WS Chronicle

Special to The Chronicle

STATESVILLE – EnergyUnited is awarding over $40,000 in Bright Ideas education grants to 37 teachers to fund engaging classroom learning projects. Students at schools in Catawba, Forsyth, Guilford, Cabarrus, Davidson, Davie, Iredell, Rowan and Alexander Counties, will participate in Bright Ideas projects funded by EnergyUnited this year.

“Educators who win Bright Ideas grants are going above and beyond for their students,” said Maureen Moore, Communications Manager of EnergyUnited. “We’re excited to support their innovative and creative learning initiatives through the Bright Ideas program each year.”

Winning projects include: 3-D technology, robotics, teaching virtual reality, science labs, and STEM projects. This year, EnergyUnited will be inviting all the winners to attend one of three luncheons in November, where we will recognize all the winners.

Since the Bright Ideas grant program began in 1994, EnergyUnited has contributed more than $800,000 to local teachers.

“Investing in the education of our youth and future leaders is a major part of EnergyUnited’s commitment to the communities we serve,” Moore said.

EnergyUnited is one of 26 member-owned electric cooperatives in the state offering Bright Ideas grants to local educators. During the month of November, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives will award teachers statewide close to $600,000 in Bright Ideas education grants.

Since 1994, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives collectively have awarded more than $11.5 million to Tar Heel teachers.

The Bright Ideas program has reached well over 2.2 million North Carolina students and sponsored more than 11,000 projects in all subjects including math, reading, science and technology, history, music and the arts.

Bright Ideas grant applications are collected each year from April through mid-September, and winning proposals are selected in a competitive evaluation process by a panel of judges. The application process will reopen for interested teachers in April 2019.

To find out more information about the Bright Ideas grant program, visit www.energyunited.com/bright-ideas-program.

The Forsyth County winners were:

*Bryn Salter of The North Carolina Leadership Academy.  The grant awarded was in the amount of $271.54 for Microscopy of Blood

*Edward Thutt of Reagan High.  The grant totaled $1,280.00 for Sustainable Energy Solutions

*Kathleen Crook of Morgan Elementary School. The grant was for $1,100.00 for Science: Structures and Functions Unit 5.L.1