Bright Ideas Grants

Amber Groves, Harnett Primary School, shows off her goody bag from the Mom's Garden Party, which was held as part of the grant, "Where The Wild Things Grow."

In 1994, the Bright Ideas Grant Program was introduced into North Carolina's schools by the state's electric cooperatives. Since that time, the program has been motivating teachers to continually find creative and innovative methods for inspiring their students to learn. In that time, South River Electric Membership Corporation has funded over $255,000 in projects and programs for schools in Harnett, Sampson, Cumberland, Johnston and Bladen counties. South River EMC funds grants once a year in increments of up to $2000. Teachers are asked to submit applications for consideration.

In 2006, we received 101 applications and were able to fund 40 projects totaling nearly $45,000. Winners were notified in late October, and were asked to visit the South River EMC booth at the Touchstone Energy Cotton Festival in Downtown Dunn on November 4 to pick up their checks.

Teachers who are interested in applying for a Bright Ideas Grant can do so by completing an online application at www.ncbrightideas.com.

All grants are reviewed by a third-party panel of judges. Applications are assigned a classification number and have all identifying information removed before being presented to the committee to provide an unbiased process.

If you have questions about South River EMC's Bright Ideas Grant program, email codell@sremc.com or call Catherine O'Dell or Julie Wahl at (910)892-8071.

www.ncbrightideas.com

One Teacher's Testament To The Power of Bright Ideas

I am writing to update you about some good news that came from one of your Bright Idea Grants.   

I was awarded a grant to purchase an interactive whiteboard for my classroom in 2006-2007.  I had just transferred from the highest performing high school in my county to the lowest performing one.  When I first arrived, teaching with new technologies such as smartboards was not even on the radar.  People only had negative things to say about them.  However, after I was awarded a grant to purchase one for my chemistry classroom, the news spread like wildfire.  The intial "wow" factor for my students was incredible.  They bought in with this new style of teaching immediately.  The initial common comment was "I wish I had one of those at home!"  I told my students to begin talking to their other teachers and the administrators to explain how much they like having a smartboard in class.   

This past school year (2007-2008) was unbelievable!  The media tech teachers and the administration really took this idea to a new level.  They began purchasing additional smartboards for the science and math classrooms throughout the school.  My grant was entitled "I.C.A.N:  Integrate, Collaborate, and Activate your Noggin."  I quoted the commericial I saw on tv which said one idea can spark a thousand.  Thanks to your prgram, we are indeed doing that at our school.  Even though we are a priority school as identified by Judge Manning, our students are improving and becoming more engaged in their learning.  For example, the Chemistry EOC scores before I transferred showed only 46% of the students were at grade level.  This past school year when the Chemistry EOC was reinstated, we are predicting 60% of my chemistry students will be at grade level.   I just wanted to write and say thank you.  

Regards, (name withheld)

2007-08 Bright Ideas Grant Winners

Harnett County Schools

Around the Alphabet Block  
Christine Farragher 
Anderson Creek Primary    
$475.81

Fit & Fun = Fantastic Future!  
Dana Laing          
Buies Creek Elementary 
$1976.5

Leaping Into Reading           
Susan Autry          
Buies Creek Elementary 
$1664

 Math All Around Us             
Jenn Lowe           
Coats Elementary       
$875.51

Wall Mural- Proud to be an American
Deb Boyd            |
Dunn Middle            
$630 

Panther Cafe                   
Natalie Constantine 
Overhills Middle           
$1,246.64     

Weather and Water              
Steven Schrock    
Overhills Middle            
$1,993.20      

Seeing is Believing            
Johnny Howington    
Western Harnett High   
$1500

"Chime" to Make Some Music     
Curtis Collins      
Western Harnett Middle 
$1,959        

Johnston County Schools

Three Plugs for the Future     
Jennifer Ennis      
Benson Elementary      
$1500

Traveling Through Books        
Susan Jones          
Dixon Road Elementary  
$1980.22

Nurturing Nature Knowledge     
Laura Fite          
Four Oaks Elementary   
$1640

Weathering It Out              
Donna Price         
Meadow Elementary      
$615.40    

Improving Our Community…
Barbara Nicholl     
South Johnston High    
$696.72

S.M.A.R.T                      
Kara Lillie         
McGee's Crossroads Elementary
$1500

Cumberland County Schools

Friends for Forensics          
Dori L Hess         
Cape Fear High         
$1000

Snapshot Science!              
Shana Matthews      
Gallberry Farms Elementary
$900

Aquaponics and Hydroponics in Action
Tara Runion King    
Gray's Creek High School
$1224.98

Literacy in Mathematics        
Kimberly Frazee     
Long Hill Elementary   
$1,007.64    

Words in Math                  
Angela Adams        
Stedman Primary        
$453.47

Flashing Math Facts            
Rachel Shuder       
District No 7 Elementary
$995

Sampson County Schools

Magic Carpet Ride               
Lorrie Jackson      
Charles E Perry Elementary
$740

WOW!  I Can Tap Out S-OU-T-H-R-I-V-E-R
Pam Godwin          
Clement Elementary     
$1226

"Do You Hear What I Hear?"     
Sally Odum          
Hargrove Elementary   
$1,729.80     

Reading Plus Math Equals Success
Erin Springer       
Hargrove Elementary    
$272.50       

Leap Into Learning             
Emily Thornton      
Hargrove Elementary    
$700

"Math-therpieces"              
Beth McLamb         
Hargrove Elementary    
$848.65

Active Learning                
Melanie Spell       
Hobbton Elementary               
$500

Moving with Math               
Les Spell           
Hobbton Elementary     
$1626.05

Being the "BEST" You Can Be
Lori W. Monk        
Hobbton Elementary     
$1,295 

Catchy Calendar Fun            
Cathy Daughtry      
Hobbton Elementary     
$536.66  

"Oh, My!  That's My Baby!"
Karen J. Tyler      
Hobbton High           
$1,739.95  

Now I See                       
Michael Cook        
Hobbton High           
$1,149.90 

Projectoring for The Future!   
Suzanne Vann
Hobbton High           
$500

Mathematics in the Real World  
Richard Walters     
Lakewood High          
$1,875        

Do You See What I See          
Bridgette Adams     
Lakewood High          
$1,980       

Ducks Need Homes Too           
Harvey Blackman     
Lakewood High          
$539         

Geometry in Motion             
Shawn E. Williams   
Lakewood High           
$750

This Remote is For WHAT?!     
Leigh Ann Smith     
Midway High            
$1000

Enhancing Science Curriculum   
Leasa Hodges        
Midway Middle                 
$226.50 

Living Language                
Laura Gillentine King
Midway Middle          
$2,000        

Clicking for Success           
Sheila Sessoms Wood 
Midway Middle          
$2,000        

Sowing Seeds of Sound          
Jennifer Matthews   
Roseboro-Salemburg Middle
$629.05      

Graphing Tools for the 21st Century
Miriam White        
Sampson Middle         
$268.20