ROCKINGHAM — Pee Dee Electric has awarded its Bright Ideas grants to six teachers in Richmond County.
The teachers applied from April to September for grants of up to $2,000. The applicants submit their plans for projects that would give students a chance to get “hands-on” experience and get creative.
The applications are judged by a panel of three retired teachers to see who receives the grants — who don’t know the applicants name or the school they’re from to maintain the judges’ impartiality, according to Seth Allen, communications specialist with Pee Dee.
“They base the scores on creativity, needs and benefits, originality, and defined goals and objectives,” Allen said.
The Richmond County Bright Ideas Grant recipients and their projects are:
• Cordova School: Shannon Haywood, “On Your Mark … Get Set …READ!”
• East Rockingham Elementary: Rita Thames, “Full STEAM Ahead!”
• Ellerbe Middle: David Allen Adeimy Jr., “Ellerbe Middle School In-School Intramural Program”
• Hamlet Middle: Ismael Gomez, “Math 1 Rocket Trajectory Project”
• Richmond 9th Grade Academy: Brenna Wyatt, “World History Virtual Reality Tech”
• Richmond Senior High: Victor McCaskill, “Fire & Public Safety Electrical Hazard and Utility Shut Off Prop”
Pee Dee funded 10 total grants, including three to Anson County teachers and one to Scotland County teacher, in addition to the six Richmond County grants.
Allen said this year the projects were much more diverse than previous years.
“These projects touch on very different subject matter, from CTE classes to physical education,” he said. “It’s exciting to surprise the teachers with the grants, and we look forward to keeping in touch with them throughout the next year to see how the projects progress.”
This year is the 25th anniversary of the Bright Ideas program. Since 1994, North Carolina’s electric cooperatives have awarded more than $12.2 million in Bright Ideas funding for nearly 11,700 projects supporting teachers and benefiting more than 2.3 million students, according to Pee Dee Electric.
For information, visit pdemc.com.
Reach Gavin Stone at 910-817-2674 or [email protected].
