language Arts students. The project will allow students to create a product in packaging as well as develop TV and magazine advertising to market their product. The grant totaled $795.
Frank Taylor, Donna Burnop, Jason Jones, Melanie McLeod, Sharon Johnson, Bill Krupicka, Adele Byrd and Carolyn Parlier, of Beach Mountain Elementary School, for “Empty Bowl Project.”. This project will benefit 60 students as they study child hunger in various geographic areas to learn more about those areas of the world. They will also create ceramic bowls to be auctioned off in order to raise money to donate to these areas. The grant totaled $1,000.

For the 2007-2008 school year, Blue Ridge Electric received 72 Bright Ideas grant applications from schools in its service territory in Caldwell, Watauga, Ashe, Alleghany, Avery and Wilkes counties. Funds totaling $19,109 are being awarded to 22 classrooms and teachers to benefit thousands of area students, teachers, schools and communities. Blue Ridge Electric is celebrating its 14th year of offering Bright Ideas grants as part of its support and commitment to education. To date, Blue Ridge Electric has awarded almost $250,000 and provided direct funding assistance that has impacted more than 66,000 students. Blue Ridge Electric is part of the network of North Carolina electric cooperatives providing Bright Ideas grants. Together, North Carolina electric cooperatives have provided over $4 to benefit North Carolina students.

To learn more about the Bright Ideas grants program, visit Blue Ridge Electric’s web site at www.BlueRidgeEMC.com or contact your local Blue Ridge Electric office.