Four County is always looking for ways to help improve the communities we serve. That’s why we participate in NC Bright Ideas. This grant-awarding program is a unique opportunity for local teachers to receive up to $2,000 for innovative teaching ideas. The 2013 program will kick-off in April.
Co-sponsored by the N.C. Association of Electric Cooperatives, the grants are available to teachers in area schools for projects that traditional school money does not cover. All of North Carolina's 26 electric Cooperatives participate in the program and to date, the Bright Ideas grant program has awarded more than 7.3 million in grant money to teachers throughout the state to sponsor more than 7,500 projects benefiting more than 1.3 million students.
Since Bright Ideas orginated in 1994, Four County has granted $318,274 to local teachers. In 2012, we received a record number of applications and funded 21 projects totaling $19,706.
All certified elementary, middle and high school teachers in the Four County EMC service area are eligible to apply. Simply fill out an application available at www.ncbrightideas.com, detailing your unique teaching project and how it will affect students. The application process will re-open in April 2013.
If you have questions about Four County EMC's Bright Ideas Grant program contact Gay Johnson at gayjohnson@fourcty.org or call (910) 259-1834 for more information.
2012 Bright Ideas Grant Winners
The winning teachers are listed by respective county, along with the amount of funds they received (listed in order of teacher who submitted grant, school, project name and amount awarded):
2012 BLADEN COUNTY BRIGHT IDEAS EDUCATION GRANT WINNERS
| Teachers | School | Grant Title | Award |
| Teresa Wiles | Clarkton School of Discovery | Windows of the World | $1,300 |
| Elizabeth Alford | Bladen Lakes Primary | La La La Literacy – Books in Music | $1,000 |
| Melanie Wohlford | Elizabethtown Primary | Play That Mountain Music! | $870 |
| Joy Frith, N. Willis, A. Reeves, C. Babson, T. Kelly | Elizabethtown Primary | “Mind-On” Science | $1,100 |
2012 DUPLIN COUNTY BRIGHT IDEAS EDUCATION GRANT WINNERS
| Teacher | School | Grant Title | Award |
| Sulnora S. Oluyemi | Charity Middle | The Art of Math-Devising Tessellations | $1,000 |
| Britani Becher | Chinquapin Elementary | “iPods Touch” | $1,000 |
| Kathy Hendrickson | Wallace Elementary | Better Scores With Apple Cores | $1,000 |
2012 PENDER COUNTY BRIGHT IDEAS EDUCATION GRANT WINNERS
| Teachers | School | Grant Title | Award |
| Darlene Gallop Lewis | Heide Trask High School | Mardi Gras Afternoon/Prom for Special Students with Special Needs | $1,200 |
| Sara Toothman, Craig Lawson | West Pender Middle | Shutterbug Narratives: Teaching Literacy Through Photography | $1,000 |
| Natalie Mozey | Burgaw Elementary | Fresh Air, Fresh Minds | $962 |
| Jenyfer Sherman | West Pender Middle | Geometry:From Concrete to Abstract and Back | $833 |
| Rebekah Wrye Owens, Jessica Croson | Heidi Trask High School | Square Earth | $1,020 |
| Ronald Murphy, Anderson, Lloyd, Lehocky | Penderlea School | WPLE-Buzz Radio | $900 |
| Chelsea Coleman | Heidi Trask High School | Future Scientists in the Making | $550 |
2012 SAMPSON COUNTY BRIGHT IDEAS EDUCATION GRANT WINNERS
| Teachers | School | Grant Title | Award |
| Shannon Jones | Union Elementary | Step on it! We have a lot to learn! | $625 |
| Kathy Strapko, Rhonda Long | Union Elementary | I’m Not Afraid to Say It! | $615 |
| Kimberly Childers | Union Intermediate | Nabi Who! Nabi 2! 21st Century Tablet For Kids! | $1,319 |
| Nikki Willis | Union Middle School | Super Students Starving for Stellar Books! | $563 |
| Theresa Elias | Union High | Visual Voices – Powerful Offerings | $567 |
| Felicia Lamb | Union Elementary | Engaging with Texts | $1,782 |
| Bambi Dove | Union Elementary | Listen to Reading | $500 |
