October 2024 — Piedmont Electric Cooperative proudly awarded $50,445 in Bright Ideas education grants to 33 exceptional local teachers, bringing new opportunities for creativity and learning to their classrooms! These grants will fuel the imaginations of over 7,600 students across Caswell, Durham, Orange, and Person counties, supporting hands-on projects in subjects ranging from STEM to history, reading, art and even gardening.
“We’re so thankful for our incredible educators who go above and beyond to make a lasting impact on their students,” said Jordan Overbee, Piedmont Electric’s president and general manager. “By funding these inspiring classroom projects, the Bright Ideas education grant program reflects our deep commitment to our community.”
This program is made possible through the generosity of our members, who support the Piedmont Electric Helping Hand Foundation by rounding up their electric bills each month. Since 1994, Piedmont Electric has proudly contributed over $750,000 to local teachers through the Bright Ideas grant program. Across the state, 26 electric cooperatives, including Piedmont Electric, have collectively awarded more than $15.8 million to fund nearly 14,700 innovative projects, benefiting more than 3.65 million students.
Applications for Bright Ideas grants are accepted each year from April through mid-September, and a panel of judges selects winning proposals through a competitive process. Teachers interested in applying for 2025 can submit their ideas starting in April. Through the Bright Ideas grant program, Piedmont Electric continues its dedication to empowering the next generation through education and community support.
To learn more, visit ncbrightideas.com and follow them on Facebook.
2024 Bright Ideas Grant Winners
| Grant Title | School | Teacher Name | County | Awarded Amount |
| Mock Archaeological Dig | A.L. Stanback Middle | Joseph Sharp | Orange | $ 1,000.00 |
| Bandolero | Chapel Hill High | Robert Ballard | Orange | $ 1,500.00 |
| Hand-made Power | Chapel Hill High | Jessica Cecchini | Orange | $ 1,625.65 |
| Clear as Buttermilk: Water Quality in Focus | Clover Garden | Elizabeth Nall | Alamance | $ 649.00 |
| Holocaust Museum | Clover Garden | Tara Dollyhigh | Alamance | $ 2,000.00 |
| Whiteboarding In Mathematics | Discovery Charter School | Richard Kozak | Durham | $ 832.00 |
| Structure and Speed: Engineering Design Challenges | Emerson Waldorf School | Catherine Reyes | Orange | $ 2,000.00 |
| Bringing Equity in STEM | George L. Carrington Middle | Willman Henriquez | Durham | $ 2,000.00 |
| Continuing Outdoor Education | Grady Brown Elementary | Whitney Williams | Orange | $ 1,500.00 |
| K-2 Writing Journals | Grady Brown Elementary | Gloria Bermeo-Ortiz | Orange | $ 2,000.00 |
| Kids Can Grow | Helena Elementary | Dory Newkirk | Person | $ 548.23 |
| For the Love of Reading | Mangum Elementary | Sandra Goodwin | Durham | $ 1,200.00 |
| The Gamechangers Experience: Making Gains through Playing Games | Mary Scroggs Elementary | Jasmine Johnson | Orange | $ 1,987.57 |
| Sensory Garden for N. L. Dillard Middle School | N.L. Dillard Middle School | Andrea Alice Anika | Caswell | $ 900.00 |
| Playful Building at N.L. Dillard Middle School | N.L. Dillard Middle School | Heather Franklin | Caswell | $ 2,000.00 |
| Creating an Inclusive STEM Library for All | New Hope Elementary | Ashley Barringer | Orange | $ 1,500.00 |
| New Hope Elementary Community Outdoor Classroom | New Hope Elementary | Maggie Booterbaugh | Orange | $ 1,633.00 |
| Hands-On Learning for the Win! | North Elementary – Providence | Katie Louhoff | Caswell | $ 1,000.00 |
| Full Steam Ahead with Multicultural Books! | North Elementary – Providence | Mauriah Smith | Caswell | $ 2,000.00 |
| “Disc”-overing the Fun of Disc Golf! | North Elementary – Providence | Ryan Moretz | Caswell | $ 1,896.12 |
| Interactive and Inclusive Learning | North End Elementary | Samantha Kelly | Person | $ 607.40 |
| Microscopes | Northern Middle | Kelly Richards | Person | $ 1,929.87 |
| Every Child, Every Day | Oakwood Elementary | Amanda Haney | Caswell | $ 1,977.00 |
| Partnership Academy’s Sensory Garden and Beautification Project | Partnership Academy Alternative | Michael Gilbert | Orange | $ 1,200.00 |
| When the Lightbulb Comes On! STEM Projects for All Students | Pathways Elementary | Robin Smith Leissner | Orange | $ 1,750.00 |
| The New 3D! Deliberate Detailed Dedication | Person High | David A Jones | Person | $ 1,990.26 |
| Models and Data and Science, Oh My! | Roxboro Community School | Ashley Bailey | Person | $ 1,930.00 |
| Magnifying Microscopic Marvels | South Elementary | Elizabeth Sinnott | Person | $ 1,450.00 |
| Making Math Magical with Magnetic Tiles | South Elementary | Stephanie Rimmer Spencer | Person | $ 537.94 |
| Stream Dynamics: Navigating the Flow of Science! | Southern Middle | Valerie Bratton | Person | $ 1,803.44 |
| Waiting for the Biblioburro (Traveling Library) | Stoney Creek Elementary | Casey Evans | Caswell | $ 2,000.00 |
| The Outdoor Classroom of Stoney Creek | Stoney Creek Elementary | Hilary Moore | Caswell | $ 1,500.00 |
| Mad Scientist Glow Show | Stories Creek Elementary | Amanda Bedo | Person | $ 1,998.47 |