Tri-County EMC has awarded $14,747.82 in Bright Ideas education grants to 19 local teachers to fund engaging projects for their students. More than 2,000 students at schools in Wayne County will benefit from these grants. In addition to awarding teachers, Tri-County EMC also granted $500 to Northwest Elementary for having the greatest number of bright idea winners.
“This year’s grant applications were fun and uniquely creative to help students learn remotely and in the classroom,” said Deidra Grantham, manager of marketing and communications of Tri-County EMC. “Typically, these grants bring creative projects to life inside classrooms. However, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tri-County EMC has been flexible with the types of projects awarded to ensure that all students are able to benefit, whether they are in the classroom or learning remotely,” said Grantham.
Since the Bright Ideas grant program began in 1994, Tri-County EMC has contributed $1,685,743.81 to fund 1,874 creative projects to local teachers. This year, Tri-County awarded a total of 62,483.34 in Bright Ideas education grants to educators in Duplin, Wayne and Lenoir counties.
Tri-County EMC is one of 26 electric cooperatives in North Carolina offering Bright Ideas grants to local teachers. Since 1994, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives collectively have awarded more than $12.9 million in Bright Ideas funding for nearly 12,359 projects supporting teachers and benefitting more than 2.5 million students.
Bright Ideas grant applications are accepted by Tri-County EMC each year from April through mid-September, and winning proposals are selected in a competitive evaluation process by a panel of judges. The application process will reopen for interested teachers in April 2021.
The Bright Ideas grant program is part of Tri-County EMC ongoing commitment to building a brighter future through community support of education.
2020 Tri-County EMC Bright Ideas Education Grant Winners
| Bright Ideas Grant Winner |
School | Grant Amount |
| Amber Sauls | Fremont Elementary | $1,000.00 |
| Belinda Curatolo | Northwest Elementary | $91.38 |
| Brittany Murray | Northwest Elementary | $446.52 |
| Casey Stephens-Chudy | Wayne Country Day School | $997.05 |
| Catherine G Hooks | Wayne Country Day School | $985.67 |
| Catherine M Borgquist | Northwest Elementary | $908.00 |
| Crystal Hodges | Tommys Road Elementary | $502.10 |
| Dona Briggs | Wayne Country Day School | $1,000.00 |
| Doris M Newton | Northwest Elementary | $544.47 |
| Gail Rena Mason | Mount Olive Middle | $928.76 |
| Julie Slye | Spring Creek Middle | $679.75 |
| Lanelle Sutton | Norwayne Middle | $983.46 |
| Megan Rizzo | Northwest Elementary | $907.99 |
| Merriann Hiett | Grantham Middle | $727.00 |
| Rebecca Jones | Grantham Elementary | $822.37 |
| Rob Glass | Wayne Country Day School | $976.00 |
| Sherri Fortner | Northwest Elementary | $887.99 |
| Tiffany Bowser | Northwest Elementary | $359.31 |
| Valerie Blokland | Mount Olive Middle | $1,000.00 |
