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

Lenoir, North Carolina (November 13, 2007) – Grants totaling more than $6,500 were awarded to six educator teams today by Blue Ridge Electric Membership Corporation during a luncheon ceremony at Cedar Rock Country Club to honor local Bright Ideas grants recipients.
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. Bright Ideas grants help further traditional academic learning by funding innovative scholastic projects that go beyond available school funding.

Caldwell County grant winners are:

Daniel VanderHeuvel, Alex Martin, Barry Jones and Fredia Parker, of Hibriten High School, for “Fossil Comparison Lab.” The project will benefit 300 Earth and Environmental Science students by providing inquiry-based activities in the area of paleoanthropology and the study of fossils. The grant totaled $1,372.
Beth Woodard, Evette Hagan, Joshua Scott, and Gina Scott of South Caldwell High School, for “Eco Power” to benefit approximately 100 theatre arts and 9th grade English students from the county’s three high schools. The grant will also benefit students in grades 3 through 5 at Davenport Elementary School. The grant was for $1,500 and will enable students to learn about Shakespeare’s use of language, the theatrical style of the Elizabethan period as well as appropriate music and dance of that period.
Heather Michelle Childress, Jennifer Lewis, and Sarah Maney, of Baton Elementary School, for “For the Birds” to benefit 101 fourth grade science and language arts students. The grant was for $896 and will help students construct and maintain an on-campus bird sanctuary to help students become more environmentally aware by caring for “their” birds.
Milissa T. Barr, of Baton Elementary School, for “The Baton Bears Boys Book Club” to increase reading interest in approximately 15 male students in grades 3 through 5. The grant totaled $400. The project will match the boys with reading materials they enjoy and will include an after-school reading club to discuss novels, comics and non-fiction choices as well as develop a special “guys read” section in the school media center.
Donna Nichols, Geba Davenport and Becky Goldman, of Dudley Shoals Elementary School, for “DSES Eagle Report” to benefit approximately 550 technology, science, social studies and language arts students. The grant totaled $1,500 and will be used to allow technology to create a school wide program that will incorporate live feed, recorded segments, and multi-media presentations. The program will be written, edited and presented weekly by 5th grade students.
Glenda Johnson, Shelia Klutz and Mary West, of Dudley Shoals Elementary School, for “Musical Performance of School House Rock” to benefit 60 music students. The $1,000 grant will help students learn the importance of working as a group and as an individual while building self-esteem and self-reliance by combining music, theatre and dance into a musical, theatrical presentation.

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 million 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.