Every year, teachers across our service area dream up creative ways to reach their students. A reading buddy who happens to be a bearded dragon. An outdoor classroom built on a forgotten nature trail. A robotics team that grows from a handful of kids to a packed room of future engineers. The one thing these projects share? They all started as a bright idea, and Piedmont Electric helped bring them to life.
Through our Bright Ideas Education Grant program, local educators can apply for grants of up to $2,000 to fund innovative classroom projects. Since 1994, we have awarded more than $600,000 to teachers, principals and school counselors in our community, touching the lives of thousands of students along the way.
What the Grants Make Possible
Bright Ideas projects come in every shape and subject. Here are just a few that have taken root in local classrooms:
Robotics that goes the distance. At River Park Elementary, a Bright Ideas grant helped Patrick Mitchell expand his robotics program from about two dozen students to 45. The team caught fire, hosted an in-school competition and sent two students on to place in the top 10 at the North Carolina state competition.
Learning outside the walls. At Grady Brown Elementary, Whitney Williams used her grant to reopen an outdoor classroom, renovate a neglected nature trail and add species markers and a story walk for K-5 students. Outdoor learning has been shown to boost both academic performance and student well-being.
A reading buddy named Buddy. At Stoney Creek Elementary, Teresa Perkins introduced her students to a bearded dragon named Buddy. Reluctant readers found their confidence reading aloud to him, and Buddy doubled as a hands-on lesson in responsibility and pet care. He lives well on crickets and greens from the school garden.
How to Apply
Applying is simple. Teachers, principals and school counselors across our service area, including Alamance, Caswell, Durham, Granville, Orange and Person counties, are eligible to apply.
Mark these dates for the 2026-2027 school year:
Early bird deadline: Aug. 15, 2026
Final deadline: Sept. 15, 2026
Ready to bring your bright idea to life? Visit NCBrightIdeas.com to learn more and submit your application.