Cleveland teacher gets Bright Ideas grant

EnergyUnitedsupports educator with Bright Ideas

Educators in North Carolina now have additional funds for innovative teaching projects, thanks to help from EnergyUnited and its members. The co-op is awarding 25 Bright Ideas grants totaling $38,304.83 to teachers in November and December. The grants are going to educators in EnergyUnited’s 19-county service area to enhance instruction in their classrooms.

In Rowan County, Carie Hayworth of Cleveland Elementary School is being awarded $1,781.07 in funding for “Eagle Café.”

“Classroom teachers are the heart and soul of our education system,” said Wayne Wilkins, CEO of EnergyUnited. “Yet often, they take money out of their own pockets to make their teaching ideas come to life. These grants are all the more important during this time when teachers are having to do even more with less.”

Bright Ideas grants award up to $2,000 per educator for classroom projects that create excitement among students and enhance learning. Educators in grades K-12 are eligible to apply. EnergyUnited screens the grant proposals with the help of a group of volunteers that include educators, community leaders and representatives of the cooperative.

The Bright Ideas program is a statewide initiative of the 26 electric cooperatives in North Carolina. Created in 1994, the program has collectively awarded more than $7.1 million to North Carolina teachers; EnergyUnited has made 511 grants totaling $543,917 to teachers for innovative classroom instruction projects.

EnergyUnited will begin accepting grant applications for the 2011 program in April. To apply, go to ncbrightideas.com. EnergyUnited will only accept online applications.