Because Carroll Electric Membership Cooperative (EMC) Members elected to round up to the nearest dollar on their electric bill, 117 schoolteachers in Carroll, Haralson, Heard and Paulding counties will be able to enhance student learning through the co-op’s Bright Ideas grant program. Grants awarded for the 2024 funding cycle totaled $88,216.
Each August, applications for Bright Ideas grants are open to public school educators teaching grades pre-K through 12. Teachers can request up to $1,000 to fund a project in the classroom including but not limited to science, technology, engineering, arts, math and social studies. A school is automatically made eligible if an enrolled student’s home is served by Carroll EMC.
This year, representatives of the cooperative hand-delivered checks to 40 schools, and in the process, walked to each classroom to surprise the teachers and their students with the news.
“Every single teacher was so excited and wanted their students to know what the grant was going to do for the classroom,” said Nita Burns, Carroll EMC Foundation Trustee. “The students buy in to the project a lot quicker this way.”
Burns, who is a former local educator of 40 years, knows just how valuable grants of this nature are for the success of students. With a limited budget, it can be difficult to create engaging work that goes along with the curriculum. Bright Ideas grants are set up to where teachers can apply year after year and build upon previous projects or submit new ideas.
“When I was teaching, we had access to grants at the state level, but they were difficult to apply for,” said Burns. “If you won the grant, there was a chance you wouldn’t be eligible again for another five to ten years. It would have been so exciting to have something like this available back then.”
To be considered for a Bright Ideas grant, teachers must submit an online application outlining, in detail, their classroom project and the expected budget. All applications are judged blindly by the cooperative’s Foundation Trustees and are automatically disqualified if any reference is made to a specific teacher or school.
“If you’re considering applying, my advice is to look for things that will support your curriculum in a new and different way,” added Burns. “I’m always surprised at just how forward-thinking the teachers are in creating new experiences that are relevant to what the kids are going to need to know in the future.”
Bright Ideas grants are funded through the generous donations of Carroll EMC Members who participate in Operation Round Up®, a program where they elect to “round up” their electric bills to the nearest dollar. The program is governed by the cooperative’s Foundation Trustees and funds a variety of community service projects including Bright Ideas, Impact Grants, student scholarships, and many health and human services programs.
To see a complete list of this year’s Bright Ideas recipients, please visit carrollemc.com/brightideas. Applications for 2025 will be accepted beginning August 15.
