WADESBORO — Pee Dee Electric and North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have pledged nearly $600,000 to the state’s teachers in Bright Ideas education grant funding for the 2015-16 school year.
Grants of up to $2,500 will be awarded directly to local educators for creative, hands-on classroom projects that would not otherwise be funded by traditional school budgets. The grant application window opened April 1 and can be found online at www.ncbrightideas.com along with more information about the program.
“For more than 20 years, Bright Ideas grants have helped teachers bring innovative ideas to life and get students excited about learning;” said Anne Edwards, marketing representative with Pee Dee Electric. “North Carolina’s electric cooperatives believe there is no better investment than in the education of our youth, which is why we continue to support educators with our Bright Ideas grant program each year.”
Pee Dee Electric expects to award $13,500 in Bright Ideas grants this year to teachers throughout their seven county service territory. Grants are available to K-12 teachers for innovative projects in any subject. Teachers can apply individually or as a team and must submit applications online.
Applications will be accepted April 1 through September 30, but teachers are encouraged to apply early. Teachers who submit their applications by the early bird deadline of Friday, Aug. 14 will be entered in a drawing to win a Visa gift card.
To apply, teachers must include a budget, explain the implementation, goals, creative elements and evaluation of the project, and have approval from the school principal. Applications will be judged in a competitive evaluation process, and judges will be on the lookout for projects that feature innovation and creativity. The application and grant-writing tips can be found at www.ncbrightideas.com.
Since 1994, the Bright Ideas grant program has worked with co-ops to enhance education by engaging students in meaningful learning projects that encourage creative approaches. In the past two decades, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have contributed more than $9.6 million to teachers for 9,200 projects benefiting more than 1.8 million students.
“Teachers have amazing, creative ideas for educating students but often do not have the resources to make those ideas come to life,” Edwards said. “The enthusiasm and dedication of educators never ceases to amaze us, and we are proud to support their efforts.”
Pee Dee Electric is a not-for-profit cooperative whose goal is to provide reliable, dependable electric service for its members while focusing on value, quality customer service, and enhancing life in the communities we serve. Pee Dee’s service area consists of Anson, Richmond, Union, Stanly, Montgomery, Moore, and Scotland counties. For more information about Pee Dee Electric, please visit www.pdemc.com
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